Re: Yosemite Rock Climbing Class

I'm sitting around this week here in SF, and I can't stand it. Thinking of driving out to Yosemite this week and taking the one day rock climbing class. Anyone have any opinions on the courses there? Was on the south face of half dome heading to the diving board last week, and a few of the spots seemed a little sketchy. Chick-On was with me, but hell, he's got wings. I thought it might not be a bad idea if I've got some time on my hands to get some professional recommendations on my climbing (plan on trying mt russell again this year).

Was also thinking about trying the Dana Couloir, but probably can't get there right now. Is the Dana Couloir similar in grade to Avy Gulch on Shasta?

Thanks

I'm thinking that a rock climbing class would offer different skills than those required to do "mountaineering" climbs such as couloirs. Ice axe and crampon skills would be most useful there but any class in climbing would be fun.

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Old Dude

Sorry for the confusion. The rock climbing class has nothing to do with Dana Couloir. I've already climbed Shasta and the mountaineers route on whitney with snow. I was merely thinking of mt dana in addition to taking the rock climbing class, but don't know how far caltran has plowed 120 on the lee vining side.

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from_mars
but don't know how far caltran has plowed 120 on the lee vining side.

They've plowed it to the pass. But the lower gate is still closed and not expect to be opened before Memorial Day weekend.

Went ahead and signed up for their one day beginning class on thursday. What the heck.

Thought I'd do some backpacking while I'm there. Does anyone know if it's possible to get to Tamarack Flat (maybe head over to el cap.) via 120?

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from_mars
Does anyone know if it's possible to get to Tamarack Flat

Not by car.

You can hike the roads even thought they are not open to traffic. Tamarack Flat from Crane Flat to Half Dome El Cap over to Yosemite Falls to the Valley would be a nice trip. Getting the loop closed might be an issue. You would need a wilderness permit also.

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Old Dude



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/18/2010 05:54PM by mrcondron.

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mrcondron
Crane Flat to Half Dome over to Yosemite Falls to the Valley would be a nice trip.

Be quite a weird route too.

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mrcondron
Half Dome over to Yosemite Falls

Besides the great circle route, how would this be accomplished?

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The cure for a fallacious argument is a better argument, not the suppression of ideas.
-- Carl Sagan

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Frank Furter

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mrcondron
Half Dome over to Yosemite Falls

Besides the great circle route, how would this be accomplished?

What's wrong with the bridge?

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eeek

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Frank Furter

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mrcondron
Half Dome over to Yosemite Falls

Besides the great circle route, how would this be accomplished?

What's wrong with the bridge?

Perhaps that trail to El Cap could be used.

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The cure for a fallacious argument is a better argument, not the suppression of ideas.
-- Carl Sagan

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Frank Furter
Perhaps that trail to El Cap could be used.

And bypass Half Dome?

Boy, you guys jumped this like flies on.....

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Old Dude

Is this going to supplant the great "Trail to El Cap" thread?

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Old Dude

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mrcondron
Is this going to supplant the great "Trail to El Cap" thread?

Yes, it will. And you should bee happy about that.

Whut?

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Old Dude

Took the beginning rock climbing class on thursday. With a guy named Jeff. Good instructor. Did alot of belaying and self-repelling over at a spot called Swan's Slab? Learned alot, though I probably won't be self-repelling anytime soon. I did learn that my shoes can grip a lot more than I thought with the right posture and sense of commitment to each step. Though I probably won't be doing the wall of El Cap. anytime soon, a little more confidence on rock is helpful considering I like the sierras so much, and sooner or later there's going to be some challenging sections between me and my destination.

The next day instead of driving home I decided to try and find the short-cut to the diving board through the Broderick-Liberty Cap pass. The one that bill used a couple of weeks ago to get to the diving board. There was at one point 2-3 steps (probably one step for bill) I had to take across what I thought was some pretty exposed granite over the drop into the drainage of whatever creek runs through there. Still a little scary, but I felt a little better considering how steep the granite we climbed the day before was, though in all fairness, for that we were all roped up. In the gap, no one would hear me except the squirrels who were eyeing my trail mix earlier.

Nice area. Alot of boulder scrambling. Seemed pretty untouched except for the occasional duck. There's even a duck in a tree. Never seen a duck in a tree. They don't really have the feet for it, though neither do chickens. Tried to stay on the dead stuff and rocks to keep from trampling the green shoots that seemed to be growing everywhere. Didn't seem like much of a short cut though. Probably shorter than hiking up to john muir trail and cutting across to lost lake, but it's slower going because of the boulders.

Now that the east gate on 120 is open, might try the dana couloir.

Hey Roland,
Good info on the class. You got me interested b/c of the self belay thing-a-ding-dong.
Da Bat dung-a-doo... I went thata way just to see it again cause I didn't take a picture
the first time. It's the spot where the PVC pipes were. Very close to the real trail.
Maybe 3 little climbs in at the base.

Looks like poo... tastes like poo.... good ting I not step in it.



Ok ok... you gotta know it's bat guano... cause it just looks like dirt now.
Where those little buggers? Need to look later in the year again I guess.
It was a floppin zoo from Nevada down Sat.

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I don't recall any PVC pipes, though that spot in the picture does look vaguely familiar. Maybe I was too busy looking ahead for the trail and just didn't see it. How about the tree duck. Did you see that?

Saw the pipes the first time thru 2 weeks ago.. I just thought some yahoo threw some junk.
It just looks like dirt. You gotta know it's poo... or maybe it looks like poo later in the year.
Yeah, I saw the tree ducks last time (I went to the poo this time).. thought it was pretty funny.
Definitely useful for coming down so you know when to climb up and quit going down
the gully. Going up... not needed.

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from_mars
Took the beginning rock climbing class on thursday ...

Hi from_mars,

How long was this rock climbing class?
How many people were in a class?
How much did it cost?

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Yury

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from_mars
Took the beginning rock climbing class on thursday ...

Hi from_mars,

How long was this rock climbing class?
How many people were in a class?
How much did it cost?

mars can add more but here's the link:
(it sorta answers question 2 and 3... )
(I had the same questions)

http://www.yosemitepark.com/Activities_Rockclimbing_ClimbingLessons.aspx

Though they told us to be at the mountaineering school in curry village at 8:30, by the time we got to Swan's Slab over near Camp 4, it was 10. We were done by 4:30. There were 4 of us, but I think they'll go up as high as 6 students. The cost was $118. They supply the harness, helmet and rope. You need to rent the rock climbing shoes. They don't give you a lift over to the climbing site once you sign in at the school, so you either have to take your car or take the yosemite shuttle. The 4 of us took the yosemite shuttle. I suspect the intensity of a beginner's class varies wildly depending on who is taking it. In our case, two young guys just finishing undergrad studies, and two older guys, myself and a doctor. If you had others who truly have never climbed anything, than Jeff would probably have lowered the expectations I think, but I don't teach climbing, so I can't say. Mostly, he had us free-climb a steep section of rock (40-60 ft) while roped into a belayer (everyone takes turns belaying), and than there's another rope that you clip into at the top, and you rappel back down. We climbed 3 different routes. Afterwards, the 4 of us polished off a 12 pack over at the village in a matter of minutes. This was not part of the class however.

Hope this helps.