Zodiac A2 5.7

Currently 5.0/5

El Capitan

Yosemite Valley, California USA

Trip Report

Photo Essay - Zodiac

Sunday January 27, 2008 3:35pm

OK, now that I have figured out how to post pics here, I would like to share some pics from Zodiac courtesy of Corey Rich and Coreyography (he's good). No narration, just some good photos. Enjoy. Cracko

Trip Report Views: 6,435

E.L. "One"

About the Author
E.L. "One" is a big wall climber from Lancaster, California.

Comments

WBraun

climber

Jan 27, 2008 - 03:49pm PT

That was pretty cool and nice perspective.

There was another party above you taking those photos?

Thanks

E.L. "One"

Big Wall climber

Lancaster, California

Author's Reply

Jan 27, 2008 - 03:57pm PT

Werner,

That was Corey Rich and company...Justin Bastien and Todd Snyder.
They climbed a couple pitches ahead of us and "dangled" to get most of the photos.

Mungeclimber

Trad climber

Nothing creative to say

Jan 27, 2008 - 04:00pm PT

killer, thx for the rainy day stoke.

WBraun

climber

Jan 27, 2008 - 04:01pm PT

OK, thanks, that's great.

That's the way to do it to get those great wall shots.

nutjob

Sport climber

Almost to Hollywood, Baby!

Jan 27, 2008 - 04:08pm PT

Those are exceptionally good. And even the last couple capture the top-out feeling better than most.

E.L. "One"

Big Wall climber

Lancaster, California

Author's Reply

Jan 27, 2008 - 04:08pm PT

By the way, my climbing partner on Zodiac was Martin Avidan from New York. Corey used the photos, and sound recorded by Jason Paur of National Public Radio to create a multi-media presentation called "Tortoise and the Hare". Martin and I were of course the hare recording a blistering ascent of 4 days. Chris Mac and Miles Smart were the Tortoise, featuring their 7 hour ascent of Zodiac. Jason Paur rigged our helmets with a sophisticated recording device and left it on for the whole four days. Aside from the mostly profanity ridden recordings, I'm sure he caught a few "introspective" moments.

DMBARN

Trad climber

Eagle, ID

Jan 27, 2008 - 06:13pm PT

Hey E.L.
Martin and I practically learned how to climb together starting out at Stoney Point in the mid 80's. I remember getting a call from him while he was on his way up to do the climb (1999?). I remember him saying something about you integrating the climb into a fund raiser for kids/students as you are a teacher?
I can't say enough about Martin and so you must have had a great time doing the climb with him. One of the most gracious people on the planet. My climbing took a major dump when he moved to New York.
Nice work....

Regards,
Doug Miller

cowpoke

climber

Jan 27, 2008 - 06:17pm PT

wow, fabulous!

Prod

Trad climber

Jan 27, 2008 - 06:38pm PT

Very cool thanks.

Prod.

E.L. "One"

Big Wall climber

Lancaster, California

Author's Reply

Jan 27, 2008 - 06:46pm PT

Hi Doug,

You must have known him when he was into cycling....The Wheelman,
when he lived in Cali. He's heavily into triathalons now and completed his first Ironman a while back. Haven't talked to him for a while and was sorta hoping to draw him out with this post.
Martin was a great partner and we truly shared a dream.

Cracko

F10 Climber F11 Drinker

Trad climber

e350

Jan 27, 2008 - 09:15pm PT

Cool TR,

Great photos, nice job

Jacko

Trad climber

Grass Valley Ca.

Jan 27, 2008 - 09:46pm PT

Bump, and awsome Photos Bob....Let's book a Valley date..Jacko

Festus

Social climber

Enron by the Sea

Jan 28, 2008 - 12:55am PT

I think Corey Rich took this shot of you too...

although judging by the breasts it could also be Phil Mickelson.

the Fet

climber

Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La

Jan 28, 2008 - 11:52am PT

Bump these frickin great photos!

bluering

Trad climber

Santa Clara, CA

Jan 28, 2008 - 12:10pm PT

Awesome shots. Nice job on the climb.

climber

Just livin' the dream

Jan 28, 2008 - 01:30pm PT

Great post Cracko--some excellent photos in that montage. And those top-out shots were da bomb.

