As I had alluded to in a few posts here planning this trip became on of the most annoying and painful experienced of my life. When I first settled on the idea I had originally planned on going alone if none of my friends wanted to go. Slowly but surely, however, one by one decided to sign on. In the beginning all seemed to be going well. $ of us had planned on going and we figured sharing a space at curry would be our best bet for the first trip down. Round about this point everything went to hell. Seeing as I was the one person any of them knew with gear and the ability to lead, most just assumed I would be the guide for the week. Something I had clearly explained up front was not happening.
Around about this time a 5th person decided to sign on. 2 others decided it was ok for her to stay in our small 4 person room for the week. My other friend, who was off traveling the world at the time, and myself thought it would be too crowded. So, we booked a separate room to spread things out. After this one person dropped out for work reasons, the 5th person to sign on got mad at me and didn't speak to me again until we were standing at the base of Reed's Pinnacle in Yosemite and the other guy changed his mine I think 3 times as to whether or not he was or was not going. Then the greatest crap storm hit when my friend I was sharing the other room with decided to cancel on me 6 days before departure date. Now I was completely unable to change or cancel my reservation and was stuck with this room for myself. What was supposed to be a fun, not to expensive trip had become really expensive and downright painful. To make matters worse, she had felt "put off" by the entire thing, even though I had done all of the work while she toured the world to "find herself", and didn't think compensating me any money was fair for her. I promptly told her to f**k herself and that was that.
So.... We finally make it to the valley. WOO!
My other 2 friends eventually decided on going. Not knowing whether or not they would be around, or if they still hated me, I had sought out other climbers online that might be around that time. Three peopled ended up responding. Turns out a friend of a friend from NYC was headed out the same week. We both laughed at the coincidence of it and thought had only we known sooner each was going to be there we could have spend the weeks prior hitting the Gunks in preparation. But, what can you do. I also got a message from Lucas, who I believe has posted here before. He was by far one of the nicest and most chill people I've ever met. Plus his experience in the valley was extensive. Originally we had planned to meet in Tuolumne the Monday I was going to be there but that ended up changing when we learned both of us were in the valley on Sunday. THe 3rd person I met was this guy Josh from San Diego I believe. He was nice enough to let my friend use his crash pad while he was up in Tuolumne.
My first reaction to entering the valley is really had to put into words. I can say I almost got into a car accident when I saw Half Dome and El Cap for the first time. I believe my exact words for both was "What the F**K???" I remember turning a corner and realizing the sky had turned grey. Now, at the time this made sense as it was slightly overcast on the drive in. For a few moments I thought nothing of it. THe clouds looked strange though and I couldn't figure out why they were moving in such a strange manner. The gears in my head began to turn and figure out what was going on. "Wait a second", I thought. "That mass in front of me is a rock!!" . Little did I realize but El Cap filled my vision in nearly every direction I looked. I almost got into a second accident here. I had to pull over and marvel at this for a while. The other tourists around me smiled lightly and took photos. I felt the uncontrollable need to grab one and shake him violently as I yelled "You don't understand. It's 3,000 feet high and you can climb it!!! YOU CAN CLIMB IT!!!" At which point I would run screaming into the woods while ripping my hair out.
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 Credit: JoeSimo |
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As my travels continued, I saw other famous spot, including waterfalls, boulder problems I had seen in climbing movies, the famous Yosemite Tourist-Squirrel (Namely a normal squirrel that eats nothing but food provided by tourists and weighs 50lbs. Seriously, I am amazed those things can walk or even breath). What should have been a 15 minute drive to Curry to check in ended up taking 3 hours.
After I ended up checking in I met up with this guy Josh I had arranged to meet in front of the mountain store. He is a nice enough guy, not a serial killer or anything, so we decide to hit some local boulders before it gets too dark. God times are had by all.
That night Jordan, from NYC, rolls into CUrry to stay with me for the night. He gets in kinda of late and I was already half asleep. Had he waited any longer I would've been out cold and impossible to wake. He also doesn't appear to be a serial killer. After introductions and a brief talk I pass out from a long day or traveling, hiking, bouldering. We plan to get to work on Sunday with some climbing.
