Magic Mushroom | E10/8b+ Multi-pitch on El Capitan

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References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2017/12/jacopo_larcher_and_barbara_zangerl_repeat_magic_mushroom_8b+_multi_pitch_on_el_capitan-71414

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2017/12/jacopo_larcher_and_barbara_zangerl_repeat_magic_mushroom_8b+_multi_pitch_on_el_capitan-71414

Both climbers led all the hard pitches.

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/DSLIEknkmlF/

Jim's first route on El Cap! 12 days on the final push.

On the crux pitch:

I took fifteen to rest and warm my feet up, then gave it a rip from the bottom. All the muscle memory from my rapid-fire attempt yesterday must have gone with the wind, the moves felt clunky and foreign, and I barely made it through the crux. On the foot kick, I had so little body tension that I just dragged my whole body across the face rather than kicking. All of the tries yesterday had worn sores on my back and hip bones, which ached through the paracetamol I'd had for breakfast. At the rest stance the wind was so strong that - for the first time on the climb - I felt intimidated and scared. I didn't want to be there; my thoughts were so negative, I was just imagining myself falling on the same move again, and all the work from the last few months being for nothing, defeated by a damn hill! I hung low on the jug, resting my feet a bit, and looked down at the trees in the valley. The sea of green conifers was split up by tendrils of yellowing oaks and maples that grow around streams and water run-off from the hills. It's not often while I'm climbing that I look down and take in where I am, even though it seems an obvious thing to do! It felt wild with the wind.

I told Sam I was going for it and began stepping up, slowly weighing each foot, putting all my force through them, and being cautious about the transfer of weight when I changed feet. Without all my layers on, I stuck better in the groove, and with the new beta, I was above yesterday's high point. A couple more sketchy presses and I reached some actual handholds. I was so scared of my feet popping that I practically campused the last two metres to the anchor. I was so exhausted, too tired to say anything. The pitch was a real mental battle for me, so it was a huge relief more than anything. I think if I had fallen again, I would have spiralled big time and maybe not have had it in me to finish the pitch. [1]

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/freeing_the_magic_mushroom-16646

[2] https://substack.com/home/post/p-176766303