So, I headed out at the end of May to spend some days climbing with Karl. "Everything is open in Tuolumne", we heard, and the weather was hot, so we headed up to the high country.


Turned out "everything" was an exaggeration. The TM campground was closed! But instead we got to camp at beautiful Tioga Lake just over the pass.


Easy knob dancing on Pywiack Dome the first afternoon.


The next day sees us on Stately Pleasure Dome in the morning and then West Crack on Daff Dome in the afternoon. Second pitch of West Crack is pretty wild, but alas no picture. Here is pitch 1.


We met ST'ers Clint Cummins (at the base of Daff Dome) and Lynne Leichtfuss (at TPR for breakfast). After each day of climbing Karl is insistent that a dip in Tenaya Lake is required.


A dip certainly boosts the appetite for a run to the Mobil Station in Lee Vining!

We attended Sunday service at the Cathedral.


It was crowded, but the waiting was always long enough to be enjoyable, never long enough to be annoying. Here's Karl looking beat but blissed on the descent.


Some way down the trail, Karl realizes he left his camera at the base! I am energized enough to run back and get it. Wouldn't want to lose photos like this.


The next morning we climb "Truck'n Drive" on Lembert Dome. The route makes its way through the right side of the circumflex roof via a nice hand crack, and then tiptoes up the golden polish above.


Weather is changing so we hurry back to the Valley before the road closes.
In an afternoon rainstorm I make a pilgrimage to the SAR cache to say thank you in person for my rescue from the Prow a couple of years ago. This is the first time I've been back to Yosemite since then.

The final morning sees a trip up the Manure Pile before I have to head back to Fresno to catch the red-eye.


In the next couple of days one kid will graduate high school and the other will fly across the country to start a new job. New routes (new to them, anyhow) for each to explore.

JohnR