Trip Report
Aerial Fighter Plane Photos of Yosemite Valley
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Monday May 16, 2005 1:34pm
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Got the cool opportunity to fly in my friend John French's Czech fighter jet on May 13. We started in Sacramento then flew to tahoe then Lover's Leap then Yosemite and back. It was crazy. i got to do a roll and we got up to 550mph and 4G's. Here are some photos:
here i am posing in front of the plane:
in the cockpit getting ready to fly
A shot of Half Dome and the High Country:
A shot of Half Dome showing snow conditions on the descent:
Yosemite Falls:
Another shot of Half Dome and the Valley:
El Cap:
El Cap:
Chris McNamara
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About the Author
Climbing Magazine once computed that three percent of Chris McNamara’s life on earth has been spent on the face of El Capitan—an accomplishment that has left friends and family pondering Chris’ sanity. He’s climbed El Capitan over 70 times and holds nine big wall speed climbing records. In 1998 Chris did the first Girdle Traverse of El Capitan, an epic 75-pitch route that begs the question, “Why?”
Outside Magazine has called Chris one of “the world’s finest aid climbers.” He’s the winner of the 1999 Bates Award from the American Alpine Club and founder of the American Safe Climbing Association, a nonprofit group that has replaced over 5000 dangerous anchor bolts. He is a graduate of UC Berkeley and serves on the board of the ASCA, and Rowell Legacy Committee. He has a rarely updated adventure journal, maintains BASEjumpingmovies.com, and also runs a Lake Tahoe home rental business. |
Comments
WBraun
climber
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May 16, 2005 - 03:53pm PT
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Man Chris, what a lucky guy you are. I sure wish I could take a ride in one of those puppies sometime. Awesome!
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Lambone
Big Wall climber
Ashland, Or
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May 16, 2005 - 04:13pm PT
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I wanna ride in a fighter jet!!!
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deez nuts
climber
Zona
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May 16, 2005 - 04:19pm PT
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Thats too bad the Big Walls book is already out....you could of used these pics
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funkness
climber
Ca.
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May 16, 2005 - 07:03pm PT
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Great pics!!
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crimpstrength
Trad climber
Wilkes Barre, PA
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May 16, 2005 - 07:06pm PT
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I have heard that flying in a jet is a life altering experience. Those pictures are unreal. I have never been to Yosemite but this helps me get an idea of the magnitude. Is there a road that goes right by El Cap, seen in the bottom left of the picture? If it does, where all does it go in the valley? Also, how is are the formations arranged, like is it the falls, then half dome, then el cap, like north to south or what have you? Thanks for posting. WOW
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
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May 17, 2005 - 02:08am PT
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sik!
I'm sure that you were flying at an approved altitude, right. :)
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climberweenie
Trad climber
San Jose, CA
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May 17, 2005 - 02:11am PT
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Just make sure to stay away from the aerial tours of Washington DC these days
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
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May 17, 2005 - 06:01pm PT
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Holy frig, you lucky little bugger! If your bud ever wants someone to pay for gas, I'm there with bongs on. [The kind you nail, not smoke]
Incidentally, is Coil Air flying this spring? Ditto on the gas money, Brian.
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David Nelson
climber
San Francisco
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May 17, 2005 - 08:12pm PT
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Incredible photos is right! Nice work. But Chris, I can't believe they were taken at the proper altitude. How low were you? Wasn't he worried about getting nailed? THAT ticket would be a big one!
Also, just got my copy of the new Big Walls. Thanks. Pleasure is all mine.
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LB4USC
Trad climber
Long Beach
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May 18, 2005 - 12:26pm PT
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So that racket was you? We were on After Six when you went whizzin' by.
Frankly, I'm waiting for Coiler in his 1961 Cessna 150 to go cruisin' the Valley with Bill "we're gonna die" Russell.
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akclimber
Trad climber
Eagle River, AK
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May 18, 2005 - 05:32pm PT
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Klaus, jealous?
Whiner.
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anthonydl
climber
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May 21, 2005 - 12:35am PT
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Altitudes over National Parks or Wilderness Protection areas are a REQUESTED 2000' AGL (Above Ground Level). And over sparsly populated areas only a mere 500' manadatory. So I'd say they were legal beagle kids.
(Besides try catching the N-number of a jet going 400kts+ Not happening.)
