Yosemite Week One

Tuesday, September 15, I left Rob and Angela's and drove to Yosemite. I arrived at the park about 5:00PM and found out that, to get a site at Camp 4 (the only walk-in, non-reservable campsite in Yosemite...and where all of the climbers hang out), I would need to come back early in the morning. I drove out of the park, made some dinner and found a place to park and sleep in my car for the night. At 7:30 in the morning, I came back and the line was already 30 people deep (they open at 8:30). While I waited, I met a few other people in line, including Dale, who, it turns out, was in Squamish at the same time that I was. Despite being told there were only 25 sites available, I managed to get one, and setup camp, then Dale and I went out to climb.

First climb in the Valley, Bishop's Terrace

Half Dome, from Bishop's Terrace

Thursday, Dale and I climbed again. We drove up to Reed's Pinnacle to do a route called Reed's Direct, which we finished on Reed's Regular Route, rather than attempt the heinous 5.10a offwidth 3^rd pitch. Reed's Direct is a beautiful, long, sustained, 5.9 hand crack.

Reed's Direct Pitch 1 & 2

Dale on top of Reed's Direct Pitch 2

Reed's Regular traverses from the top of Reed's Direct pitch 2 through a chimney, with some 5.6 climbing. It's pretty freaky, with some particularly committing moves at the beginning, sparse gear, and a tight squeeze. I had to take my helmet off to fit through, and, at times, couldn't turn my head from one side to the other!

The tunnel on Reed's Regular Route

Me and Dale on top of Reed's Pinnacle. “On the count of ten, open your eyes!”

Friday, Dale and I climbed a route called Braille Book on Higher Cathedral Rock. Cathedral is on the South side of the valley, with a northern exposure, so it gets less sun...which is key, as it's been seriously hot here. The approach is long, and the book we had was a little vague about how to get there. We got a little lost (I think everyone I have talked to that has done this approach has gotten lost), and ended up hiking up the gully between Higher Cathedral Rock and Middle Cathedral Rock, when we wanted to be east of Higher Cathedral. We had to hike back down and across to the next gully, but finally made it to the base of the route...just after another party. They moved quickly, though, so it was no big deal.

Higher Cathedral Spire from the approach to Cathedral Rock

El Cap, from the base of Middle Cathedral

Dale following pitch one of Braille Book

Dale on pitch three of Braille Book...a less lazy person might have cropped it to exclude my knee

Dale starting up pitch 4 of Braille Book

Dale in his belay tree. Slightly off-route, but really cozy. :-)

The valley from the top of Cathedral Rock. Higher Cathedral Spire near right.

Saturday, I planned to take the day off. Dale was going to hike to Glacier Point, then drive up to Tuolomne, and I was pretty beat after a long day on Braille Book. That morning, however, I got a text from a guy named Paul, in response to an ad I had posted on the Camp 4 bulletin board, and decided to do a couple climbs with him in the afternoon. We climbed a popular, easily accessible, 2 pitch 5.6 called Munginella, then a cool, short finger crack called Grant's Crack (actually, the climb is pretty long, but the difficult section is short).

Half Dome from the top of Munginella

Paul at the top of Grant's Crack

Sunday, Paul and I climbed Snake Dike, 5.7R, on Half Dome. The approach to Half Dome is long, something like 5 or 6 miles, and the descent is about 9 miles. The climb, itself, we did in 9 pitches, plus probably 1000 feet or more of simul-climbing and scrambling to the top. Car to car, the climb took us a little over 13 hours. A great deal of the climbing is easy, but the catch is that there is often little to no protection. You have to be prepared to do 70 foot run-outs on 5.4 terrain. Even on the 5.7 terrain (all friction slab), the run-outs are enough to make you really not want to fall.

Party behind us on first pitch of Snake Dike, beginning a scary friction traverse

Looking down from top of pitch 3 on Snake Dike

Paul on pitch 4 of Snake Dike...or is it the moon?

Paul following pitch 5? An unusual pitch...he is cleaning gear.

Pitch 7: Now that's a normal pitch on Snake Dike!

Me and Paul out of focus on top of Half Dome

Monday, I took a well-deserved day off, and Tuesday I climbed with a guy named Mark. I had to renew my campsite, so we went and did a couple single pitch climbs in the morning, then came back to camp, and did some more climbs in the afternoon. Mark was really gung-ho and pushed me to do a little more than I wanted to, when, really, I was still kind of tired from a long day on Sunday. Other than that, though, we had a great day and did some really fun climbs. I was very happy to successfully lead the crux pitch of Commitment (5.9), even though I think it's a pretty soft 9.

Mark at the second pitch belay on Commitment, below the crux roof

Mark at the top of Jam Crack

Wednesday, Mark and I set out to climb the East Buttress of Middle Cathedral. We left camp around 6:00AM, and were at the base of the route by 7:30 or 8:00. On the approach, however, I started to question the wisdom of me attempting this climb (9 pitches, 5.9 A0, or 10c). I was really dragging and my feet were tired and sore. I told Mark I was worried about it and he convinced me to try the first pitch. It was easy climbing, but still kicked my ass. There was no way I could keep going. We rappelled down and I took the rest of the day off. I felt bad for bailing on Mark, but I wasn't going to have any fun on the climb, and could have endangered us both by continuing when I was in no shape to do so. Much better to climb another day....

Route List for 9/16-22:

• Bishop's Terrace (5.8, Trad) (TR clean)

• Claude's Delight (5.7, Trad) (Onsight)

• Leina's Lieback (5.9, Trad) (TR clean)

• Reed's Direct To Reed's Regular (4 pitches, 5.9, Trad) (Followed 1 clean, 2 with some falling/hanging, 4 clean; Onsight 3)

• Braille Book (5 pitches, 5.8, Trad) (Onsight 1, 3, 5; followed 2, 4 clean)

• Munginella (2 pitches, 5.6, Trad) (Followed 1, Onsight 2)

• Grant's Crack (5.9, Trad) (Onsight)

• Snake Dike (9 pitches, 5.7R, Mixed) (Led odd pitches, all clean)

• After 7 (5.8 ,Trad) (Onsight)

• Nutcracker Alternate Start Pitch One (5.9, trad) (TR clean)

• Commitment (3 pitches, 5.9, Trad) (Onsight pitch 1 and 3, followed pitch 2 clean)

• Jam Crack (2 pitches, 5.9, Trad) (Followed Clean)