Now I'm totally having withdrawal pains from not touching real rock in so long....aaarrrggghhhhhh...

Orion

Trad climber

San Francisco, CA

Jan 28, 2008 - 03:40pm PT

Wow, that was really awesome.
I like that there are no descriptions, it let's the images speak and you form the tale in your own mind. Lot's of great shots and lots of work done to get them.

Thanks for sharing!

SteveW

Trad climber

The state of confusion

Jan 28, 2008 - 03:43pm PT

Awesome!!!

Climbswithtits

Social climber

Fresno

Jan 28, 2008 - 03:45pm PT

Great Photos. Thanks for sharing!

TKingsbury

Trad climber

Jan 28, 2008 - 03:49pm PT

Bad to the bone™

Chiloe

Trad climber

Lee, NH

Jan 28, 2008 - 04:07pm PT

Yeah, good trip.

sweatyballs

Trad climber

Jan 28, 2008 - 05:27pm PT

Killer pics! I am scared of the Zodiac (after taking a 30 footer on the first pitch) but want to do it! Good work!

piquaclimber

Trad climber

SEKI

Jan 28, 2008 - 05:45pm PT

Excellent photos! Thanks for sharing your trip.

I especially like the summit double-high-five... good stuff.

Festus

Social climber

Enron by the Sea

Jan 28, 2008 - 08:10pm PT

Bump, on merit!

And in fairness to Phil Mickelson, that JT shot could be almost anyone on the PGA tour except Tiger.

edit: Or it could be Fattrad!

Orion

Trad climber

San Francisco, CA

Jan 28, 2008 - 08:18pm PT

I just took a second scroll through and there are some really interesting shots of the climbing here. I think one of the best is the old piece of tat with a new piece of tat tied to it that the climber below is about to clip. It really shows another element of climbing that doesn't get portrayed very much from an interesting perspective.

I'm going to keep these shots in mind when I'm talking pictures on my climbs. The taco has taught me two things about climbing pictures now, vary the perspective and take more pictures of the friends you go climbing with.

E.L. "One"

Big Wall climber

Lancaster, California

Author's Reply

Jan 28, 2008 - 09:04pm PT

Orion,

Thanks for noticing that. After my partner Martin brilliantly led the Nipple pitch, I took the lead on the "Mark of Zorro" pitch which was incredibly steep, and with a lot of fixed mank.
I remember Corey Rich hanging in space and snapping shots as I peered up at that rusty old old rurp with a newer sling slung around the knotted sling of the rurp. What else to do but clip and go !! That particularly ancient piece got you through the steep stuff and onto the upper headwall. I'm thinking that rurp had to be left by the other Porter on the first ascent !!!

Cracko

Big Kahuna

Ice climber

Hell Hardest climb I did was getting out of bed.

Jan 30, 2008 - 12:58am PT

Awesome! Nice send great pic's

Robb

Social climber

Cat Box

Jan 30, 2008 - 01:22am PT

Brought back a lot of memories I haven't felt for many years. Excellent job guys!
Zod, class of '82

WanderlustMD

Trad climber

New England

Jan 30, 2008 - 02:57pm PT

I remember those shots from the mags! Nice to the rest, as well as some backstory.

Cheers!

SamSeal

Trad climber

Harrison, New York

Mar 3, 2008 - 05:28pm PT

Bob! Doug forwarded me this thread. It is great to see those pictures again, brings back some great memories. I've got your email now, and will shoot you an update. Lots going on. /Martin

Captain...or Skully

climber

Boise, ID

Mar 3, 2008 - 05:34pm PT

Nice shots, EL...excellent perspectives.