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Minerals
Social climber
The Deli
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May 22, 2005 - 12:59am PT
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It would be really sick to strafe the Lodge, the Village, and Curry with as many .50 cal rounds as the fighter can carry, and then swing around for a run at the Ahwahnee, at which point the pilot fires all available missiles into the target, destroying everything in the vicinity. Now that I would pay money to see… How much will your bro charge me for a ride like that (ammo included…)? Can we get some cluster bombs too? …might be a nice 4th of July display if we do it at night…
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WBraun
climber
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May 22, 2005 - 01:13am PT
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Back in the early 70s they would come screaming in at about 500 or so feet above the valley floor straight for half dome then left turn up tenaya canyon. Then come back later for the encore out towards the central valley.
Nowadays at ten thousand feet above? What’s the world coming to? You can’t even see Joe six pack in the campground looking up at ya from 10,000 feet as he’s whooping it up or flippin you the bird.
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hatestocarry
Trad climber
gunks
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May 22, 2005 - 05:51pm PT
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Yeah, I remember those days too. Just about got sucked off the summit of Dana in '79 by the tail wash of some hotdog Top Gun wannabe when he blasted by no more than 200ft. overhead.
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kevsteele
climber
Santa Barbara, CA
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May 23, 2005 - 12:10am PT
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That's 10,000 feet above sea level - not 10,000 feet above the valley, right? The summit of El Cap sits about 7,500 feet above sea level so you would have been 2500 feet over it.
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WBraun
climber
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May 23, 2005 - 12:41am PT
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That's right. I think the legal height is 2000 ft above the rim.
Makes me remember a great story when we were filming Kauk trying to free climb the nose during january a while back. We had ropes fixed to the great roof and the producer wanted a helicopter to film the different perspective shot that it could get. We had to get permission from the chief ranger in Yosemite Valley for flying a chopper below the legal limit.
Bev Johnson setup the meeting between the producer and the chief ranger at the producers Yosemite lodge room. I was in the room with the producer when the chief shows up and the customarily coordinal greetings were exchanged. The Chief put his smoky the bear hat on the bed and sat down when Kauk enters the room and greets him and also sits down.
Not looking Kauk sits on the chiefs hat and we hear the sound of it getting crunched heh, heh, oh oh, not a good opening gambit for our helicopter bid. Now Kauk pulls that hat out from under his ass and it’s kinda flat and distorted, and starts to apologize for that crunch. The chief made his visit short with the rules are rules and you must be 2000ft above the rim for your shot and got up and left.
Next day up at the great roof we do the shoot and the chopper comes right up to us 150ft away. Oh oh, looks like they went for it anyways and broke the rules……….
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climbera5
Trad climber
Sacramento
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May 23, 2005 - 09:45am PT
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Fabulous ride Chris. I've done this in a Cessna 206 but not a jet, holy cow! To confirm, it is 2000' AGL, above ground level, for protected areas like National Parks. You were well above that. Great shots of El Cap, it really shows how overhanging sections are. Well done!
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Weenis
Trad climber
Tel Aviv
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May 23, 2005 - 11:49am PT
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Got a wake up call from some Navy or Air Force jets one morning.
Two small jets roaring up the valley well below our bivy on El Cap and after a bit they flew back out to the west. Werner, write that book.
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yo
climber
Mudcat Spire
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May 23, 2005 - 11:23pm PT
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Don't have the rules handy but isn't it 2000 AGL from the highest point laterally within two miles? That would be HD at 9000, putting the bandit MiG below approved 11,000. Shoot it down.
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rick
Social climber
california
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May 24, 2005 - 11:22am PT
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I was on washington column several years ago, when a fighter jet of some sort went blasting down the valley about level to us, it was loud and shocking and looked damn exciting, I always assumed it was some air force pilot having fun, I guess it could have been a private fighter jet...didnt know there were such things.
rick
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coiler
Trad climber
The Rock Monkey Ranch
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To clarify, the FAR's call for 2000' above the highest terain within 2000' so if you were more than 2000' feet from half dome you could be lower. When I fly the valley I'm usualy at about 10,000 when I come in from behind El Cap, I do a big turn in front of Half dome and then fly over the top of Sentinel while starting a nice shallow descent. By the time I'm over the Cathedrals I'm at about 9000' and directly in front of the Captain and on my way back out west. Theoreticaly you could fly right down the middle of the valley below the rim, as long as you were 2000' feet from it, but I'm not one to push the rules in a plane.
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azzkikr100
climber
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man thoes pic...... FRICKIN SICK!!!!!!!!!
I am so jelous!!!!
