[El Mocho]

According to Facecrack Hazel and Caff freed Muir Wall (with the Sjong/Millar variation to the Shaft variation...) very good effort. Looking forward to the McHaffie downgrade!

[slackline]

Skills.

How's the trip stopping vertigo coming along?

Getting on ok with the new camera (despite not being able to use it out there)?

[chillax]

Ah, so thats who I was talking to the other day! Incredibly modest, nice guy. Awesome effort.

[duncan]

That's great, this version of the Muir free must be a real classic and one of the more sustained routes on El Cap.  There are 5 

Is this the second ascent?  The usually reliable Clint Cummings doesn't record one.

James Mchaffie leading on the free variation (to the right of original line upper corner).


Neil Dyer on the section leading up to Chickenhead ledge.


Photos from Tom 'El Cap Pics' Evans.

Pitch 24, first ascentionists Justin Sjong and Rob Miller, photo by Tim Kemple of first ascentionist

[SA Chris]

Ding dong merrily on high!

[chummer]

http://hazelfindlay.wordpress.com/2012/10/23/free-adventures-on-el-cap-the-premuir-second-ascent-5-13cd-33-ish-pitches/

[Nemo]

When this hadn’t been picked up by other sites I kinda assumed ElMo had been hallucinating until I saw Hazel’s blog…

This is utterly flippin amazing.  I couldn’t believe they’d gone for the PreMuir rather than the Shaft.  And then for both Hazel and Caff to free all of it, ground up in 5 days (with a day or so recon of the early pitches) is just incredible.

Her blog is great:

“Luckily for me, the El Cap gods, like they were on the move pitch, wanted to allow little people to go past free as well, and instead of going left I found some hidden crimps that led straight up to a ledge…” – Hazel Findlay

There’s a (long winded) thread on supertopo with contributions from Justen Sjong, Kurt Smith, Scott Cosgrove etc… giving loads of background on the free attempts on the Muir, with stacks of great pictures:
http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/755069/muir-wall

As was said on that thread:

“So the whole climb done in a push would really be something, especially if the party doesn't rehearse the final crux pitch. I think that is a next great challenge in El Cap free climbing.”

And that was the first (almost free) ascentionist talking in 2009 about the considerably easier Shaft variation. 

All I can say is:
   

[Stu Littlefair]

I'm in shock. Outstanding.

[Duma]

This is AMAZING! incredible effort all.


needs to be on the front page too mods

[chummer]

Isn't it! 

Stunning looking route, strong team! Ace to see the Ding Dong involved. Super happy for Caff having a better trip than last time.http://www.jamesmchaffie.com/caffs-blog.html and how talented is Miss Findley 

Wooo Hoooooo! Leg ends.

[chummer]

The words 'talented' and 'tenacity' spring to mind

[SA Chris]

For ding dong the words "laid back to the point of falling over" spring to mind.

[Jaspersharpe]

Really impressive.

[tomtom]

Really impressive.

+1. Great to read Hazels blog...

[slackline]

Trip report from James McHaffie (make sure you've got ad-block enabled ).

I work in the same department as Dan McManus, didn't know he was off to Yosemite, will have to congratulate him when he's back.

[chummer]

You actually work slackline?   

[slackline]

Occasionally