A few days in the Valley
Posted: Mon Jun 17, 2013 7:06 pm
Trish and I spent four fun, but HOT days in the Valley last week. We had big plans for long hard climbs, but conditions conspired to force us to seek shade, and eventually higher elevation up in Tuolomne. Here's what transpired:
We left San Diego Wednesday evening. It's quite a drive to the Valley from down here, about 6.5-7.5 hours. So we drove a while before spending the night in some highway town north of Bakersfield a ways.
Thursday morning we hit the road early and got to Yosemite mid-morning. We had a camp spot reserved outside the park in El Portal, but couldn't set up till after 1, so we played tourist a bit, as Trish hadn't been to the valley since she was a kid, so I showed her around and we took some photos of some big rocks
First view of the valley when coming in from Wawona.
Big stone
Cathedrals
Yos falls
After making a lap around the valley we decided to hit the Cookie before heading down to set up camp
Trish's first climb in the valley...Catchy, a sweet thin hands 10d
From the top of Catchy we continued up into Catchy Corner, which consists of some of the most fun 5.11 hero laybacking you could imagine!
It was starting to heat up so we came down and set up camp, lounged a bit in the shade, and then hit up Arch Rock in the evening for a romp up the classic English Breakfast Crack. Two sweet pitches of some wide funk, followed by a sweet 10c finger crack.
Heading up into the WIDE
This continues for a nice 30' runout in some slick Yosemite squeeze chimney...good fun
Friday we had big plans. We got up early and hiked up to Astroman.
SE face of Washington Column
Looking up Astroman, Enduro Corner and Harding Slot visible above
Start of Enduro Corner pitch
We climbed a few pitches up into a blazing blast furnace, before deciding that climbing in that heat was no fun and decided to bail
Trish rapping
I was sorta bummed to come down, but not really because it really was pretty miserable in the heat. We consoled ourselves with cold beers by the river and views of El Cap. That stone is so rad it deserves two drinks
Later in the afternoon we went up to climb The Moratorium, a cool looking climb that climbs a large corner system for three pitches, with the crux being a tricky sequence of moves in a steep corner and some big moves off fingertip laybacks which felt pretty stout for 11b. A really fun climb...basically laybacking for nearly 400ft.
Pitch 1
Trish on p2 I think
Nearing the crux
Trish taking my advice and stemming her way to freedom
Half Dome and Sentinel
For Saturday we thought we had picked out a climb that would be in the shade all day and would provide some fun and challenging climbing. We slept in a bit before getting geared up and heading up the approach to Beggar's Buttress.
Trish on the approach, wondering why we were suddenly in the sun, and it's inescapable rain of heat
We opted to start via the 10c pitch of Giblet a super fun pitch...but meltingly hot in the full sun
Trish was getting worked in the heat, and looking up at the next several pitches cooking away, we decided again to bail, with little protest on my part.
Again we retreated to the cool of the Merced, and a 6 pack of frosty brew.
And again once the afternoon shadows began creeping across the face of the Cookie Cliff we became motivated again.
So we hiked up to see what Crack a Go-Go was all about....supposedly one of Yosemite's best finger cracks at solid 11c
Looks fun!
Is FUN!
Steep fingers and committing moves over tiny fiddly gear make for a great opening, and then it just keeps going and going and going...so good!
Sunday was our last day to climb, but also the day we had to make the long drive home. We decided to head up to Tuolomne to climb in the morning, hoping for more pleasant conditions.
We opted for By Hook or by Crook on Harlequin Dome, a fun looking route that climbs some corners and up through some cool looking roofs. Three pitches and 11b, and an absolutely great climb!
On the way to Tuolomne, at Olmstead Point
Harlequin Dome
Trish on the short approach above Tenaya Lake
Some very old Juniper
P1...a funky, slick barn doorey corner
finishing p1 with the roofs of p2 above
Trish on p1
P2 takes a wild line through the first set of roofs and then you traverse on a foot rail above before climbing a tricky little arete and some powerful tips laybacking through a second set of roofs...awesome pitch!
The third pitch is some good funky Tuolomne crack climbing
p3
Man, it felt GREAT to be climbing in 60 degree temps instead of 85!