The next morning we wake to rain. RAIN!?!?! What the hell?? The super topo book says the Valley gets 0.06" of rain in August on average. it has rained the entire morning. This is surely more than 0.06" of rain. I felt so lied to by Chris McNamara. For most of the morning we hang out in the curry lodge reading and working on a puzzle I swear was missing pieces. To make matters worse, Josh said we would meet up again that morning around 7 in front of the breakfast pavillion. Since his phone didn't work at all. I figure I will never see him again.
Eventually the rain stops. I figure big deal, the cliffs will be dry until the morning. However, I forgot I wasn't in NY where there is always 500% humidity and things remain wet for a week after a storm. Seriously, I've seen water dripping on routes days after it ever rained. But, since we are in a climate with low Humidity the cliffs dry remarkably fast. We decide to rack up and head to Reed's Pinnacle. In another amazing coincidence, turns out Josh went to Camp 4 that morning to wait in line for a spot and ended up meeting my 2 other friends there. My friend Pat calls me to tell me he met Josh. We decide to all meet up at Reed's for some climbing.
THe first line I see has me drooling. Its a beautiful white crack that seems to run forever. The book has it listed as 5.10a - Direct Route its called. I rack up and begin to go for it...
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 Credit: JoeSimo |
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After a few moves I realize this is my first route in the valley and I am leading a freaking 5.10. I decide this might be a bit ambitious for day 1 and decide to dial it down a notch. Next to us is a nice easy 5.9 to warm up on. At 3 pitches it just looks fun. Jordan and I rack up while Josh takes my friend Pat to climb something else. My other friend, Stacie, seems to just sit around at the base awkwardly for a while. I start to lead the first pitch when I hear a voice below me. Turns out Lucas just arrive while I was in the middle of pitch 1. I wedge my ass in the easy chimney and talk for a bit. he decides to hang around the bottom and climb some stuff while we finish this route. I blaze through pitch 1 and pitch 2. I thought I would have issue adjusting to the granite and crack climbing from the Gunks conglomerate and slab climbing, but I seem to be doing fine. Pitch 2 has a sweet belay ledge perfect for relaxing and photo ops.
I decide to let Jordan lead pitch 3 as I've done the first 2. I also want to see how solid a leader he is here. Also, all day he's been talking about "going big" and I wanna make sure we can handle that. The first part of pitch 3 is this fist crack and mildly offwidth crack. He racks up and I ask him quick how his crack technique is. "Crappy" he responds. Already a warning light goes off in my head. Jordan now proceeds to flail around and struggle horrible up the first ppart of the pitch. After a brief rest he finally clears it. Visibly shaken he drops a carabiner. I ask him if that was one of his or mine. He assures me it was his. As soon as he is out of site I here "Oh f**k!!" form him. I get ready to brace for a fall, assume the position and inquire what is going on. "I think I'm off route" he says. I shutter at the thought of the mess it will be to clean this up. The thought of trying to recover as many pieces as possible, potentially aiding parts up or down to get gear. A chill goes up my spine. "Oh wait nevermind I see the rings" he then says. I breath a sign of relief but am still shaken by it.
After 3 raps down, and one of the oddest rap stations I had ever seen, we make it to the ground safely. My first route in the valley, WOO! The first words out of Jordans mouth are "Tomorrow we should do something big". I ponder the thought for a while.
I decide to go rendezvous with the other to see what they are up to. Apparently Lucas had led Stone Groove. A freaking sweet 5.10b and setup a top rope. As it is getting late in the day I decide to take a lap on it on TR. Its a stellar route. I slip at one spot near the middle. CLimbing on withe lie backs and jams I start to get a little pumped. I find an awkward spot to rest a bit. My friends below me are yelling something I can't quite make out. I inquire as to what they are saying as I let the blood drain from my arms. "grab the jug!" they are yelling. "What jug" I think. I reach up a bit and my hands sinks into a hold large enough to sit on. "Oh" I say. They all have a laugh at my expense.
That night we chill at the Curry pavilion and eat over priced Pizza. The next day we plan to hit some routes on the base of El Cap.
THe next morning we wake up early with the intention of climbing in the shade. Everyone is ready to go except Lucas who decides to sleep in and meet us later. For some reason I am in charge again, even though I have never been there before. I look at the map and get us horribly lost. WE park in a small parking lot thinking its a easy walk to the base of the cliff. After walking for a good 30 minutes I realize the cliff isnt getting any closer. I think its an optical illusion or something. Eventually the small path gives way to a gully filled with rocks. My friends are complaining about the approach. In a sick way I am loving it. The scenery, experience, the bush whacking, all fun to me. As long and hard as it is you cant beat the view.
