For my last trip of the year, I left the bus behind and hooked up with some friends for two weeks around Yosemite. Craig and Greg were again the designated drivers, while Craigs wife Laurie and Greyson finished out the crew. The day we left Oregon, it started to rain. When I really miss my bus is when I have to put up my tent on the muddy ground while I get soaked. Camping that first night at Travertine Hotspring reminded me too much of the spring trip to American Fork and my promise to myself to never go anywhere without my bus again.
I had visions of doing some of the long routes in Touolomne and the Valley, but due to poor weather and wanting to stick together, we ended up mostly bouldering and just relaxing. I was surprised at how good the bouldering was in Touolomne. Huge squarish quartz knobs pepper the faces of boulders lying on a smooth slab of granite from Tanaya Lake to Pywiak Dome.
The almost daily thunderstorms, complete with hail and lightning, kept us low to the ground. The last thing you want is to be caught near the top of one of the domes, tied into a wet rope, while bolts of lightning use you for target practice.
We finally took a chance, though, and managed a hurried ascent of 'South Crack' 5.8, on Stately Pleasures Dome. Weather threatened, but held off long enough for us to reach the top that day.
When it came time to leave the 'Meadows for the 'Valley, Craig and I decided to run the 18 miles that seperate Tanaya Lake from Vernal Falls. Until recently, I hadn't run any sort of distance, but I was starting to really enjoy running for the first time. The trail took us from 8000 feet to the top of the 10,000 foot high 'Clouds Rest', then back to the valley floor at less than 5000 feet. The ten miles of continuous downhill was the killer. My legs turned to jello, but it was worth it. The views were amazing, and we had covered the entire distance in only three and a half hours.
Once in the 'Valley, we got right to business. Camping in the trailer-park like setting was none too inspiring, and we spent much of our time playing hacky-sack in the parking lot. Once again, bouldering was the style of choice due to weather, and the Camp 4 boulders were the playground.
One of the goals for the trip was to reach the top of Half Dome and check out the view. While the rest of the group hiked the trail, Craig and I decided to climb the runout classic 'Snake Dike' 5.8, to the top. Thunderstorms had come in the last few afternoons, so we knew we'd have to hurry. Lighning was even more of a danger on Half Dome because of the steel cables needed to decend from the top. By the time we'd reached the base of the route, dark clouds were already approaching from the east. At the last minute, we decided to go for it and simul-climb for speed. In my haste, I took a wrong turn on the second pitch, traversing below a huge roof, underclinging a tips crack. It felt harder than 5.8, but it wasn't until Craig got to the roof that I realized my mistake. The trouble with simul-climbing is that the first climber can be pulled off if the second falls. I was a bit worried, standing twenty feet above my last piece of protection, when Craig slipped and nearly peeled off.
Once on top, I hurried to look around while the storm got closer. I found a chunk of granite about a foot thick and two feet wide sticking straight out at the very top, hanging over 2000 feet of nothing. I walked out on it a few feet to its end, hung my toes off, and took a picture. That was fun.
After Yosemite, we drove south to Sequoia National Park, east of Fresno, Ca. to do a little bouldering and sightseeing. There we hooked up with Gregs brother, who was a guide at the Crystal Cave, and checked out some big trees. Not just big - huge. These trees are the biggest living things in the world. We also had an oppertunity to do a little high-speed caving, between tours. That was wild.