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pirateclimber
Jul 7, 2003, 9:10 PM
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Registered: Jan 17, 2002
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So, with the Yosemite Gathering come and gone I just wondered who made it up and how it all went? Maybe a little trip report from anyone who made it up to torment our MIA organizer, PBCowboy77 who’s stuck in some hole back east, or anyone else that couldn’t make it!
As for me, Peace_Beans and I left Southern Cali at 4am on the 3rd, stopping at Jacks in Bishop for a chicken fried steak “power breakfast” before finishing the drive over Tioga into Tuolumne. We were meeting with ArtM, Jorgle, and KohoClimber who had been in the Yose Valley since the Friday before. This was Peace_Beans first trip to the “motherland” so with no inkling of where our friends were I gave her the tour including a hike around the meadow and a stop at Tenaya Lake to scope routes on Stately Pleasure Dome for the next day. As it turned out, a group of climbers we were watching on the second pitch of Hermaphrodite Flake were our friends, unbeknownst to us at the time. Later that evening we rendezvoused at our site that we had been hooked up with by one really cool ranger and made our way to Group B to say “Hi” to WaterSprite and the few other RC.com’ers that had made it in.
Friday the 4th, we headed to Polly Dome and for my now traditional warm up on Hot Crossed Buns. Peace_Beans did her first mock lead as well. Jorgle led an unknown 3 bolt climb just to the right of Hot Crossed Buns that we agreed was a 5.8 R. The plan then, was to climb the Guides Route on Pywiak Dome, but there were at least three other groups on route taking quite a bit of time. We instead retreated and had lunch on the Tuolumne River at the base of Lembert Dome. At around 4pm we walked to the base of Northwest Books on Lembert Dome for and evening climb. One party on route and another in line we hung out in the shade waiting our turn, getting on route a little after 5pm. ArtM and KohoClimber climbed as a pair while Jorgle and I swung leads and simul-belayed Peace_Beans as a third. We all topped out just before Sunset and scrambled to the top of the domes jagged edge to watch the sunset over the meadow 1,000’ below. Headlamps lit our descent on the hikers trail, a great end to the day.
Saturday the 5th, last day. ArtM took Peace_Beans on a tour of the Valley while Jorgle, KohoClimber, and I hiked back into Cathedral Lake. On the way out we ran into some “younger” climbers camped between the Cathedral Lakes that were heading off to climb the 5.6 routes of Cathedral Peak. I quickly explained to them that they were on the WRONG side of the mountain, but they seemed certain that there was an approach if they only looped around the ridge. I am curious how their epic turned out? Back at the Tuolumne Grill indulging in double cheeseburgers, we ran into Watersprite and some of her group. We chatted and heard a “report” of some other RC.com’ers having and “interesting” climb on Pywiak’s Dike (I’d love to read a report from you all).
So that’s about it. Back to camp that evening to drink, drink a little more, play wiffle ball, and enjoy the last night in Yose. Schat’s in Bishop for brunch on Sunday and back home by 3pm.
Oh, on a special note, my birthday was the week before… thanks guys for the #11 hex!
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watersprite
Jul 7, 2003, 9:18 PM
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Registered: Jan 21, 2003
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hi, Dave!
that was a great weekend!! It was nice to see you guys. We took off for the hot springs Sat. night... Had I known you had liquor...
Someone saw Steve Schneider at the store, and Ron Kauk was at the Lodge. That's it for famous "names". I was too busy scoping out the hottie from the Grill in the tye-dye shirt.
I don't have too much to report - just did some toproping on Low Profile Dome. Finally got to go up to 180 ft. - yesterday on Stately Pleasure Dome. I can't wait to go back.
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artm
Jul 7, 2003, 9:48 PM
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Registered: Jun 22, 2001
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Well we're home and after nine days on the road it feels weird to...
sleep in a bed without my thermarest
get a cold beer out of the fridge
sit in front of a computer
sit in a car without staring at the back of Jorge's (jorgle) head
watch TV
walk around without a harness
go to work
not listen to Kirk (kohoclimber) fart every hour and ask "are you guys hungry?"
not reek like roadkill
take a shower whenever I want
drop my keys
type this post
drink ice cold water
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jorgle
Jul 7, 2003, 10:02 PM
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Registered: Aug 19, 2002
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In reply to: Well we're home and after nine days on the road it feels weird to...
