I know there's California, Oklahoma
And all of the places I ain't ever been to but
Down in the valley with
Whiskey rivers
These are the places you will find me hidin'
These are the places I will always go
These are the places I will always go
Yosemite was inspiring, majestic and humbling.
My first trad lead was less than a year ago. I've felt that my progress as a climber has gone fairly well over the last year, and even the last 2.5 years since I began climbing. Yet, despite this, in Yosemite I learned that I am a runt, an absolute baby and weakling in this world of climbers. Folks here climb HARD and really TALL walls. You see free solo’ers that move like honest to God ninjas. People spend weeks on the wall hauling up not only themselves, but also water, food, and any other life necessities. Folks fly up routes placing sparse protection covering hundreds of vertical feet with just a few hours of daylight left.
Climbing in Yosemite has been a blast and a dream. Even if scrambling up 3rd class freaks me out, leading a measly 5.8 makes me the happiest lady in the valley, and top roping a 5.9 leaves me utterly wasted. To work your body to exhaustion on inspiring cracks and see the most spectacular views from a perspective that few ever will, and then stuff yourself with pizza, beans and rice, and cookies….oh geeze, it’s a dream.
We covered a total of 6,850 vertical feet between Tuolumne Meadows and Yosemite Valley. Though two of our compadres couldn’t make it at the last minute, we were blessed with new and old friends with whom we shared food, laughter, and campsites.
This double rainbow was a real treat though.
I supported my Auburn Tigers in spirit and by wearing my pin both Saturdays. War Eagle!
Wow.
ReplyDeleteThe pictures are beautiful... I know it's even more majestic in person! PS. I am living vicariously through your post :) I really want to go west!!
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