Zodiac

I am back in the NW after two months on the road. Rather than briefly discuss the whole trip, I am going to go into depth on the best route. Eli Simon of Maine, Cullen Kirk of Arizona, and I three day ascent of the Zodiac on the SE face of El Cap. Eli, being from the East Coast, brought experience, energy and a bit of attitude. Cullen, from the desert, added road runner like speed, organization and of course attitude. As for me, our northern contingent, I brought inexperience, inefficiency, inability, and of course attitude.

We met in Camp 4. Eli had just climbed Tangerine Trip, and Cullen was fresh off the Salathe. Eli and I both wanted to get on El Cap, and Cullen just wanted to do anything long (he was pretty sour about not getting to get on their original goal, the South Face of Watkins). The idea to do Zodiac came up one morning at Cookie Crag, we packed that afternoon and left before dawn the next morning.

"Yo, so what the fuck do we need for this route"

Eli and Cullen sort gear

Early morning is where Eli truly shines. He got our asses up to the base of Zodiac and we began at dawn, just in time to get pissed on. That's right, Cullen and I got pissed on, no big deal , happens to everyone..... The first pitch of Zodiac goes at A3ish, lots of fixed heads. It didn't take Eli all that long. He led 7 of the 16 pitches the first days and the Mark of Zorro on the Second. The guy can move on rock.

Eli on the first pitch, pre jungle heat

The First actual belay didn't go so hot. The load was terribly heavy we were body hauling underneath a huge roof. Things eventually got better but when only one person leads all day it gets pretty boring for the third. Cullen spiced this up with a near disastrous rope jump/pendulum. He unknowingly jump in line with the haul bags and a very stylish rodeo was all that kept him from getting owned.

Eli slow cooking on the third pitch
Photo: Tom Evans

The heat was something else and Eli ended every day with excruciating headaches, and while he was a motivator in the morning Cullen and I were responsible for shutting down shop at night.

Day 2 was my block, the Grey Circle. To quote our buddy Aaron, it is the reason people aid climb. Leaving at dawn I was just getting into the difficulties on the first pitch when I heard, what I naturally assumed was a nuclear warhead. I looked back at my belay just in time to see the refrigerator size block miss the belay by a body length. Little pebbles bounced off my helmet as the block crashed into the scree field below taking out several smaller trees. With freshly shit pants I resumed my lead.

By mid-day I had reached the belay below the Nipple. I was terrified of this pitch. I had watched a bunch of people flailing in the circle from below, I was dehydrated, I hadn't eaten anything and just kind of felt like shit. Cullen was pretty disgusted with me for not taking care of myself, but he motivated me to finish my block. This was the turning point on the trip. I had arrived in the valley fat and out of shape. Leading the Nipple reminded my why I climb. It was fantastic.

"Hmm, leap frog cam hooks? Yo Eli, are these homemade
hooks any good?"
"No they fuckin suck......wait they work alright"
Me on the Nip photo: Tom Evans

So the Nipple....a little awkward there
Photo: Tom Evans

So after the nipple I was exhausted and after a little short fixing error I gave up the lead to Eli. He topped out the Mark of Zorro just as it got dark. Our spirits were much higher that second night. Cullen was stoked to finally get to lead after two days of jugging and hauling. Eli was stoked to get off and head home to see his girl and catch a Brew show. I was excited to eat a sandwich. Like I said earlier, I was the simpleton of the crew. Oh yeah attitude. Well we hadn't really had any issues, so um yeah.

Cullen took off the next morning and it was all we could do to keep up. We did the last 5 pitches in 5 hours. That guy was moving in and out of his aiders just motoring. The scary offwidth off Peanut Ledge, yeah he pretty much soloed it. I didn't see it, I was hanging off in space fighting with haul bags.

Me glad to not me hanging in space 1200ft off the ground

Cullen psyched after his lead off Peanut

We topped out around noon and spent a few hours basking in the sun on top. It was my first El Cap line, Eli's 5th, and Cullen's 2nd. It was pretty uneventful, which made it all the more rewarding. So on the summit we decided it was time to show some attitude.

Ryan, Cullen, and Eli

I made some great friends, and we climbed a badass line.

Welcome, Bienvenue, Bievenidos

For friends and family that are curious what I'm up to I will try to keep up this site. The name refers to that which draws me into the mountains. Like any artist I use same medium as those before me in what I consider a unique and inspiring way.

I grew up in Southeast Alaska. My mom was an avid hiker and drug me everywhere with her. While I have always enjoyed the outdoors, I spent most of my youth in an indoor swimming pool. I found technical climbing when my shoulder crapped out and I had to quit swmming. I dicked around for a couple of years picking up a little experience here and there, but it wasn't until I went to Nepal to climb Pumori's SW Ridge in 2003.
Jacek Maselko, Stefan Ricci, Forest Wagner, Mitch something or other, Sky something or other, and I went over in the fall full expedition style. I was 20 and this was the first time I dropped out of school for climbing (I wish I hadn't gone back). We climbed Island peak and then launched a 5 week campaign on the ridge. We fixed lines, established camps, and in the end all I got was a t-shirt and new view of how to move in the mountains. Fixed lines are for tourists.

A few years later Stefan and I began training for the Cassin Ridge on Denali.
We planned for two days on the route. 51 hours after leaving the schrund we topped out in blue bird weather. The Cassin ridge is the best line I have ever been on. I had never trained harder for the mountains, or wanted anything more. Light and fast became less of a trendy catch phrase and more of problem. One that has become my sole inspiration. How do you move fast on difficult, technical, and relatively unknown terrain?

In March of 2008 Sam Magro and I went into the Mendenhall Towers with the help of the Mugs Stump Award. We went through some shitty weather but patience paid off and we did the first ascent of the North Face of West Tower. Dubbing our 800m route "The Great White Conqueror V A1, AI4, M5."
There is a moment in early in the morning where I've found myself high on snow covered ridge having just pulled over the top of a face or skinning to a fresh line. I am with a good friend and there is less ahead than there is behind and a new day is dawning. The air is filled with potential energy, who knows what the day has in store. This is my favorite moment in life, I reach an awareness that I have only found in the mountains with good friends. Thanks for paying me a visit. Peace

Ryan Johnson