"Through the Fog" by Cody M

Up early as the sun breaks the horizon and sheds light throughout the cloud cover. They grab their backpacks and make their way to the trailhead. They come face to face with the trail and look up towards the sky and peek at the rock they plan to ascend.  With a quick easy hike Michael and Roger make it to the base of El Cap and stare 3,000 feet straight up The Nose.  Roger looks over to Michael a bit pale and nervous. Michael tells him, “There’s nothing to fear now, we’re here, and we’re ready for this now”. Gathering himself Roger takes the lead as planned, hooks up to the first pitch and sarcastically tells Michael, “Only 20 more”.  Roger leads the way as Michael follows; they make good time through the first several pitches with easy climbing. They reach the end of pitch 7, and need to get over to the Stoveleg cracks. They notice the clouds keep rolling into the valley and the sky quickly is getting darker as the morning fades.  On to pitch 13, 14, 15 with moderate free climbing and approach the King Swing, pitch 18. The King Swing is a pitch that requires Roger the leader, to do a pendulum maneuver and swing from one side of the rock around the corner onto the next pitch. Historically, this swing move can be done fairly quickly in good conditions, however, the fog has rolled up on them and the landing spot around the corner may be difficult to see forcing them to go off the projected route. They take a break hoping the fog would clear up; meanwhile Roger once again begins to lose his nerves as he knows he is the leader on this climb and must swing first.

 After coming to a realization that the fog is staying, Roger has the courage to swing and search for the corner making a blind turn.  Roger goes for it and quickly swings back claiming he thinks he knows where the landing is. Four more passes and Roger cries out he has made it and puts the hooks in to fasten the rope for Michael, however he cannot still completely see if he is completely secured in the pitch. Now it’s Michaels turn to swing the corner, Michael goes for it, while swinging Roger hears a rattle one of the clips scraping the rock hasn’t been fastened and now both Michael and Roger panic knowing the result that’s approaching will not be good. Michael slams into the granite trying to grab hold, the moist air has made the rock slick causing him to slide a few hundred feet to a stable place below Roger. At this point it is nearly impossible for Michael to make the climb. Both devastated and crushed inside knowing that Roger must make a choice to turn back when he’s so close or to climb down to Michael. Michael shouts, “Finish it man, you’re so close and worked too hard”!