Brad, at our traditional beer after a short Pac Edge session, Geoff made the comment "Brad doesn't climb walls any more", I told him about your recent Liberty Cap ascent with Rodger. Was that your last planned wall or are there others?
I think it is fair to say that I don't climb walls any more. I did Liberty Cap with Roger because we've become such good friends that I simply had to do a wall with him. But I don't particularly plan to do any others. We'll see.
Walls used to be one third fun, one third work, and one third terror. After nine El Cap Grade VI aid walls, 15 or so Grade V aid walls, 8 to 10 Grade-V-in-a-days; after a dozen or so A4 leads and lots and lots of A3 leads (measured, of course, at the time I led them), it's not so true anymore. The one third "fun" isn't at all prominent now, leaving the other "thirds" to be halves (half work and half terror), and I think I may be done.
Too many close calls. Tim's 50 foot fall onto an open 'biner; Forest's 110 foot fall on South Seas; Doug's broken helmet and bashed-in head on Wet Denim Daydream; the loose block with no visible means of support on The Muir Wall that I had to nail around (it fell off two weeks later); having to lead the 5.4 slab at the top of Quarter Dome, with no protection and under three inches of snow. Too many storms, and way too many heavy-pig haulbags.
There are, of course, many, many great memories, friendships, stories, and photos from these climbs. But, yeah, I think it is totally fair to say that I don't climb walls any more
