Now we get to the real reason we were climbing Shoestring Gully that day.

We were staying at Nereledge Inn again (you know, because we're hardmen: we require nice, fluffy omlettes at 8am, sharp, and we can't get a wink of sleep without our eiderdown comforters), and we had received a frantic call from the fire department Saturday morning. It seems the mayor's daughter's cat had crawled up Shoestring, and was presently near the top of the third pitch, midway up a tree, mewing like there was no tomorrow. So, we took up the challenge and climbed up to try to free the little feline. Tabby, name of Smacky. Bad attitude. Three shredded ottomans to her credit and only four years old.

Brian reached Smacky and found her snoozing in the sun. He quickly rigged a lasso made of several double-length slings and managed to snare the cat without incident on the first toss. He wrapped her in his belay jacket and stuffed her in his shell. The bulge is clearly visible above. Brian reported a lot of kicking and clawing, but after a while Smacky settled down. When it was all said and done, Brian only needed four stitches to the stomach and chest.

Brian did a nice job with the belay anchor: one pounded picket, one angle pin and a #2 Camalot. I heard him bashing from below and, due to the long chorus of metal on metal issuing from above, I half-expected to find a newly-erected 1/100th-scale replica of the Empire State Building above the third pitch.

When I arrived at the belay Brian directed my attention up and right to the Chockstone Exit (mouse over the image above to see the rock pitch possibility). The conversation went approximately like this:

Brian: Hey. Doesn't that look fun? (pointing to the rock exit)
Me: Oh. (looking) Um. Maybe. But... not today, I don't think.
Brian: So what you really mean is: 'That doesn't look fun at all?'
Me: Right.

What I didn't realize, due to various factors, was that Brian was getting at the fact that he'd like to try the exit. I was looking up and left and saw an easy snow slope with a small ice step. Moreover, the top of the route. I had been fairly pleased with how the day had gone, and I was just looking to finish the route and finish it quickly. Unfortunately, and this is just the way it goes sometimes, I had gotten just about all of the good leads (okay, the only good lead). Brian had been somewhat gypped. I honestly didn't read him correctly or I might have thought more seriously about trying the rock exit. But at the time, I just wanted to be done. Live and learn. Lesson: you must scream instructions at Mike. He is very focused, yet more than a little dense, when climbing.