Yosemite National Park, is touted as one of the most spectacular places for climbers. The impressive granite rock formations, towering over the valley and meadows... just dare and beckon all the world's climbers to come and test their skills and push their limits here.
My boyfriend and I, along with a group of friends, flew out for the long holiday weekend. With 3 days in Yosemite, we planned to take the first day to acclimate ourselves to climbing in a new area on something easy. Day 2, we would get an alpine start for Snake Dike (5.7) on Half Dome. Day 3, we would do something easier depending on how we felt.
After a late night flight from JFK to SMF, picked up our car rental and drove through the night for Yosemite National Park. We arrived at our campsite in Upper Pines around 4:30AM. Since we had to move campsites that night, everyone made the decision to sleep in the car, rather than unpacking the tents.
We "napped" for an hour before we were awakened to start the day at 6AM. Soon, we found ourselves in front of the trail for Royal Arches (5.7 A0). I looked at my boyfriend and wondered why we were even considering Royal Arches, with 1 hour of "nap" time after a long way from home. The goal of this trip was supposed to be Snake Dike. We had to be back at the camp and getting ready for bed around 4pm on Day 1, so we would be well rested for our alpine start on Snake Dike Day 2. Royal Arches was a 15 pitch climb that is fully committing, and I wasn't sure that we were going to be able to finish the climb in the allotted time to be back at camp. We backed off the climb, while two friends decided to go for it.
Slightly agitated from being woken up and not getting adequate rest, we could have slept in a few more hours for a light day of climbing. However, now, I was stuck with no campsite, no way of sleeping, in the cafeteria, loading myself up with caffeine to stay awake. Then off we went to climb After Six (5.7) and were done at 3:30pm.
So we grabbed the car, and went back to the parking lot by Royal Arches, hoping to find our friends. Unfortunately, we would not find them until 11:30pm that night. Everyone was worried sick, but they seemed to be ok, and have completed all 15 pitches of Royal Arches.
We woke up at 2AM on Day 2 for our alpine start to Snake Dike. Our 6 mile approach to Half Dome was lit by the blue moon that night. We were able to hike without headlamps, and saving the batteries for the potential hike out at the end of the day in the dark. Within the first hour, it became very apparent, that our two friends who just finished Royal Arches the day before, were in no condition to do Snake Dike. They were dragging their feet on the hike in. I consider myself, normally the slowest of the bunch when it comes to hikes, and even I was in front of the pack with my boyfriend. We made frequent stops along the way, to wait for them to catch up.
By the time we reached the Lost Lake, it was already 7AM. We've only completed maybe 4 miles of the approach, and still have the remaining 2 miles with the steepest and most strenuous part coming up. Boy, we were moving too SLOW. Everyone was running out of water, even tho, we've each packed 3 liters plus each, and refilled once at the potable water station on the Mist Trail.
On the sketchy traverse around the base of Half Dome up high, I touched a dead tree, which turned out to be a beehive. And then I found myself being swarmed with bees and being stung. It was the fastest anyone has ever seen me dash across a sketchy traverse/ hike. Even though, I was stung quite a bit, I looked up and Half Dome, Snake Dike was just around the corner. I wasn't allergic to bees, but it did hurt. Refusing to bail and having to backtrack my way back down, I wanted to push on. By this time, it was 9AM and a few parties have already passed us. When we reached the base of Snake Dike, there were at least 5 parties and 10 people ahead of us. It was 10AM, and our two friends have almost no water left. We were looking at the possibility of just making it to the top of Snake Dike just at sunset, with the rest of the "endless" slab to the top of Half Dome in the dark. It would be unsafe.
No one seemed to have their hearts in the climb anymore, so we all turned around and hiked out.
Day 3, we ended up as a light climbing day, and we hit Mungenella (5.6). My boyfriend and I finished the climb in 2 hours and waited for our friends to finish up. We all packed up and started our drive back to SMF to catch the red eye back to New York for work the next day.
Overall, I felt the weekend was wasted and highly disappointing. Afterall, we trekked a long way out for a 3 day weekend on barely any sleep. I was hoping to at least accomplish one thing. Instead, it felt like a long disappointing lazy weekend climbing at home at the Gunks.
After this trip, it was lesson learned... climbing trips are not meant for big groups with different goals and agendas. Goals and plans should have been communicated prior to departure of the trip, to ensure that all parties manage their expectations accordingly.
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