After Matt and I went back and finished the Regular Route on Higher Cathedral Spire, the rain came in. It got pretty cold and actually snowed less than a thousand feet above the valley floor. Our team set to work with all the usual rest day activities: Showers, Laundry, Internet use. As the evening approached with no break in the weather, we decided on a drastic proposal. To avoid cooking dinner in the less-than-favorable conditions, we ate at the $Mountain $Room $Restaurant at $Yosemite $Lodge. It cost a ton of money, and was worth every penny. Finally, after using up every possible excuse to stay indoors, we drove back to camp and dove into our sleeping bags.
The next day dawned just as cold and rainy as the day before, so back to the lodge we went. Internet access is purchased for 24 hours at $6, so we camped out on the front office floor and got our money's worth. This was followed by a nap, and then a short trail run. In the evening I went to hang out with some other friends I had in the valley. Kristine, James, Michelle and I all have a common friend named Bill, and it's always fun to see them. So we hung out for awhile and got caught up with each other, and then it was time to put another rainy day to rest.
The rain can't last forever, and so back out to the crags we went. Sorry, but no photos. Climbing as a team of 2, Devin and I climbed some easier routes near the ground, then toproped a harder climb. It was so much fun that we toproped it again, then decided to lead it. So we each took a turn at leading the thing. It felt good to get on something substantially harder than the long routes we were doing. Devin and I returned to camp feeling pretty good about our next days' objective, the East Buttress of Middle Cathedral Rock.
The start of the route is right across the valley from El Capitan:
We awoke way, way too early for a vacation, and got ourselves established on the route nice and early. Alas, the hard climbing of the previous day took too much out of us, and we decided to do the only logical thing: eat breakfast at the Curry Village Buffet, and go back to bed.
After one plate Devin returned with fruit, which I told him was way too healthy. He got up and returned with sausage and bacon. That's more like it!
In the evening we managed to get out and do a little climbing next to the road, and we declared the day salvaged. Here, Devin lies in repose while Matt prepares to climb, and Melinda looks on:
Inevitably one must return to home, and so on Sunday we packed up. On the way out we got on one last route, called Nutcracker. This is yet another classic route, about 750 feet long. Since the route is so close to the road, and with it being Sunday and all, we ended up climbing the route in a long train of climbers, with probably 6 above us, and more coming up behind us. We tried to be patient, but after climbing the first pitch in 30 minutes then waiting for what felt like hours, the motivation to keep climbing had evaporated. We climbed another pitch and then got out of there. Whew!
Devin marching to the route, visible in the trees:
On the route, parties above and parties below:
Devin, patience waning. Waiting in line to climb isn't very pleasant:
The scenery isn't bad, though. Getting out of the trees and working on my suntan was a decent way to spend a couple hours:
Across the valley (right to left), Middle Cathedral Rock, Higher Cathedral Rock, and the Cathedral Spires. Matt and I climbed the right-hand spire last week:
Devin rappelling to the ground, our patience gone:
This trip to Yosemite was bittersweet, like may things these days. Suzanne and I were very well matched with regard to recreation. We liked to do all the same things, and did them at about the same ability level. We had the same profession. We shared the same love of the outdoors, the same need to sleep on the ground. We could talk about climbs in Yosemite that we had both climbed, and we both looked forward to spending lots of time together in the mountains. Being her partner was a dream come true. Her death has helped me to understand tragedy. Continuing to do all these things without her is pretty tough at times, yet still brings satisfaction, albeit bittersweet.
Next up, a week at home! Then, a flight East to visit family and friends, and maybe do a little rock guiding.
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