The Diamond in the sky

330am.  The stars were amazing and the moon was bright on a warm night in the cirque.  The girls were sleeping in a rock shelter and the boy (me!) out in the open.  SNOOZE....334am..I guess we better be getting up now.

736pm we walked into The Rock Inn to get some dinner and a drink.  1hr wait says the hostess until three people left the bar at the same time and we saw Bryan (one of the fine proprietors of that fine establishment).  He hooked us up fat and we ate quick.  Polly was hungry, I was thirsty and I am not sure what Tera was, as I just meet her a few days before in front of Ed's on main.

1128am.  Polly lead the crux pitch to table ledge and brought us up.  Pulling 10a moves a wee bit below 14,000 feet was a wee bit hard. I was hyperventilating at the belay...

450am. We started up the North Chimney before the first real light along with 7 of our closest friends getting to the Broadway ledge in three 60 pitches and a bit of simul-climbing.  I lead in sneakers and loose rock.  At least it was dry loose rock.

~550am. Tera lead pitch one and two, I lead three, Tera lead four and Polly lead five and the traverse off the face. We were a good team, smooth transitions, smooth climbing and laughing all the way up the 1,700 feet of climbing from the snow at the base to the top of the mountain.

1210pm.  We stopped for "Treats and Water" when we found a bit of snow melt to fill our bottles on the way to the summit.  We were out of water as we only brought 2.5L up the route with us.

100pm.  SUMMIT PARTY!  Need I say more?!?!  Girls jump, boys watch.  Good times.

308pm. We were stoked, sunburned, dehydrated and tired, but made it back to camp, treated more water and took off for the beers (for them) and some Makers in the creek stashed far below.

414pm.  The beers and whisky were put down & I felt drunk (not lying) then the girls took off running and beat me back to the car.

537pm the next day.
Vanessa.  "I just got your text"
Me. "Huh?"
Vanessa "From yesterday"
My text.  "Mutha Fuckin Crushed it! So Stoked!"
"My phone sucks..."

Begin the slideshow;