We were a little over halfway up the Zodiac, the most popular trade route on El Cap. The last wall Russ and I had been on together, two months before, was a new route on Baffin Island. In Russ, I'd discovered the perfect wall partner. He laughs almost as much as I do, can endure hours of girl talk (even if I'm the only girl talking), exists happily on three meals of peanut butter a day, listens to Bad Religion, and actually wants to lead A4 death pitches.

And Beth is one of my best friends, and this was her very first big wall. I'd spent most of the previous day privately worrying about her pain level and potential for injury, asking myself if we should continue or go down before the wall steepened. But despite having no use of any muscles below her top abdominal, she was doing just fine.