UKC

Hi all,

I'll be in a campervan in Yosemite on my own from 7th to 11th of March and wondered if anyone has any suggestions on what to do and see? I won't have ropes and climbing kit. Looking for sightseeing, non serious walking (trainers) and bouldering suggestions. Any must do boulders suggestions between v5 and v9 would be appreciated.

I've not been before and want to pin it on to the end of a ski trip.

Thanks!

In reply to A Longleat Boulderer:

Walk up to Yosemite falls, and look down on Lost Arrow.
Walk up to Vernal Falls.
In fact any walk from the Valley to the rim will be worthwhile.
Walk up Half Dome. A very long day but its a spectacular summit.

In reply to A Longleat Boulderer:

Midnight Lightening!

In reply to A Longleat Boulderer:

I don't know what the snow will be like in March, but if it's not too deep, walking sections of the John Muir Trail takes you through stunning scenery and waterfalls.

Ask in the Rangers Office - they will advise you on conditions and hand out suggested one day walks.

In reply to A Longleat Boulderer:

'Four mile trail' from roadside up to Glacier Point is a great walk. Gradually reveals grander views as you ascend, of El Cap and the Sentinal, then reveals Half Dome towards the end, and the grand whole valley once you're at the top. You can drive up to Glacier Point, but it's just more satisfying to walk it I reckon. They used to run buses from the top back to the village, but when I was there in July they had stopped. There is a cafe and shop and other facilities at the top, and you can't beat the views from up there.

Also did a shorter walk from Curry Village to a waterfall (can't remember the name of it), which is also very picturesque. You can continue on to another bigger waterfall but I didn't do that.

Then you've got the classic lay by at Tunnel View, with a great view down the valley.

You can pull up and walk to the base of El Capitan.

Tuolemne Meadows are nice as well.

It's basically a massive rock lover's playground - enjoy

In reply to all:
Wow! Thank you all very much for the info. Lots to digest. Can always rely on UKC. Potentially worth taking some studier shoes for better walking.

As far as bouldering goes, of course! Midnight Lightening! Didn't think of that. Will defo have a crack. Though not sure about the mantle without pads or spotters! May have to check my travel insurance!!

EDIT: oh and if anyone is there when I am there... let me know!

In reply to A Longleat Boulderer:

If you don't have gear or a partner.. hire a guide from Yosemite Mountain School and do Snake Dyke on the side of Half Dome - great day out

In reply to Abu777:


>

It's possible to scramble up the first 5m or so of The Nose.

Looks impressive on your profile -

2016 Solo Attempt on The Nose, El Cap

On a more serious note beware of falling rock as you approach - El Cap overhangs the base by a lot......

In reply to A Longleat Boulderer:




Try this
youtube.com/watch?v=IOY40pWbqnA&

In reply to Trangia:



The top doesn't overhang the base - the lower half is slabby and the upper half vertical - certainly around the Nose. Any falling rocks will still come all the way though!


Chris

In reply to Jim C:

Do they make a bigger one? That mantle looks pretty serious. Maybe i should just camp in style with a few airbeds and then strap them to my arse ready for when the inevitable fall comes.

In reply to Trangia:





Will definitely do this! Though I'm worried this will blow my onsight solo in the future. I guess there's always Dawn Wall...

In reply to A Longleat Boulderer:

Bacher Cracker is only V4 so good for warming up on...

In reply to 1poundSOCKS:

Was just pondering that as I went for my afternoon nip out of the office. Came to the conclusion that I'd have to do pullups in my campervan!!

Bacher Cracker? Nice. Where is it relative to ML?

In reply to A Longleat Boulderer:
Kill who? If you want advice we need a name!.......

I think in March that the road to the Meadows will still be closed? Similarly there will likely be snow on the John Muir Trail, and the cables on Half Dome will be 'down'.

It's all pretty amazing though, even if you are constrained to the valley it's a feast for the eyes.

If it's open go to the Redwood grove at Mariposa, Glacier point by car.

There's loads of videos of Midnight Lightning, it is iconic and has a potentially wobbly top out. There's loads of bouldering around Camp 4, but I'm not familiar with it.

Have fun - it may well draw you back.

Steve

In reply to SteveSBlake:


Dunno exactly what the season is, but heading to Yosemite in October 1997 with my brother (who was then living in San Francisco) just too late for the Half Dome cables, we had a cracking walk along the opposite rim of the Valley from North Dome to at least Yosemite Point. Can't remember all the finer points, but my photos tell me we passed Mirror Lake, went up the Snow Creek Trail and down the Falls Trail... total from memory was about 20 miles, and done in soft fabric boots.

In reply to Abu777:

In March the south side of the valley will be in snow and ice, and the north side generally clear if the weather has been good. Plenty of walks and bouldering on north side, tho' north side trails can have exposed ice and snow patches.
Check NPS Yosemite for winter driving as chains are mandatory if there is snow, even for 4x4 with snow tyres. Half Dome and Tuolumne are inaccessible except on skis.

In reply to A Longleat Boulderer:

Have you booked? The campsites require bookings, you'll be lucky to find a spot otherwise.

