After a quick stopover in Mammoth Lakes for dinner and some climbing, Theresa and I arrived in Touolomne ready for adventure. We got more than we bargained for. Between the mosquitos, marmots and an 11,000 foot peak, it's no surprise. The only thing we were prepared to deal with was the obnoxious brown bear, for which we'd rented a 'bear can' to put our food in. The bears didn't show, but the mosquitos did. If anyone tells you that 'Skin So Soft' is an insect repellant, don't believe them.
Climbing Cathederal Peak turned out to be quite a challenge. Billed as a 5.6, I thought it would be a nice introduction to multi-pitch climbing. It ended up being a long day full of excitement and danger, spectacular views and splendid weather. Being on the summit with Theresa was also one of the best birthdays I've ever had. It was June 29th.
The next few days were spent hiking, scrambling, camping and swimming in one of the most beautiful places anywhere. The campgrounds weren't open yet, so there were very few people. I took a chance on Stately Pleasures Dome and soloed 'The Great White Book', a six pitch 5.6 that felt harder than that, and finished the trip with a swim in Tanaya lake.
This would mark the end of the first part of my road trip. We stopped off to check out Mono Lake on the way out, since I'd driven by so many times. The tufa formations and super salty water were really neat. Then we drove back to Eugene, Oregon, where I got sidetracked for a while. I managed to get quite a few days of climbing in at some of the local crags, but when the end of july came around, I got back on schedule and drove to my favorite summer place; Squamish.