East Buttress on Middle Cathedral Rock

by Erik Sandelin

" -Have you been drinking Sir?"
" -No Sir, I have been climbing."

It's three o'clock in the morning and Catrin and I have just been pulled over by a park ranger. We have been climbing and descending since sunrise and at this point we are barely able to stay awake. Driving the car in a straight line is a monumental task and I can't blame the ranger for assuming I am a drunk driver. All the campsites are full. A drive out of the valley would be more likely to end in Merced river than in a campsite. What can we do? We can't drive around the valley loop all night! Luckily it is a nice park ranger. He perfectly understands our situation. After checking my driver's license he tells us that he has no problem with us crashing in an empty spot in Camp4. Camp 4 is close by and in a matter of minutes we get our well-earned sleep.

The East buttress on Middle Cathedral is considered one of the best long moderate climbs in Yosemite. Consequently it is also one of the most crowded climbs. An early start is required to avoid crowds and a descent in the dark. The topo makes the climb look deceptively easy. 11 pitches of mostly 5.6-5.7, a couple of short 5.8 sections and one move of 5.9 through a roof. However, as we found out, there is a lot more to a climb than can be captured in a topo.

Waking up before sunrise we arrived at the base of the climb at 7.30am. At 8.00am we start climbing with 10+ hours of daylight left and only one team ahead of us. Two short and steep 5.8 sections goes smoothly, but on the second pitch the climb shows it right face. A steep 5.7 layback with slick rock requires all my strength and when I finish the pitch my biceps are aching. Our 60m double ropes allows us to reduce the first four pitches to two, and we are soon at the base of the bolt ladder. The ladder is easily aided by just pulling on slings and standing on bolts. I make a pendulum to a corner capped by the 5.9 roof move. My arms are still aching so I decide that "summit is all, style is nothing" and aid through the roof. Above the roof I am rewarded with beautiful, easy but exposed climbing along the edge of a long flake. Catrin has barely tried aid-climbing before but follows the pitch quickly. I am a little concerned about the next pitch. It is a long traversing pitch with potential pendulum falls for both leader and follower. Also, one guy in the team ahead of us tells us that last year he retreated from here when his partner fell and dislocated a shoulder when he swung into a corner. So, I am a little tense when I set off up over the slab. But soon I feel more relaxed when good placements for protection appears and it turns out that I can protect the pitch adequately for both me and Catrin. Catrin soon joins me at the belay and we decide to have some water and food. We feel pleased that we so quickly have climbed the crux pitches. Now it is only easy pitches left. Wrong!

The topo promise an easy ride to the top but reality is something different. Steep handcracks, awkward grooves and slick rock drains me psychologically and physically. An attempt to link two pitches leaves me in "no-stance land". I can't decide to go up or down and my indecisiveness wastes our valuable time. I am tired and I am scared. Every time I think the difficulties are over a new obstacle appear. A steep layback, an awkward handcrack or a dirt-filled slick groove. It is more than I can take but there is no one to hand over the sharp-end to.
Suddenly it is dark. Where did all the hours go ? Just a moment ago we had plenty of time now we have none. Catrin doesn't like following in the dark and is pushing her limits too. We are both on the edge now. The last pitch is also the last disappointment. The topo says 5.4, reality is friction climbing up a groove filled with pine-needles. Finally, I can grab a limb of the tree which marks the last belay. I am totally wasted. No cheering, no hugging at the top. I just want lay down right where we are and sleep. But Catrin wants to descend. She thinks it will be a cold night and we have tasty food for the bears in her car. We cautiously follow the descent trail. I have to light up the way for Catrin with our only headlamp. The exposed trail leaves no room for mistakes. We reach the "Kat walk" and have no trouble finding the trail. At a slow but steady pace we make our way to the top of the gully between Middle and Higher Cathedral. Locating the rappels is easy and by letting Catrin attach her rappel device before I start rapping we make sure she makes no mistake in the dark. At the end of the gully we get confused. We are at one cairn but can't see the next. A trail seems to be leading up and left but ends in a dead-end. We retrace our steps to the cairn and decide to go down the gully instead. We start down when we suddenly hear a huge rumble above us. I realise it's rockfall and instinctively throw myself behind a large boulder. I try to make myself as small as possible and wait for the impact. Nothing hits me and I rush to my feet and yell for Catrin. Through the dust filled air I can see her huddled up behind a boulder. To my relief she yells she's OK. Filled with adrenalin we continue down, and finally we can see the two posts with carabiner signs marking the approach trail. We follow the trail but manage to loose it again in the dark. But it doesn't matter. We know the direction and some bush-wacking takes us to the car. It's 1.20am, we are dead-tired and we don't know where to sleep.

Last Update 2001-10-28