Day 1
Location: Low Profile Dome & Puppy Dome
Routes: Golfer's Route, 7, onsight (TR)
Darth Varders Revenge, 10a, onsight (TR)
Orange Face (?), 10c, flash (TR)
Memo from Lloyd, 11a/b, flash (TR)
Some bouldering including Bachar Mantle, V3
Day 2
Tenaya Peak
Dan K. attempted a "free ariel" on the Bachar Ladder
Dan and Evan being dumb on a slippery rock in the middle of river.At least Evan is on YOSAR, he could rescue himself.
Great Granite Bouldering
Tenaya Summit
I was very tired and dehydrated on the descent.Remember, the summit is only the halfway mark.
Notes: Alex and I joined Dan and Evan for two days in Tuolumne Meadows. I love the high Sierras, a great adult outdoor playground. Two drawbacks, mosquitoes and egos (at least there is bug spray for the mosquitoes). By egos, I mean the people that developed the area decided to make most routes scary. It is just plain stupid to bolt routes that can hurt people. I guess it would ruin the aesthetics to have one more piece of metal in the rock or I'm not really a climber because I don't want to cheese grater for 20+ft. Whatever. I'll enjoy my day by being a Toprope Tough Guy.
While I'm ranting, trad climbers are weak. A crew of us got on "Memo from Lloyd", 11a/b. The two sport climbers, Dan and I, flashed it easily. I jammed my way up it, and Dan pinch/liebacked it. Either way, we sent. The "trad" climbers were strugglin'. If you want to get good at trad, clip some (closely spaced) bolts for a couple of months. Your proj will be easy. Don't just take my advice, ask Ethan Pringle, Sonnie Trotter, or Matt Segal.
We finished the day with some "bouldering." I flashed "Machine World" V3, "Puppy Crack" 5.7, and bunch of other problems (I don't know the names). The highlight was Bachar Mantle, 3rd try. It is a jump start to mantle over talus, then 20+ft of slab. I was glad to have pads, spotters, and Alex yelling, "You have strong legs". I may not be the strongest monkey in the jungle, but I feel like my strength, technique, and mental game are well balanced.
The next day Alex and I climbed Tenaya Peak. It was my second time, but Alex's first. Alex stepped up her game by leading the bottom 2/3s. I simo-climbed behind her. We pitched out the end. Fun day but the heat and mosquitoes sucked. Any form of alpinism is suffering.
