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The third pitch is where things got more complicated. There are many ways up the rock and I had to start making decisions about where to go based on the perceived difficulty and safety. In the back of my mind was an accident report from 2023 of an experienced climber running it out unnecessarily on a 5.4 approach pitch and falling to his death. I avoided any unprotected face climbing and zigzagged up the pitch, placing as much gear as possible. Even with extended slings the rope drag was horrendous. I built my own anchor at the top--there would be no more convenient trees.
At this point in the climb I also started to feel physically unwell. In my hurry to get going that morning I had chosen not to visit a restroom and I was now starting to seriously regret it. There wasn't much that could be done about it now though, so I did my best to ignore it and get on with things.
Pitch four begins with a chimney that is just barely large enough for my to wedge myself into, but widens as it goes. After leading the chimney I stopped at a ledge and hauled up my dad's backpack. You can see in this photo the top of the chimney as well as some of the smoke in the background. Fortunately, the smoke had completely cleared at this point and would not be an issue for the rest of the day.
