Yosemite High and Lows

Anyone got any water?  Mammoth Ledges, El Cap

Two weeks, one third, into our trip.  Inevitably we’ve had a few highs and lows.
 The low points aren’t too bad; discovered that our car insurance doesn’t cover the campervan we’ve hired, so now driving to the crag is as nerve-wracking as climbing on the crag!  Found four very slow teams ascending Lurking Fear, the first aid route which we wanted to do – that’s changed our plans, together with the fact that our static rope is 3m too short to actually do the route . . . doh!  It’s hot too – 33 degrees at the base of El Cap.  We can’t carry enough water to climb multi-day routes in such temperatures, so seeking out the shady climbs is mandatory.

Old School chimney climbing on Braille Book - where's the gear?

New School climbing on Superslacker Highway - lots of bolts

The highs have been really good though; meeting up with Tom and Alice, climbing High Cathedral Spire – the tallest spire in Yosemite, and climbing Freeblast, a classic line which takes you a third of the way up El Capitan and is the first 10 pitches of both Salathe Wall and Triple Direct.  

Simon Jones, recreating the classic Royal Robbins picture on El Cap

We climbed the 5.10c pitches free (me on second but wearing a bag full of water and spare gear, so I feel proud).  The harder pitches were too difficult and polished for us to climb free so we took a French approach and shamelessly pulled up on gear, then Simon climbed behind Half Dollar Flake, the 5.8 flared chimney pitch and I didn’t see him again for at least an hour and half.  

Pitch 2, Free Blast

All I could hear was grunting, swearing and moaning.  I paid out, took in, then paid out the rope inch by inch, until eventually Simon reached the next belay and we were on our way again – to Mammoth Ledges and then the slightly dubious abseils down the fixed ropes back to the base and home in time for Tea and Medals!