Stanley Hassinger

climber

Eastern US

Mar 3, 2008 - 06:24pm PT

Thanks for the great post! Any chance the NPR story is archived somewhere? I'd love to have a listen.

SH

hobo_dan

Social climber

Minnesota

Mar 3, 2008 - 09:08pm PT

That was great- I liked the wire on the bolt shot best
murf

Zander

climber

Mar 3, 2008 - 09:13pm PT

Looks nice up there! thanks for posting.
Z

salad

Big Wall climber

Mar 3, 2008 - 10:40pm PT

just saw this.. fantastic shots!

Kartch

climber

belgrade, mt

Mar 3, 2008 - 11:50pm PT

That was sweeeet!!!

I wish Patagonia still made those ugly caps. They were never popular with the ladies but they functioned perfectly.

Cracko

Trad climber

Quartz Hill, California

Mar 4, 2008 - 12:29am PT

Stanley,

Tried to get the NPR audio recordings but could never track down Jason Parr. Don't know if he still works for NPR. Also don't know if they ever aired it.

Martin,

So good to hear from you !! I got your email and will be responding as soon as I get my sh&t together !! And...I don't want to hear about you feeling old at 50. Damit! I just turned 55 and I'm gonna get up the Captain this year again come hell or high water. I think you need to join me. Much safer than getting hit by cars while cycling around !!! Hope all is well with you and look forward to talking.

Cracko

Cracko

Trad climber

Quartz Hill, California

Mar 4, 2008 - 02:34pm PT

Kartch,

Those Patagonia hats are the bomb!! Fit under a helmet like no other hat. Feather lite and they really breathe. Still have mine but need to find another. Does anyone else make anything close ??

Cracko

MZiebell

Social climber

Prescott, AZ

Mar 6, 2008 - 08:15am PT

bump

hossjulia

Trad climber

Carson City, NV

Mar 6, 2008 - 09:38am PT

Thanks for the bump Mziebell.
Finn has been trying to talk me into doing some aid. Never have. If I keep looking at these killer TR's, just might happen. I could smell the granite.

AWESOME!

Captain...or Skully

climber

Boise, ID

Mar 19, 2008 - 12:33am PT

Groove...That was My 1st El Cap rt. I still think it has some really beautiful features. Thx all!

Orion

Trad climber

San Francisco, CA

May 27, 2008 - 09:19pm PT

Bump

because this is one of the best photo TR's of big wall climbing on this site!

Mr_T

Trad climber

Northern California

May 28, 2008 - 02:14pm PT

Some of the finest climbing photography I've ever seen. Well done. Your composition is so much better than the typical gratuitous posed stuff. Brings back the memories...

Raydog

Trad climber

Boulder Colorado

May 28, 2008 - 04:04pm PT

awesome - those pics hit like a ton-o-bricks...

wow

Cracko

Trad climber

Quartz Hill, California

Apr 13, 2009 - 02:15pm PT

Sorry, but done with all the recent OT "bitchfests", so bumping my own thread !!

Cracko

Nefarius

Big Wall climber

Fresno

Apr 13, 2009 - 02:38pm PT

Too many damn photos!!! This thread almost crashed my computer - it was *actually* smoking as I pulled the plug from the back of it. Now that it's cooled down and restarted, the OS won't load, and I'm certain it erased all the files on my drive and my monitor will no longer power on. I hope my car's OK. It was in the garage, after all, when I clicked the link to this thread... You'll be getting a visit from the NSA and Homeland Security soon, buddy!

Nice TR! :)

Mr_T

Trad climber

Northern California

Apr 13, 2009 - 02:55pm PT

Thanks so much!! Those are great photos that really capture the true character of that climb!

Zodiac was my first wall - I did it the summer after finishing high school back in 1994. Those photos bring back so many parts of the route that I'd long since forgotten - the scary blank sections, the wonderful discovery of a #1 cam placement, the learning to use hooks, careful scrutiny of a fixed copper head (hmm... do I trust this thing?), all that great stuff!

