Drowning in a Sea of Granite.

My annual Yosemite trip is complete, my fingers are trashed, my body is weak, and my pride has been humbled. I think I spent too much time in the desert to be properly prepared for the idiosyncrasies of granite climbing, but we all got problems...

We left for our trip on Sunday morning. Post Speedgoat 50k shenanigans almost left me in the hospital due to dehydration but a rally on Saturday night had us ready to go by Sunday. We camped outside the park that night and entered on Monday with warm weather and roaring waterfalls (an anomaly this time of year).

A nice summer storm turned on all the faucets.

Monday we spent introducing Mark to the park. Here he is leading up Jamcrack (5.9), one of my personal favorites as far as access and aesthetics go. 

Since the falls were running  we went over and went up Super Hands (5.8).

Me leading

More of the same

Dancing in a sea of granite.

Mark gives it a go as the tourons look on.

Chesy climbing

Mark pulling through on Conductor Crack (5.10d)

Sewing up Chruch Bowl Tree (5.10a/b)

Mark heads up the 1st pitch of Center Pillar of Frenzy...we both thought this was a serious 5.9.

El Cap from the base of Middle Cathedral

Mark cruising up the first pitch of After Seven (5.8). We rapped from the tree at the top of the 1st pitch and went over and played around on Nutcracker. 

Chesy on the alt start to Nutcracker (5.9) the only pitch we did. This was my lead I lost my footing several times at the crux, luckily a nice ledge arrested my fall every time.

Looking up at the 3rd pitch and 3rd roof of Commitment (5.9).

Mark pulling through...I thought the second roof (at the end of the 2nd pitch) was way scarier, less protection/ more ledges to hit. 

Essential Half Dome pic

Essential Travis and Chesy pic

Mark leading Grant's Crack (5.9)

Me leading Stone Groove (5.10b)

One more of the same

Chesy coming up Lunatic Fringe (5.10c)

Pulling through on great fingers.

One more of the sequence.

Mark follows my trail of blood on Moby Dick (5.10a)

Chesy does the same

Two idiots rounding out the trip on Pine Line (5.7)