In reply to supafly:

Treat yourself and stay at Wawona

In reply to supafly:

Camp should have space at this time of year I would have thought

In reply to mrplastique:


+1

In reply to petestack:

My third visit to the valley was in late May. My wife and I hiked up to the base of HD, snow everywhere past Vernal Falls,
and Liberty Cap. We turned around at the sub dome.

The point made by Iain below is a good one.

Steve

In reply to galpinos:


I had a play on that last summer, you most definately want a pad and preferably a spotter as though the landing is pretty flat I recollect it had a slab of granite underneath. That can be my excuse why I didn't get very far... There are loads of other low boulders around and people were quite happy letting me use their pads when I was there - except on ML which was deserted.

In reply to A Longleat Boulderer:


Head from ML towards the Yosemite Falls trail, then after about 50m or so you break off right and it's not far away. Although my memory and sense of direction are equally bad. It's well known anyway, so anybody with a pad might be worth asking.

In reply to Chris Craggs:
Sorry Chris, much respect but I'm not so sure. The slabs make the top look less steep than it is

I dropped a belay plate high on the nose and it was definitely heading for the trees. Plus all the hauling is in the air from the great roof onwards

Dropped something else on the SE face and it landed 40ft+ out too!

Op- March is really early, I'd say long backcountry walks are out. Valley will be beautiful for bouldering though!

In reply to mrplastique:
A great suggestion. I was on my own there last year and did hire a guide for a day. It was the most fantastic days climbing ever on Manure Pile Buttress. Did nearly 1500' of climbing on pure warm granite - slabs, grooves and cracks abounded. OK I was being led but the pure joy of the movement was so rewarding. After the climbing we went to El Cap bridge to have a history lesson and watch the climbers! The guide saw one of his mates up on the wall and phoned him to find out how he was doing!

In reply to A Longleat Boulderer:


youtube.com/watch?v=QHr_p6TGWDI&

In reply to A Longleat Boulderer:

If you climb down, your OS is still up for grabs...

In reply to ashtond6:


Was this something else a piss bottle per chance?! Just read your blog. Excellent stuff. Though not sure I could handle that much overhang for that many days.

In reply to all:

Thanks again peeps. Everything you have said has been noted. I'll bring this thread up when I'm in my camper. Assuming there is phone signal in the valley?

In reply to Trangia:




Haha - I did this! Got some great selfies of my onsight solo attempt of El Cap. Backed off after 20ft or so.

Re mobile signal - I got good 3G signal in Yosemite Village, but elsewhere it was very intermittent / non-existant.

In reply to A Longleat Boulderer:

Hahaha that's it, I didn't wanna publicise that
Amazing noise as it hit the floor to be honest!

Yeah I was surprised, exposure didn't bother me at all then totally hit me like 2 pitches from the top, which wasn't the steepest or most exposed. Strange

A walk below the south East face is amazing. That blank overhanging wall coming straight out of the floor is mental

In reply to ashtond6:


I'd love to know how badly it came off. Presumably no chance of finding it?!?!


I get worried on pitch two of anything at Swanage Boulder Ruckle! I think El Cap may scare me to death. Love to try one day though.


Noted, will give it a look!

In reply to A Longleat Boulderer:
Hahaha no chance, the piss explosion was huge. 45L of the stuff!

Ps. El cap exposure isn't too bad until a fair way up. And by then it's easier to go up than down

In reply to Trangia:


On my solo attempt in the late autumn (1982 or thereabouts), there were crashes in the trees behind me.
I looked round - nothing, no bears, no people. WTF?
I looked up.
Far, far above, ice was falling off the headwalls and smashing into the top of the slabs, 1500 ft above me. It was then flying out into the trees. I abandoned the attempt and left the area.

In reply to David Coley:

You need a bit of luck with conditions to climb Snake Dike in March:

https://www.mountainproject.com/scripts/ShowObjectStats.php?id=105836362

In reply to A Longleat Boulderer:

I'm not sure where you're planning to stay when you are there but if you are planning to just pull up and sleep in your van the Rangers will make it very difficult for you, it is illegal in the valley. I was in Yosemite for six weeks a few years back and didn't manage 1 night in our RV in the valley. I believe there is a campsite that allows campervans and of course there are other accommodation options. It's best to be prepared because the valley can seem very stressful when you turn up and get overwhelmed by the rules.

If you already knew this, just ignore the above.

Midnight Lightning is amazing, King Cobra and Backer Cracker are also good, there's tonnes more!

Have fun!

In reply to A Longleat Boulderer:

You may not be able to drive many places at all in March (and certainly not over the top of the Sierra) due to snow.

In reply to A Longleat Boulderer:

Use the Advanced Search on Mountain Project to dial in the boulder problems you are looking for. Here's a quick hit list of V4-V9 problems with >2 stars: https://goo.gl/WvRYkq

In terms of sights, unfortunately Mariposa Grove is mostly closed until 2017, but you should definitely check out one of the other giant sequoias groves on your way into or out of the park (http://goo.gl/z65KuQ). Those trees are insane.

If you bring your harness+helmet+shoes you can definitely rope up with someone. Simply go to the message board at the Camp 4 kiosk and take your pick of people looking for partners - or post a note yourself. You can also just meet boulderers that way - preferably boulderers with crash pads.

