Yosemite Pics of the Day

Yesterday brought lots of rain and last night even brought some snow. Today the sun is shinning and weather forecast looks good for the foreseeable future. Here are a few pics I captured.

Bridalveil Falls and the Leaning Tower

Merced River with Ribbon Falls and Gold Wall in the Distance

Early Spring Conditions in the Valley

The Yosemite Valley weather as been very unusual for late May, it is more like early wet spring conditions. All the waterfalls are going off and there is a good amount of seepage on some of the walls.  The good news is the weather is supppose to improve this weekend and be warm and dry for a while.

Yesterday I spent half the day rope soloing down in the lower Merced canyon, climbed about 15 pitches total, then  took a break, and on my way out of the park I stopped at Manure Pile Buttress and did 2 laps on After Six. Today looks like it will be a rest day as it is raining on and off in the valley and the forecast does not look great for Thursday.

Back to Yosemite

I left J-Tree to meet up with my friend Mark with the plan of climbing the South Face of WA Column to get Mark back in the groove for our upcoming trip up El Cap this Summer. Unfortunatly the weather did not cooperate with wet and cold conditions, we did get in a couple of short days cragging. Mark finally manned up and asked Shannon to Marry him after making her hike 7 miles in the snow and cold and camping near the top of El Cap.

Congrats Mark and Shannon!!!!!

I will be hanginng here for a while hoping for better weather although I could use a little break from climbing so its all good.

More to come...............................................

Joshua Tree

Derrick and I left Tahquitz and headed for Joshua Tree for warmer weather. I had never been to J-Tree and was amazed by the beuty of the place, almost magical with all the joshua trees and some some of the coolest camping with climbing right in your site. It was a casual couple days climbing some of the easy-moderate classics of the area. I will have to go back and explore more of this place some time.

A big thank you to Derrick for giving the tour of the area!

The Greybeard leading Flakes of Wrath 5.8

the campsite

Tahquitz and Suicide Rocks

Tahquitz

After dropping Daniel off at the airport in Vegas I headed west to southern California to meet up my friends Kathy, Derrick, and Heather for some climbing at Tahquitz and Sucide Rocks. It was great to see them and climb on granite again after 2 months of climbing on Sandstone. The first day we climbed at Suicide and had a chill day, the next day we went to Tahquitz and got in 3 multi pitch routes. The following day we returned to Tahquitz and climbed the classic 5.9 Whodunit, under cold and breezy conditions. Kathy and Heather headed back to Seattle the next day while Derrick and I had planned on climbing the Vampire, however under cold conditions we decided to head Joshua Tree..

Derrick mounting the Horn

Kathy "the cook"

All smiles at the start of Whodunit

Me leading my off route version of pitch 1, Heather starting up also

Heather cruxing on the 10a slab

Derrick following the 5.9 Chimney

The Cold Summit of Tahquitz

the post climb feast............

with cake!!!!!!!

Thanks Kathy and Heather for everything, hope to see you soon..........

Free Climbing Rainbow Wall (Red Rocks)

Rainbow Wall in the distance

Our original plan was to climb Epinephrine after Cloud Tower, however my friends Lukas and Casey convinced Daniel that we should climb the Original Route on Rainbow Wall (13 pitches 5.12a), they were going to try the Rainbow Country variation. Lukas got Daniel psyched and I was excited to give this route a go. We were going to do the route car to car and arrived as the gates were opening to the park. The approach was long and steep towards the end but went fast since Lukas and Casey knew the way. They started up first and we followed behind until our routes split. The climbing was right at my limit pitch after pitch, the climbing featured steep face climbing to thin cracks, stemming corners and the occasional bouldery move. The style of climbing really made me go for it even though you had climb above your gear and was a little committing at times with insecure moves. Tremendous route and one of the best long free routes I have done. Daniel onsighted every pitch while I hung a couple times on the 12A pitch and hung on the 11d pitch down low.

the approach

getting closer

Daniel leading the first pitch 5.11c, Casey leading pitch 2, 5.11d

Lukas cruxing on the 12d pitch of Rainbow Country

the Crux 5.12a pitch

Next to last 11b pitch

Calico  Hills and Vegas in the Distance

Psyched to be on the Summit, we gave it 2 thumbs up

Hiking out as the sun sets with the lights of Vegas in the distance

Cloud Tower (Red Rocks)

Cloud Tower

Daniel and I left Zion and headed for Red Rocks. Daniel needed to fly back to Italy on Friday, so we had a few days to get some routes done. At the top of my list was Cloud Tower, I had wanted to do it back in March but it was too cold. We got an early start wanting to be first on route however our friends Amy and Chris from Indian Creek just happened to beat us to the base, which was great to spend the day climbing with them. It was a cold and very windy day but the climbing was outstanding on this mega classic route, 7 pitches 5.11d. I led the odd pithces giving Daniel the technical thin crux corner 5.11d and giving me the last corner pitch 5.11c. We onsighted every pitch and had a great time, I would deffinitly repeat this one over and over, so much fun.

Daniel leading the Crux 5.11d wearing his down jacket

Crushing

The Final 5.11c Corner

Final Moves

Thanks Chris and Amy for the great pics!

Shunes Buttress (Zion)

After leaving Castle Valley Daniel (from Italy) and I arrived in Zion National Park with the goal of Climbing Shunes Buttress a 8 pitch 5.11+ route. The route was one of the best I have climbed in the desert with pitch after pitch of great climbing. I led the odd pitches giving me the 2 5.11c pitches and the 5.10+ bombay chimney. This route was strenous with the best rock I have climbed in Zion and the 5.11c pitch up high would rival any pitch anywhere, simply amazing.

Me leading the 5.11+ first pitch, sustained rattly fingers in a corner to some thin techy funky Zion stuff up high, 165feet of full value.

The 5.10+ Bombay Chimney

Daniel leading the 5.11- traverse

Starting the Crux 5.11 pitch, Amazing!!!!!!

Splitter Forever

Daniel on top of Shunes

Castle Valley

Castleton Tower

On the way out of Moab, Daniel and I decided to stop in Castle Valley to climb some towers. We decided to climb Fine Jade 5.11, 4 pitches on the Rectory and the next day we climbed Ancient Art in the Fishers.

Daniel on the Summit of Ancient Art