Yosemite

The last week and a half has been an adventure to say the least. After leaving Owens River George Miles and I decided to take Sonora Pass to Yosemite. Apparently the pass is very steep, 26% grade, and our little four cylinder RV couldn't make it. After stalling out on the first steep corner we backed down and tried again. The only difference is that this time I was not in the RV, I was behind it and pushing with all my might. Turns out that was all we needed to make it up. After this corner I decided to just ride up the rest of the pass on the back bumper and get off on all the steep sections and push. The crux was the last few hundred feet that were very steep and at 9500ft. I felt like passing out by the time that we got to the top. It sounds ridiculous that pushing actually got us up the pass, but we're convinced that we wouldn't have made it otherwise.

The last corner on Sonora Pass

The next day we rolled into Yosemite early in the morning and secured a campsite at camp 4. Camp 4 is nothing to call home about, but it is cool to finally stay in the climber campground in Yosemite. There are people from all over the world that come to stay there. It is pretty cool. After getting a spot Miles and I decided to do a short climb and got on Nutcracker 5.8 6 pitches. It was my first climb in the Valley so it was fun getting on something that I didn't struggle too much with.

Miles on the last pitch of Nutcracker

On our second day we climbed the NE Buttress of Higher Cathedral Rock 5.9 900ft. It was an awesome climb and by far the hardest 5.9 I've ever done. It had several sections of hard chimney/offwidth that kicked our butts. I was able to climb everything clean but was completely drained after all the strenuous climbing in the 100 degree heat. We finally topped out at around 9pm and didn't get back to the car until almost 12.

NE Buttress of Higher Cathedral

Miles on pitch 6

A little higher

After our butt kicking we spent most of the next day resting until the afternoon when we went to the cookie cliff. We had been told that it was awesome and our guide book seemed to agree. The only climb that I got on there was Outer Limits 5.11a and I was able to onsight it. I was blown away that I actually climbed it clean first try, especially after getting my butt kicked on 5.9 the day before. Lesson learned; Chimneys and offwidths in the valley are HARD!

Outer Limits

After a kinda rest day we we decided to do Lost Arrow Spire. To do this climb we had to hike 3200ft. to get to the base, do a long rappel, climb a couple pitches and set up a tyrolean traverse between the spire and the base of the cliff. It was an incredible experience and we pulled it all off before a crazy thunderstorm hit that soaked us from head to toe on our way down.

Lost Arrow Spire. We rappelled the dotted red, climbed solid red and traversed yellow.

Miles rappelling into the notch

Miles on the tyrolean traverse

The thunderclouds that chased us off the spire

We spent the rest of the evening relaxing until my dad rolled into the Valley. He drove his motorcylcle for 1100 miles to see me. He most love me or something. The next day and a half I spent with my dad. We ate lots of great food, did a climb on glacier point apron and spent time catching up. It was great to see him after two months. Thanks for coming down dad I love you.

My dad

After my dad left I climbed Freeblast 5.11b or C1 with a guy named Charlie. It goes up the first 10 pitches of Salathe on El Cap. It was my first time on the Capitan and we flew up the climb in 8 hrs. Since we worked so well togethor we decided to do a route all the way up and we'll be starting that tomarrow.

Charlie following pitch 1 & 2

Charlie on pitch 5

Looking up El Cap from where we stopped

When I got back to camp after Freeblast I spent the rest of the evening packing for my first big wall, the W. Face of Leaning Tower V 5.7 C2F. Miles and I spent two days on the route and everything went perfect. We spent the first day climbing to pitch four, where we would stay the night, and fixing to pitch 6. The next day we jugged our lines and climbed four more pitches to the top. All in all it was a amazing climb and an incredible experience.

Big Wall gear

Miles on the first pitch

The haulbags maiden voyage

Looking down at the bivy ledge from pitch 6

Miles in the morning

The roof on pitch 9

Looking down from pitch 9

Miles on top

After I finish this post I am going to spend the rest of the day packing for El Cap. I'm going to be climbing FreeBlast to Magic Mushroom to Sunkissed. We'll be combining these three climbs to get to the top over 4 or so days. I can't wait.