A year after my last Yosemite trip, where I basically did nothing but lay in ElCap Meadow with a spotting scope because of a back injury, I made it back in one of the most beautiful places on earth. While most of this was a work trip (yes, my job occasionally had me do things like climb in Yosemite), my friend Kenny and I stuck around for a few extra days to get on a few more climbs.
Because the trip took place in the middle of November, we were really rolling on the dice on weather, and sure enough a snowstorm rolled through the valley the day before we got there. Everything on the right side of the canyon looked like the North Face of the Eiger, but the South-facing rock was basking in the sun, dried out fast, and was excellent after day two. At that point, the only bummer was 7 hours of daylight, and the draw of speed climbing became real obvious real fast.
After a year of physical therapy and very little climbing, I felt very weak during the entire trip. But, for the first time since last October, I managed to climb for more than a week straight with zero pain in the back, neck, ribs, or shoulder. It was an excellent bookend to a year that I’d mostly like to forget (from a physical standpoint). Kenny urged me to take a couple rest days when I got home. So, I counted the driving day as one, took another, and started training on Monday. It feels great to be able to go into the basement, thrash myself with an Assault Bike and Kettlebells, and be exhausted but uninjured after. I am so stoked to get back to my previous self.
Dry rock in the sun. Full alpine in the shade. Kenny sorting gear in the snow. Kenny on Crack A Go Go (5.11c).El Cap at Sunset.Parties on the Monster Offwidth. Bouldering session with the crew.North-facing walls looked like this. Michael on the Nutcracker (5.8+).Mike on After Seven (5.8).View from the top of Ranger Rock.Kenny on the Nutcracker (5.8+).Hamming it up for the camera. Matt on the Nutcracker (5.8+).Taylor on the Nutcracker (5.8+).Some of the crew learning in the ins and outs of multi-pitch climbing. Kenny on the steep bit. Interesting light due to brush burning. Kenny near the top. Told ya… fires. Kenny on the pitch one pin scars of Serenity Sons (5.10d).Making the reach on pitch two. Swimming up the upper handcracks. The last wide bit. Headed down with our friends from across the pond. Seb leading pitch five with a huge pack for some reason. Ascending the rope after getting it unstuck during the rappel. A GriGri and microtraxion makes this so easy. A good van mate replaces your cheese grater when he breaks it. And Kenny is a good van mate!Frost in the morning.Looking down pitch 2 during a quick Sickle lap. Kenny on the jugs. Pitch 4 before the swings. Coiling rope before heading down the fixed lines. Rapping from Sickle. A party in the stovelegs. Kenny on pitch 1 of the Freeblast (5.11c).Starting up pitch 4. Kenny in his happy place while onsighting the crux slab pitch on the Freeblast (5.11c).Kenny starting up Separate Reality (5.11d).All smiles after onsighting Separate Reality (5.11d).It wouldn’t be a trip to the Valley without a session on Midnight Lightning (V8). I managed a new high point on this trip thanks to some spraydown from the locals.
