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the shizzle => news => Topic started by: El Mocho on October 20, 2012, 05:06:57 pm

Title: Hazel and Caff free Muir Wall
Post by: El Mocho on October 20, 2012, 05:06:57 pm
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!
Title: Re: Hazel and Caff free Muir Wall
Post by: slackline on October 20, 2012, 05:46:59 pm
Skills. :clap2:

How's the trip stopping vertigo coming along?

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

Title: Re: Hazel and Caff free Muir Wall
Post by: chillax on October 20, 2012, 07:38:42 pm
Ah, so thats who I was talking to the other day! Incredibly modest, nice guy. Awesome effort.
Title: Re: Hazel and Caff free Muir Wall
Post by: duncan on October 20, 2012, 08:40:22 pm
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 (http://www.stanford.edu/~clint/yos/longhf.htm) doesn't record one.

James Mchaffie leading on the free variation (to the right of original line upper corner).
(http://elcapreport.com/sites/default/files/A10%20%20CIMG_8933.JPG)

Neil Dyer on the section leading up to Chickenhead ledge.
(http://elcapreport.com/sites/default/files/A9%20%20CIMG_9407.JPG)

Photos from Tom 'El Cap Pics' Evans (http://elcapreport.com/content/elcap-report-101412).

Pitch 24, first ascentionists Justin Sjong and Rob Miller, photo by Tim Kemple  (http://www.kemplemedia.com/#/portfolio/a%20bit%20of%20everything/1/)of first ascentionist
(http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q317/clintcummins/misc/premuir2.jpg)
Title: Re: Hazel and Caff free Muir Wall
Post by: SA Chris on October 21, 2012, 09:23:17 am
Ding dong merrily on high!
Title: Re: Hazel and Caff free Muir Wall
Post by: chummer on October 24, 2012, 01:37:15 pm
http://hazelfindlay.wordpress.com/2012/10/23/free-adventures-on-el-cap-the-premuir-second-ascent-5-13cd-33-ish-pitches/ (http://hazelfindlay.wordpress.com/2012/10/23/free-adventures-on-el-cap-the-premuir-second-ascent-5-13cd-33-ish-pitches/)
Title: Re: Hazel and Caff free Muir Wall
Post by: Nemo on October 24, 2012, 06:06:26 pm
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:
Quote
“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 (http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/755069/muir-wall)

As was said on that thread:
Quote
“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:
 :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow:  :bow: :bow: :beer2: :beer2: :beer2: :beer2: :beer2: :beer2: :beer2:
Title: Hazel and Caff free Muir Wall
Post by: Stu Littlefair on October 24, 2012, 06:50:47 pm
I'm in shock. Outstanding.
Title: Re: Hazel and Caff free Muir Wall
Post by: Duma on October 24, 2012, 07:39:33 pm
This is AMAZING! incredible effort all.


needs to be on the front page too mods
Title: Re: Hazel and Caff free Muir Wall
Post by: chummer on October 24, 2012, 10:22:56 pm
Isn't it!  :clap2:

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 (http://www.jamesmchaffie.com/caffs-blog.html) and how talented is Miss Findley  :o

Wooo Hoooooo! Leg ends. :yes:
Title: Re: Hazel and Caff free Muir Wall
Post by: chummer on October 24, 2012, 10:23:56 pm
The words 'talented' and 'tenacity' spring to mind
Title: Re: Hazel and Caff free Muir Wall
Post by: SA Chris on October 25, 2012, 10:23:49 am
For ding dong the words "laid back to the point of falling over" spring to mind.
Title: Re: Hazel and Caff free Muir Wall
Post by: Jaspersharpe on October 25, 2012, 02:28:52 pm
Really impressive.
Title: Re: Hazel and Caff free Muir Wall
Post by: tomtom on October 25, 2012, 02:55:44 pm
Really impressive.

+1. Great to read Hazels blog...
Title: Re: Hazel and Caff free Muir Wall
Post by: slackline on October 31, 2012, 09:46:41 am
Trip report from James McHaffie (http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=67563) (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.
Title: Re: Hazel and Caff free Muir Wall
Post by: chummer on October 31, 2012, 03:21:05 pm
You actually work slackline?  :o  :P
Title: Re: Hazel and Caff free Muir Wall
Post by: slackline on October 31, 2012, 03:32:58 pm
Occasionally  ;D
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