On top of Harlequin Dome
We hustled down the descent gully, and hopped in the car for the long drive home down the 395.
We left San Diego Wednesday evening. It's quite a drive to the Valley from down here, about 6.5-7.5 hours. So we drove a while before spending the night in some highway town north of Bakersfield a ways.
Thursday morning we hit the road early and got to Yosemite mid-morning. We had a camp spot reserved outside the park in El Portal, but couldn't set up till after 1, so we played tourist a bit, as Trish hadn't been to the valley since she was a kid, so I showed her around and we took some photos of some big rocks
First view of the valley when coming in from Wawona.
Big stone
Cathedrals
Yos falls
After making a lap around the valley we decided to hit the Cookie before heading down to set up camp
Trish's first climb in the valley...Catchy, a sweet thin hands 10d
From the top of Catchy we continued up into Catchy Corner, which consists of some of the most fun 5.11 hero laybacking you could imagine!
It was starting to heat up so we came down and set up camp, lounged a bit in the shade, and then hit up Arch Rock in the evening for a romp up the classic English Breakfast Crack. Two sweet pitches of some wide funk, followed by a sweet 10c finger crack.
Heading up into the WIDE
This continues for a nice 30' runout in some slick Yosemite squeeze chimney...good fun
Friday we had big plans. We got up early and hiked up to Astroman.
SE face of Washington Column
Looking up Astroman, Enduro Corner and Harding Slot visible above
Start of Enduro Corner pitch
We climbed a few pitches up into a blazing blast furnace, before deciding that climbing in that heat was no fun and decided to bail
Trish rapping
I was sorta bummed to come down, but not really because it really was pretty miserable in the heat. We consoled ourselves with cold beers by the river and views of El Cap. That stone is so rad it deserves two drinks
Later in the afternoon we went up to climb The Moratorium, a cool looking climb that climbs a large corner system for three pitches, with the crux being a tricky sequence of moves in a steep corner and some big moves off fingertip laybacks which felt pretty stout for 11b. A really fun climb...basically laybacking for nearly 400ft.
Pitch 1
Trish on p2 I think
Nearing the crux
Trish taking my advice and stemming her way to freedom
Half Dome and Sentinel
For Saturday we thought we had picked out a climb that would be in the shade all day and would provide some fun and challenging climbing. We slept in a bit before getting geared up and heading up the approach to Beggar's Buttress.
Trish on the approach, wondering why we were suddenly in the sun, and it's inescapable rain of heat
We opted to start via the 10c pitch of Giblet a super fun pitch...but meltingly hot in the full sun
Trish was getting worked in the heat, and looking up at the next several pitches cooking away, we decided again to bail, with little protest on my part.
Again we retreated to the cool of the Merced, and a 6 pack of frosty brew.
And again once the afternoon shadows began creeping across the face of the Cookie Cliff we became motivated again.
So we hiked up to see what Crack a Go-Go was all about....supposedly one of Yosemite's best finger cracks at solid 11c
Looks fun!
Is FUN!
Steep fingers and committing moves over tiny fiddly gear make for a great opening, and then it just keeps going and going and going...so good!
Sunday was our last day to climb, but also the day we had to make the long drive home. We decided to head up to Tuolomne to climb in the morning, hoping for more pleasant conditions.
We opted for By Hook or by Crook on Harlequin Dome, a fun looking route that climbs some corners and up through some cool looking roofs. Three pitches and 11b, and an absolutely great climb!
On the way to Tuolomne, at Olmstead Point
Harlequin Dome
Trish on the short approach above Tenaya Lake
Some very old Juniper
P1...a funky, slick barn doorey corner
finishing p1 with the roofs of p2 above
Trish on p1
P2 takes a wild line through the first set of roofs and then you traverse on a foot rail above before climbing a tricky little arete and some powerful tips laybacking through a second set of roofs...awesome pitch!
The third pitch is some good funky Tuolomne crack climbing
p3
Man, it felt GREAT to be climbing in 60 degree temps instead of 85!
On top of Harlequin Dome
We hustled down the descent gully, and hopped in the car for the long drive home down the 395.