Depending on temps, the resident black bears can be active in March and I've definitely witnessed them in late winter pealing off car doors to get at a bag of chips ("crisps") left inside. So be aware of what you leave in the camper if you stay in the valley overnight.

In terms of sleeping spots, Camp 4 is a great place to camp and meet people from all over the planet. If you want to sleep in your camper, however, there are lots of unofficial camping spots just a quick drive down the road toward El Portal (there's a kayaker spot just past the town of El Portal that is super cool, kayakers always seem to be in an awesome mood). You can try staying in your camper parked among all the El Cap cars, you just have to keep the lights off, close the curtains, don't make a sound, and never give up that you're actually inside (no matter how much the rangers bang on the door and shout "we know you're in there"). I'd go with the Camp 4 option, it's the most fun.

And no matter how tempting, avoid the food at Curry Village. Grrr, the "curry hurries"... not fun.

Have a blast.
Erik

In reply to Abu777:
Judging by the polish, I suspect lots of us have done this!

Maybe we should form an EL Cap Solo Back Off Club?

PS My excuse is that I didn't have my rock shoes with me and felt that several thousand feet in trainers wasn't really on........

Also the infrequent rocks and pebbles coming down and crashing into the trees behind me was quite unnerving!

In reply to Offwidth:



Yep, but possible, the data at that URL shows lots of people logging an ascent in last March last year. Some other years zero.

Got to be worth doing it if the weather allows - one of the best climbs in the world.

In reply to highcamp:

"You can try staying in your camper parked among all the El Cap cars, you just have to keep the lights off, close the curtains, don't make a sound, and never give up that you're actually inside (no matter how much the rangers bang on the door and shout "we know you're in there"). "

This is really dumb advice... these are men with guns pretty tired of such antics who will likely fine you.

https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2014-title36-vol1/xml/CFR-2014-title36-vo...

In reply to Offwidth:

Offwidth, you're right, it is bad advice, simply because it is illegal. My apologies to all. I just wanted to lay out all the options - and people bivying in cars along El Cap meadow is a common option. Is it illegal, yes - so is bivying at the base of El Cap or any wall before a route, so is staying in the valley more than 7 days (cumulative) between June and September. Climbers do all of these things regularly - which no, doesn't make it right.

In terms of guns, yes our law enforcement has and deserves a bad rap for excessive violence, but park rangers are not going to brandish their weapon in trying to get you out of a parked car. Especially if you they don't know you are in there. Offwidth, have you ever been there when the rangers do a shakedown of all the cars? Because I have, both from inside the car, and while standing outside packing the pig. They simply walk the line of cars, tap on windows and doors of ones that could have people in them (vans, trucks, etc), yell a bit to see if they get a reaction, then move on to the next car and try again, then they leave. Anyway, Campervan traveler, don't do anything illegal. But have a blast - Yosemite is a incredible.

In reply to highcamp:

Other than the 7 day limit its not that common that climbers do these things; most use the designated campsites, get permits or sleep on the wall. I've worked alongside the rangers at Facelift and a lot of hard work has gone on in the last decade to rebuild relationships with the climbing community and public encouragement to break the law on a climbing site really doesn't help. Another issue is the bears... drawn curtains potentially hiding food in the open that they can smell is a real issue. Yes, I've seen shakedowns and people arrested; the rangers are not evil enforcers but they have a job to do and have to follow the rules (even if to climbers some rules seem daft).

In reply to Trangia:



I wasn't soloing, and I even cheated the first move by standing on (someone else's) pig.
But I still fell off. Not an auspicious start.

In reply to A Longleat Boulderer:
To update... thanks all for the suggestions!

I arrived last monday eve at 5:30pm in the mist as darkness fell and caught a beautiful teaser glimpse of Salathe headwall... awe inspiring and mysterious. Valley was empty, very few people or cars.

On Tuesday morn the weather clearer and was beautiful revealing the whole valley and El Cap in all it's glory so I popped up Yosemite falls, amazing place! A few parties walking around but not many.

Wednesday was spent in the valley. I had a play on Midnight Lightning and walked in to the base of El Cap. Did as Trangia suggested and scrambled up the first part of the nose. Nobody on the route and nobody at the base so I sat and read my book on the last ledge big enough before the climbing got to the stage where I wasn't prepared to downclimb without a rope. Amazing!

Thursday I decided I needed to have a good crack at Midnight Lightning and happened to have met a few Yosemite locals so joined up with them and had a good go. Managed to get to the crux but not through it and was well and truly out of skin after a few days of pottering. RIP fingers. A great problem and will be sure to do it next time!

Friday I headed back to SF in the pouring rain.

Incredibly place and sad I didn't get to do more trails. Next time!

Amusingly one of the guys I climbed with was a Yosemite paramedic who said one of the most common injuries in Yosemite is tourists passing out from looking up at the cliffs! Just not used to craning their necks and drop over out cold!

Thanks all for the recommendations. A great few days!

In reply to A Longleat Boulderer:

If you want a guide, book well in advance. is my experience.