Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!bellcore!decvax!linus!philabs!cmcl2!harvard!seismo!umcp-cs!cvl!eli From: eli@cvl.UUCP (Eli Liang) Newsgroups: net.rec Subject: climbing in Yosemite Message-ID: <1297@cvl.UUCP> Date: Thu, 13-Mar-86 15:00:25 EST Article-I.D.: cvl.1297 Posted: Thu Mar 13 15:00:25 1986 Date-Received: Sun, 16-Mar-86 10:37:17 EST Reply-To: eli@cvl.UUCP (Eli Liang) Organization: Computer Vision Lab, Univ. of MD., College Park Lines: 46 A friend and I are going to San Francisco in early April on business. So we decided to take advantage of this opportunity to climb in Yosemite. Since then, another friend has also decided to fly out there and meet us in California for this purpose. This being our first time in Yosemite, we were planning on hitting one of the "tourist" climbs, Lost Arrow Spire, and maybe doing one or two other popular ones. We have also toyed with going up the east face of Mt. Whitney. I have a copy of Steve Roper's "Climber's Guide to Yosemite Valley," but that book is 15 years old and I was wondering how out of date it might be. After all, climber's have a penchant for changing routes over time. One thing thats changed is certainly the use of protections. The guidebook seems to recommend pitons for almost everything. For instance, in describing the Lost Arrow route, Roper recommends bringing 15 pitons just in climbing the tip! Anyways, I was hoping to get some info on Yosemite, and climbing there from some of the climbers that read this news group. I know of at least one route that has changed since '71. It's been mentioned in this news group that the Royal Arches no longer has its most well known feature, the Rotten Log. As that is one of the climbs under consideration for our trip, could someone tell me what that pitch is rated now? 5.10 lead climbing just isn't our bag. I've heard/read a lot about Yosemite, not all of it favorable. Is theft of equipment going to be a worry there? How about crowding on the routes (especially the tourist/climber routes like I mentioned)? Will it be necessary to start before dawn in order to avoid waiting on climbs? Are there only specific areas where one may camp in the valley and if so how close/far are these from the climbing areas (in general)? The other thing is that our business in San Francisco will be concluded on a Thursday evening and we were planning on heading straightwise to Yosemite. Since the car trip will take up to 4 hours, we might not get there until very late Thursday evening. Will this be a problem? Does anyone know what Mt. Whitney will be like in April? Is it going to be very cold? Lastly, is there a better guide to Yosemite climbs around (more current hopefully)? I was also hoping to find "topos" for some of the climbs. -eli p.s. we'll welcome any suggestions of any "must do" Yosemite climbs which are <= Grade III, <= 5.7 lead, and <= A3. -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Eli Liang --- University of Maryland Computer Vision Lab, (301) 454-4526 ARPA: eli@cvl, eli@lemuria, eli@asgard, eli@mit-mc, eli@mit-prep CSNET: eli@cvl UUCP: {seismo,allegra,brl-bmd}!umcp-cs!cvl!eli