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 Credit: JoeSimo |
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After about 2 hours of hiking we finally make it to the base of the routes we intended on climbing. Lucas is already there waiting for us. He was the smart one. He begins to rack up for the route Moby Dick -5.10a. As he is about to start the rest of the party rolls in exhausted. I got tired of waiting for them, and listening to the complaints so just walked on ahead. They scold me once more for the hike. I laugh and say "Oh like I've been here before"
Lucas grabs a few more #4's from everyone and is off. the other go off to climb some 5.7 up the hill a ways. Moby Dick goes fairly smoothly. We use 2 70m ropes to setup a TR so we can then try Ahab to the right of it. Looking at the off width crack make my stomach turn from the bottom. I see no comfortable way of getting up it. Lucas gets on first, wedging his body into what seems like a painful orientation. After a long painful struggle he makes it to the top. My turn next. The next 45 minutes or so its horribly painful for me. I struggle beyond belief to get up this thing I am scrapping my elbows and ankles as I wedge myself into the crack. At times I am so exhausted I just go limp and fall out of the crack. I want to quit so badly, but I don't. Earlier a woman had walked by I believe was YOSAR, remarking she was going to come back with a #6 and lead that route. Lucas and I both look at each other and ask "Why can't we meet girls like that?"
Tuesday becomes a rest day/ bouldering day. I spend most of the time sleeping on a crash pad while my friend Pat goes insane and tries to climb every boulder in the park. Good times are had by all. Things get interesting on Wednesday. Originally I had planned on doing Royal Arches with this guy Eric, who also posts here. We had been talking for a few weeks before the trip about it. Tuesday night he calls me and says work had come up and he really need to do that. I completely understand and decide to go off on something else that day with some of my friends. Of course fate had spoken as that day the rock slide occurred close to the arches route. It would have been some experience being 1,000 feet up and seeing a massive slab of rock break free so close.
Instead I jumped on Nutcracker with 2 friends. Though it was incredibly awkward at the belay spots with 3 people. Never doing that again.
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 Credit: JoeSimo |
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 Credit: JoeSimo |
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Also, around this time, a controlled fire had gotten very out of control and began filling the valley with smoke. By around thursday it was starting to make me sick and climbing became a horrible thought for me. The rest of the trip was spent swimming and hiking with some moderate bouldering in between. By this time Josh and Jordan had gone up to Tuolumne and Lucas had met up with another friend of his and was climbing hard. The plan had been to meet Josh and Jordan in Tuolumne either thursday or friday. However, the park services had now closed the road there and he were unable to make it. To make things worse Pat had Josh's bouldering pad still. Now we had no way of getting it to him. I felt really bad about it myself.
Eventually Josh got in touch with us and told Pat if he could ship the pad home he could keep it. pat was ecstatic but I felt wrong about it. I would've at least sent it to him or sent him money for the pad. but thats just me. We ended up leaving half a day early because the smoke was so bad at this point I could barely see the cliffs. I was also getting horribly sick from it. Also, the road closure meant getting back to San Fran would take slightly longer.
So, we packed it up and headed out. Upon hitting the non smoke filled air I felt better, yet was now feeling sad at the thought of leaving the valley behind. I was hooked for life I soon realized. On the way out I bought 2 different books on big wall climbing and began thinking about when I could make it back there and what routes I should work in preparation for bigger and bolder adventures. Hell, I am even thinking about the biggest cliffs within driving distance of me here so I can have more experience of bigger walls. Wonderful opportunities in the Adirondacks it seems.
So, with that my first trip to the valley came to an end. All in all and incredible experience made that much better by the people I met and talked to. We were fortunate enough with weather too. Most days were in the 80's making climbing there completely bearable for us.
I think if I had half a mind I would move to some place closer, or maybe even grad school in San Fran. But alas, time to be responsible again and get back on the job hunt. Sadly I won't be able to build on my rack now for a while. Guess climbing in the Gunks will have to hold me over until my next big adventure. Until that day...