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Wild Bill
climber
Ca
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Apr 23, 2007 - 02:10pm PT
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Bump because I wasn't around to see this cool thread when it first popped up.
That first photo of ElCap really shows the lay of the land.
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mooch
Trad climber
Tribal Base Camp (Riverkern Annex)
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Apr 23, 2007 - 02:29pm PT
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Eat your heart out Chris....Hornets rule buddy!
I took this shot of my buddy Les (aka 'Bonesaw') from VFA-147 (Argonauts) flying 1v1 in 1999 while I was in VMFA-314 (The Black Knights); a Marine F/A-18C squadron. We flew in a CAG (carrier air group) together. I was stationed in Miramar while that lucky bastard was stationed in Lemoore....heading to the Valley on weekends when we weren't doing carrier certs :P
BTW, 4 G's is a roller coaster ride at Six Flags. Let me know when you're ready for 7.5Gs...I'll help you take the training wheels off! ;)
To hell with noise abatement laws!! Listen to the sound of freedom for a change!
Cheers,
Dave (aka Mooch)
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Dog
climber
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Apr 23, 2007 - 04:28pm PT
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Holy Smokes! Where do I get a ticket for this ride?
We were climbing in the Owens Gorge on a weekday and a couple of A-10 aka Warthogs flew through in formation. Unbelievable!
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mooch
Trad climber
Tribal Base Camp (Riverkern Annex)
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Apr 23, 2007 - 04:52pm PT
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"Where do I get a ticket for this ride?"
You gotta wait in line for over a year and a half; includes Officer Candidate School, Flight School, BIDS School (type aircraft school). Did I mention you need a college degree and 20/20 vision? No smokin' the green stuff either kiddies ;)
"Besides try catching the N-number of a jet going 400kts+ Not happening"
This aint' GA or commercial aviation brutha......you ain't gonna get an N number from that jet cause there aint' none! Only BUNO numbers (also known production serial numbers)....too small to be seen, if there are any painted on!
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MZiebell
Social climber
Prescott, AZ
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Apr 23, 2007 - 05:21pm PT
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Werner,
Seems like you've probably seen more of the Valley (and the park) from the air than anybody else here. The flight from El Cap Meadow with slow orbits up the face of El Cap is still the best flying I've ever done...
Martin
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G_Gnome
Trad climber
Cali
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Apr 23, 2007 - 07:10pm PT
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Hey, I resemble that remark!
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dipper
climber
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Apr 23, 2007 - 07:36pm PT
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I nominate Jody for a scholarship to next years Sushifest.
With complimentary wasabi and other green stuff.
What was it Sgt. Hulka said?
"Lighten up Francis"
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graniteclimber
Trad climber
The Illuminati -- S.P.E.C.T.R.E. Division
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Nov 11, 2010 - 09:38pm PT
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One of my favorites.
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dogtown
Trad climber
Cheyenne, Wyoming and Marshall Islands atoll.
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Nov 11, 2010 - 10:01pm PT
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I want a fighter aircraft! Or at least a ride in one. Is Wyoming out of the question next time? Hell, it’s hour or so air time. I think.
Dogtown.
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C4/1971
Trad climber
Depends on the day...
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Nov 11, 2010 - 10:32pm PT
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Werner, I remember the lads from Lamore going over Panorama Cliffs at fifty feet and causing rockfall....about 1972 if memory serves...
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Nov 11, 2010 - 10:51pm PT
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Mooch-
You are a lucky bastard to fly F-18's. You are right about the tail numbers, too. Most people only hear the jet AFTER it's past. The only way I'm ever going to get a similar ride is after getting a lot more total time as PIC, and then going down to N.M. at the flight school where they have a MiG 15 trainer. Now I'm stuck at 142 kias in a Cessna 172-RG. :(
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Nov 11, 2010 - 10:58pm PT
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By the way--the jet Chris finagled a ride in is a Czech L-39 "Albatross" and a nice 400 knot ride. They're readily available if you've got about a quarter mil of spare change. There are sometimes rides available at air shows in a precursor--the L-29 "Delfin."
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Thorgon
Big Wall climber
Sedro Woolley, WA
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Nov 11, 2010 - 11:16pm PT
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Excellent Chris, I got to launch F-14s off the USS America, but never got the ride of a life time! SO stoked for you, what a blast!
Thor
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Jello
Social climber
No Ut
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Nov 11, 2010 - 11:43pm PT
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Nice photos...
-Jello
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