[TR] Yosemite first-timer

[smiley]

Climb: Yosemite - After Six

 

Date of Climb: 4/17/2004

 

Trip Report:

Finally made it out to Yosemite a few weeks ago during a brief stay in Cali. I had had a stressful previous week, and was just looking forward to relaxing for a few days and getting back on the rock after a snowy winter.

 

After the winding drive through the foothills, I was a little disappointed as we entered the gates of Yosemite, expecting to see huge granite monoliths immediately, but there was nothing but trees..(beautiful trees I might add, but I was looking for rocks at that moment) However about 20 miles or so in, as we rounded a corner, El Cap, Halfdome and all the rest came into full view. "Holy Shit!" I exclaimed. And those senitments still hold true.

 

The next day, wanting a fun moderate route in order for me to get my bearings in the place, my partner and I decided on After Six, a 5.7 route I believe (?) on the Manure Pile buttress. He led the first(crux) pitch, and I felt great following him up. The next pitch was more scrambling than climbing, but I need the leading practice, so I took the rack and headed up pitch 2. I felt confident climbing, however some of my gear placements could have been better. The party behind us was a guide taking a customer up. It was quite amusing to watch, as the guide was frustrated with the client and whenever he was out of earshot the guide was making sarcastic comments about him to us. He also pretended to almost fall off a ledge, just to scare the guy... Guess the dude got his money's worth!? Anyways, my partner led pitch 3, and on pitch 4 I took over again. I felt much more sure about my gear placements here, as I just got more used to placing gear again. As I was belaying him up, a climber passed us, free-soloing. Hearing that I was a newbie leader he gave me some words of encouragement and scrambled on, up the face above me. My partner and I swapped leads again on the last 2 pitches which were short and fairly easy.

 

As we stopped on top to enjoy the view and grab a sip of water, we realized that it was our first route together where we had been able to swap leads back and forth! This was a huge accomplishment for me, no matter how easy the climbing was.

 

I couldn't think of a better location than Yosemite for my first multi-pitch lead. The next couple of days were quite wet, so we only got a little cragging in. But all in all it was a great trip. I was so amazed by the huge scale of everything there... rocks, waterfalls, all of it! I can't wait to return and try some more difficult routes.

 

[Alpinfox]

 

Nice TR smiley! Thanks for sharing and welcome to cc.com.

 

[eric8]

Nice tr man,

[chelle]

Awesome TR. Thanks for sharing. That first view of the granite in the valley still gets me even though I have seen it dozens of times. The first time I saw it with snow a couple Dec ago I cried because it was so beautiful.

 

After 6 is a great climb. Next time try swinging leads on Munginella (a fun 2 pitch 5.6) and Commitment (only a couple moves of 5.9 on the 3rd pitch, but good pro at that point). Both are on the Open Books above the trail to the base of Yosemite falls. Out in the Church Bowl there are some other really fun cragging pitches.

 

I miss Yosemite.

[redneck_rocker]

Ha ha, the first time I went to the vally I though I had an arrhythmia when I got the first glimpse coming out of the tunnels. My buddy nearly caused a car accident when he slammed on the brakes and pulled off the road to look at everything.

[sketchfest]

Thanks for sharing and welcome!

[thelawgoddess]

right on, smiley! nice work on your first multi-pitch lead and in the valley no less. what an incredible place - ditto for me on that first view of the cap. every time seems like the first time all over again ...

[Szyjakowski]

way to go! ahhhh, what a place that yosemite is......

[Off_White]

Did you come in on Hwy 41 from Fresno? That's the one that winds along a boring hillside until you go through the Wawona Tunnel and right on the other side it's like running smackdab into the middle of an Ansel Adams photo, zero to sixty instantaneously.

[ScottP]

After Six was my first route in the Valley also. I remember it fondly.

A good route to start on, for sure.

[Winter]

ah getting passed by free soloers on after six. seems like it was only last year when that happened. oh yeah ... it was. i still suck!

 

nice tr. yos rocks. the gf broke into tears when she saw it as well. now that everyone's been nice to you round these parts they'll prolly beat you like a rented mule next time you post. beware!