Thursday, June 28, 2007

Wow and Whoa

(quick side note: I'll be surfing tomorrow!! WOOOOHOOO!!)

OOOOHS and AHHHHS. Around every corner of Yosemite a new exclamation is needed.

El Capitan- 3000ft. vertical, granite rock. The Banzai Pipeline of rock climbing. It usually takes a couple days to climb. They sleep on ledges!!

I arrived in the Yosemite Valley yesterday morning and bought a two night stay at Camp 4. Camp 4 is in the national historical registry as a seminal spot in the history of climbing. Super cool with a lot of interesting people. Its like the North Shore of Oahu but with rocks and ropes.
After setting up camp, I took the Upper Yosemite Falls Trail to the top. I suppose i was kind of hoping for a leisurely stroll through the woods. This was nothing of the sort: 2700 ft in 3.5 miles over 100 switchbacks. Kinda painful but well well worth it for the view and chilly pools at the top.


The Upper Yosemite Falls Trail.

Yosemite Valley from the top of the Falls.

Chillin'


After my hike, i met a pair of characters that were sharing my campsite. Mark and John, a father in law/son in law combo from Denver had just finished a 14 hour day of hiking and climbing. These were the kind of guys that lived for the edge of all things. Climbing, skiing, kayaking, life- they were not satisfied until their lives hung in the balance. They taught me all about the climbing subculture and Yosemite's importance therein.

"Midnight Lightning" the most famous "bouldering problem" in the world.


Today i went to Glacier Point. Probably the best viewpoint in all of Yosemite.

Half-Dome and Nevada and Vernal Falls.

Half-Dome:::I'm coming back to conquer you!

Its probably just my current state of mind, but i see a perfect 3 wave set in Rainbow Arches.


Next, i drove out to Mariposa Grove where Giant Sequoias dominate the forest.

The Fallen Monarch


The Grizzly Giant- 5th oldest tree on the planet

A "prescribed burn" in the Valley.

And of course i have been hugging a lot of trees lately. This planet is the greatest gift anything has ever received. We are all lucky to be a part of this life on this planet. Wake up in the morning and appreciate the oxygen, sunlight, dirt, trees and EVERYTHING else. Ok
i'll step off my tree-hugging soap box.

My mountain experiences have been spectacular. But i am more than ready for some sea-level saltwater action. San Francisco tomorrow morning! First stop: Ocean Beach for a wave or a hundred.

1 comment:

mowrey said...

Ocean Beach is a perfect jumping in/off spot. & SF is the greatest city in the world. If it's clear while you're there drive or hike up to top of Mt. Tamalpais on the other side of the Golden Gate. Fantastic full-on Bay Area perspective w/ a great view down the coastline. Enjoy!