Cracko

Trad climber

Quartz Hill, California

Apr 13, 2009 - 03:21pm PT

Nefarius,

As "edgy" as I am these days, your post made me laugh!! I guess that is the value of all these Fing "OT" posts on ST these days! Thanks

Cracko

Roxy

Trad climber

CA Central Coast

Apr 14, 2009 - 11:20am PT

Right on I scored and found a great thread to start my day...loved how the pictures told the tale. Nice work!

rincon

climber

Coarsegold

May 27, 2009 - 01:29am PT

Nice pictures.

Oxymoron

Big Wall climber

total Disarray

May 27, 2009 - 08:12am PT

Good stuff, Bubba.....Thanks

couchmaster

climber

May 27, 2009 - 11:39am PT

How awesome sh#t like this gets quickly relegated to the back pages is a mystery to me. Currently the top post is "Clash of Civilizations" post number 423 or so....F&$X@!!! we can read the F&$X@ news that clash sh#t with Arab and Israeli Iraqi news is all over it. You can
t take a dump without seeing it on the bathroom wall. Never see this kind of quality on the regular news and rarely even here though.....

Thanks for the bump, can't believe I missed it first go round!

Double D

climber

May 27, 2009 - 11:54am PT

Wow, great photos! They really give the "feel" of what it's like up there. Hats off to Corey!

perswig

climber

May 27, 2009 - 01:01pm PT

A+++.

What a great mix of perspectives, could taste the grit.
Thanks for the bump.
Dale

Gunkie

Trad climber

Valles Marineris

May 27, 2009 - 03:27pm PT

Another bump.

What's this monkey business? Looks like an A5 move.

Thanks for posting this awesome trip report.

Roger Breedlove

climber

Cleveland Heights, Ohio

May 27, 2009 - 05:44pm PT

Besides the one Gunkie posted above, this is one of my favorites:

east side underground

climber

paul linaweaver hilton crk ca

May 27, 2009 - 06:46pm PT

great photos, Zodiac- most fun I ever had on a route. Hope to see my partner on that route ,John Fowler this weekend in the Valley, been a long time.

PhotogEC

climber

In front of my computer

Jul 4, 2009 - 04:00am PT

Bump

Love this pic:

BriGuy

climber

black hills, south dakota

Jul 4, 2009 - 07:21pm PT

zodiac kicks ass

Jingy

climber

Random Nobody

Jul 4, 2009 - 08:44pm PT

Thanks for bumping this thread.. I totally missed it last year.. seing it for the first time today.. really great photos...

mentioned NPR.. mentioned Corey Rich...

This was a great set of photos..

Thanks

mark miller

Social climber

Reno

Jul 4, 2009 - 08:57pm PT

Awesome photos.
Please look down, from the top, that old #4 Black camelot and look closely for fractures. I found mine riddled with hairline fractures after reading about them in a thread a few years ago. Retired 3 ol style Camelot's immediately.

powen01

Trad climber

Louisville, KY

Jul 5, 2009 - 01:00am PT

Brilliant TR. BUMP.

PhotogEC

climber

In front of my computer

Jul 10, 2009 - 02:43pm PT

Another bump, just because I like it.

Dirka

Trad climber

Hustle City

Feb 16, 2010 - 02:47pm PT

Great shots!

gonamok

climber

dont make me come over there

Feb 17, 2010 - 12:25am PT

great pics, thanks

nita

Social climber

chica de chico, I don't claim to be a daisy.

Feb 18, 2010 - 12:29pm PT

Wow, some great pics...No words need to be written, the pictures speak for themselves .

thanks for the bump...

BriGuy

climber

black hills, south dakota

Dec 23, 2011 - 07:29pm PT

Zodiac still kicks ass

LuckyNeck

Trad climber

the basement of Lou's Tavern

Feb 10, 2012 - 12:51am PT

I been cruisin' this site for years and I just now found this TR. I feel like I been cheated.

Awesome.

The last 7 photos in particular, outstanding.