Yosemite: The Grack and Running El Capitan

View of the valley and Half Dome from Eagle Peak

Kimber and I got invited to go to Yosemite for the weekend with four of her girlfriends. We headed out Friday evening around 5:30pm and didn't get to the Upper Pines Campground until around 10pm. It was great just hanging out around the fire with friends.

Moriah, Audrey, Leslea, Nate, Kimber (L to R)

Saturday morning I got up and was on the Yosemite Falls Trailhead by 7:50am. I would have got up earlier but didn't end up going to bed until around 1am. The first 3.2miles were straight up, consisting of slippery rock steps and loose sand. Once I was on the rim the climb became more gradual and I took a little off chute trail to summit out on Eagle Peak (7779ft) which provided some awesome views of the valley.

Area surrounding Yosemite Falls trail. 

Yosemite Falls trail.

I trucked on another 2 miles and eventually made it to the top of El Capitan (7569ft). The summit didn't have a sheer ledge as I had hoped and sloped down through some gnar before getting to the edge. I opted not to swack down as I was short on time. My run out was uneventful and I felt great except I rolled my ankle while running along the road at the bottom right in front of a car. No injury but why is it always right in front of people?

El Capitan from the Valley. 

Stats:
Totals Distance: approx. 18 miles
Total Elevation Gain: approx. 4900ft
Total Time: approx. 4hrs 50min

Later that evening after a nice nap on our huge air mattress with Kimber (when we car camp we go all out) we hiked up and climbed a famous route called "The Grack". Luckily there wasn't much of a line and we were able to get on it right away. It is supposed to be done in 3 pitches but we sort of did it in two. I lead the first pitch up some really easy low 5th class and belayed Kimber up, maxing out our 70m rope. The second pitch consisted of a thin hands to fingers low angle crack the petered out at the top. I tried to pitch it out to the top but we ran short by about 15ft and was forced to climb across a slabby face to a left facing 4th class ledge where I belayed Kimber up a few pieces on a half hip/half crappy nut. I finished it out and hooked into the chains to finish belaying Kimber. She did great, except her shoes were really tight, having not brought he looser fitting ones that she uses for multipitch. We both and fun and the setting was fabulous!

Me leading the 2nd pitch of "The Grack". 

Kimber following 2nd pitch. 

Kimber wondering why she hasn't been wearing stretchy pants to climb since the beginning. 

Sunday morning we almost got onto another famous climb, Bishop's Terrace at the Chruch Bowl, but it took longer to find and we didn't have time to wait in line. Maybe next time. We had a nice drive back and stopped in Walnut Creek so Kimber could do a family holiday photo shoot. Then we rushed home to show an apartment in an open house. Busy. Kimber brought home some kind of a stomach bug which had her over the toilet all night and Tuesday morning it hit me. Not fun.

Upper Pines campground. 

Liz and Kimber at the base of "Bishop's Terrace", before we bailed.