Trip Report
Raising the next generation of adventurers-in and around Yosemite with a 6 year old and an infant

by looks easy from here
Saturday June 27, 2015 3:23pm
April

For my niece's spring break my wife and I stole her for her first trip to The Valley along with my 3 month old son.

Starting the day fueling up at the Ahwahnee.
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Someone has his eyes on the prize.
Someone has his eyes on the prize.
Credit: looks easy from here
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Digesting in the mural room.
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Psyched!
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Classic Valley touron shot.
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Exploring the talus caves near Yosemite Falls.
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Trying to comprehend 2425'
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Refueling in our private Ahwahnee parlor.
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Trolls everywhere!
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I think someone scrubbed a bit too vigorously.
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Already an expert picking out climbers trails.
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I think it's this way!
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Mmm, maybe not...
Mmm, maybe not...
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Trying to comprehend 3212' (I explained that if you layed it on its side it would stretch from her house past her grandma's house-that got a reaction!)
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Credit: looks easy from here
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May

Trip #2, this time with the sister-in-law, too. Started with breakfast at the Ahwahnee and the Yosemite Falls loop again.

Showing Mom the caves.
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Sick, brah!
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Third class gully at the start of Sunnyside Bench.
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A bit of exposure above the treeline.
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Pic with Mr. Muir
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June

Third trip in three months. And no forecast rain this time. So let's finally do some climbing!
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Mosquitoes and summer crowds vetoed climbing, but that's okay. We're flexible.

We're going there!
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Or not.
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Guess my forecasts were wrong. But I'm not going to argue with Thor.

We planned for an early start the next day to beat the crowds and heat in the Valley, but that changed. Fortunately I know places in the area that don't have many visitors.

SoYo picnic.
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My girls are troopers!
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This guy was a trooper, too.
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Chiquito Dome.
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I bet not many six year olds have seen this view.
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Did I mention my girls are troopers?
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We made it out before dark. Barely. :)
We made it out before dark. Barely. :)
Credit: looks easy from here
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Unfortunately we are oh-fer for climbing (rain, mosquitoes, crowds, uncle winging it based off a two year old memory and being insufficiently equipped...) but everyone's stayed incredibly optimistic and enjoyed the adventures we've had. And next weekend we're doing it again! :D

  Trip Report Views: 1,830
looks easy from here 		About the Author
looks easy from here is a climber from Ben Lomond, CA.

Comments
Darwin

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
  Jun 27, 2015 - 08:44pm PT
Thanks for posting: cute kids and cute family, and good on the adults for taking them out there. But really, where is Chiquito Dome? That's pretty much a rhetorical question, in as much as even a fossil such as my self can search for,
http://www.mountainproject.com/v/chiquito-dome/110321314
but I'ld love to hear more about the area.
SC seagoat

Trad climber
Santa Cruz, Moab, Bozeman, the ocean, or ?
  Jun 27, 2015 - 08:47pm PT
Wow! Someones having an awful lotta fun!
Thanks for the share...big smiles.


Susan
ß Î Ø T Ç H

Boulder climber
ne'er–do–well
  Jun 27, 2015 - 08:54pm PT
Good times.
looks easy from here

climber
Santa Cruzish
Author's Reply  Jun 27, 2015 - 09:18pm PT
Thanks. :)
I'ld love to hear more about the area
Chiquito Dome's a bit south of Yosemite, at Shuteye Ridge. Something there for everyone:5.6-5.13, mostly 2-5 pitch stuff, everything from well-bolted beginner leads to old-school runout scarefests. And only a 2 1/2 approach with a party like mine. ;) Probably more in the Southern Yosemite thread.
cragnshag

Social climber
Gilroy
  Jun 28, 2015 - 12:54pm PT
Looks awesome. Just getting one 5-year-old on a top rope can be an all day affair. Definite kudos for the efforts.

Since you are in Ben Lomand the Pinnacles are within distance for an early spring/ late fall day trip. We have successfully top roped numerous tots on the low angle 1st sister left route (5.5)

Thanks for posting!
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
  Jun 28, 2015 - 06:25pm PT
Beautiful family there, congrats!!M
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
  Jun 28, 2015 - 08:25pm PT
Nice! Start them early....anything but Game Boy.
neebee

Social climber
calif/texas
  Jun 28, 2015 - 10:10pm PT
hey there say, looks easy from here... oops, i clicked off, before my post went through...
SO in case it did not post:
thank you so very much for sharing your family time with us ...
brings back many happy memories for me, of my own...


loved the pics, and the smiles...

thanks again and god bless and many more happy trips to you!
looks easy from here

climber
Santa Cruzish
Author's Reply  Jul 1, 2015 - 12:05pm PT
My wife and I love Pinnacles. Once the weather cools down in the fall we'll definitely heading back down there with our son. The in-laws live in the Central Valley, so keeping pushing east to the Sierras is actually easier with them.

anything but Game Boy

Right now the plan is no video games until he can buy them himself. But we'll see what happens in the next decade or so. :D
mtnyoung

Trad climber
Twain Harte, California
  Jul 1, 2015 - 12:15pm PT
Jim stole my thoughts:



Nice! Start them early....anything but Game Boy.


Great job getting everyone out there!
limpingcrab

Gym climber
Minkler, CA
  Jul 5, 2015 - 01:58pm PT
These TR's are awesome. It can be a pain to have mountain days with kids but it's so worth it, especially for them.

Thanks!
johntp

Trad climber
Punter, Little Rock
  Jul 5, 2015 - 02:52pm PT
Sweating in my cube (no A/C on weekends) it is good to have these TRs to calm me down. TFPU!
looks easy from here

climber
Santa Cruzish
Author's Reply  Jul 5, 2015 - 03:00pm PT
Thanks again. Fortunately my folks did a great job getting me outside, and there's plenty of inspiration here (I was recently telling my wife about someone's PCT project... ;) ), so trying to pass on my enthusiasm for the outdoors is something that's pretty important to me.

Fwiw, we finally broke our bad luck and over the weekend got my niece and sister-in-law on a rope over the weekend! Story forthcoming as soon as I'm able to get some of her pics.

Teaser pic:
le_bruce

climber
Oakland, CA
  Jul 5, 2015 - 10:16pm PT
This was lovely, thanks for sharing.
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
  Jul 5, 2015 - 10:19pm PT
real nice
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