Not have to put on bug spray at the camp site.....
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texansherpa
Jul 7, 2003, 11:27 PM
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Registered: Jan 3, 2001
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hey guys im headed up there in 8 days, i boulder around v4 and i climb around 11, any suggestions on where to go?
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watersprite
Jul 7, 2003, 11:52 PM
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Registered: Jan 21, 2003
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you can't go wrong anywhere in Tuolumne. If you want to boulder, try the Knobs, or go 1/2 mile past the Lodge to Puppy Dome.
check the sports shop next to the gas station for info on routes and you can put up a notice for partners at the store. Note: if you want a burger, the grill closes at 6.
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pirateclimber
Jul 8, 2003, 12:57 AM
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Registered: Jan 17, 2002
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In reply to: hey guys im headed up there in 8 days, i boulder around v4 and i climb around 11, any suggestions on where to go?
I swear by SuperTopo.com if you want a good sampling of stellar climbs in the area. My one piece of advice is not to underestimate the R and X ratings, especially in Tuolumne, nor the grades in general. They are for the most part exactly what they say they are (By Yosemite standards!).
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peace_beans
Jul 8, 2003, 3:55 AM
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Registered: Jan 23, 2003
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Nice to meet you watersprite, howdidshedothat, and others at group camp B (sorry, I'm really bad with names). That was a great weekend and I'm still in awe with Yose; I'll definitely go back.
A warning regarding jorgle's spaghetti.....it hurts going in and hurts going out! It was so spicy that we were sweating when we ate it and I'll leave it up to your imagination as to how much it burned going out.
And don't ever walk behind Kohoclimber cuz he's got the foulest-smelling fart! I was standing about 20feet away and I could still smell it. Maybe that's why I was nauseous the whole weekend.
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moabbeth
Jul 8, 2003, 4:24 AM
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Registered: Oct 22, 2002
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I rolled into Camp 4 around 4am on the fifth (got off work here in LA at 11pm). Kicked it in the meadow Saturday since my man just got off the wall, then yesterday my boyfriend and I and some other pals went up the east ledge to the top of El Capitan and did the PORCH SWING!!
Holy crap, that is a rush of adrenaline that cannot be equalled, just rapping down that knotless line 30 ft off the top near the Nose - 3,000 ft off the deck - then watching it go through the grigri and WOOSH you're off on a 200 ft penji!! It was unbeliveable. I have never felt so gripped, amazed, excited and terrified all at once. I could hardly return hi-fives after I jugged back up I was so blown away. Then again it was also the first time I'd even jugged a line in space like that...and the second time I'd ever jugged outside of the climb up there. What a place for a first lesson!! It wasn't pretty...the jugging up there I think took more mentally out of me than the swing itself, looking up 40 ft to the top while looking down almost 3,000 feet below, with the wall about 15 feet away from where I was hanging). Not to mention my technique wasn't the best and I was tuckering myself out. But alas, that skill is gonna be worked on hard this summer and I want back up on the swing again soon!! Ammon - you are the MAN - the Porch Swing is a thing of genius!!!
Finished at the swing around 7:30 last night and we got down the trail as quick as possible since daylight was waning and we were out of ciggies and low on beer down at camp. Made it through the raps before it got totally dark and used the headlamps the rest of the way. Got back to the car and made it to the store at Yos Village at 9:57pm (it closed at 10pm) and got our beer and ciggies and happily went back to Camp 4 to chill and decompress from it all. Got up this AM and left Camp 4 around 8:45 this morning and was back here at work in LA at 2:30 this afternoon.
Hey watersprite, Steve Schneider was up on the Captain a week ago Saturday when I was camping with buds at the base of Mescalito, I think he was soloing it (PO Wall I think something around there). I'm sure he made it back down and over to Tuolmne pretty quick at the rate he was going.
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