Yosemite High Country (Sunrise HSC area)

Things that need to be done in Oregon:

Crawdading in the Alsea
Mountaineer Mt. Shasta (california i know...)
Mountaineer one of the sisters
Mountaineer Three Finger Jack
Climb Callahans
Climb Flagstone
Climb Smith Rock
Clean Smith Rock MAY 5th
Camp Crater Lake
Snow Sports Hoodoo, Bachelor, Hood, anywhere with a bunny slope for Jacob
Cougar Hot Springs
Backpack Sisters, Diamond Peak, Waldo Lake, Cultas Lake!, Government Camp (Hood)
Mountain Bike McKenzie Trail, Cultas Lake, Lewisberg Saddle
Kayak Willamette, McKenzie, Clackamas, Surf Ocean
CAMP LOOKOUT TOWER!
Snowshoe backpacking
Telemark ski backpacking (more three finger?)
Bike touring Corvallis<->Eugene, Portland<->Corvallis, around Portland
Hike around Forrest Park Portland
Hike coastal temporate rain forrest

A journey into the snow with Pete, Kristin, and le dog Kiko. On the PCT towards Three Finger Jack, but we just stopped 2 miles in and built a snow shelter instead of going all the way. I'm totally hooked on telemark skiing now.

Recent road trip that took us to Colorado, Vegas (boo), Death Valley (word!), and Yosemite (Hells Yah). Shall We begin?

First we start in Colorado. Didnt spend too much time doin stuff other than hang out at Alex's friends house (which was fun). But when we got there we got to climb and hang out on these wicked rocks.
"Red Rocks"
Oh yeah, we went to the Great American Beer Festival. Lotsa free beer of all kinds. Lotsa drunk of all kinds.
Then Alex's friend took us climbing at a wall gym. We were going to go to flatirons or something like that outside, but it happened to be raining both days we were there in denver. Wee rain.
By the way, this move is hard.
Then we blitzed for Vegas. It sucked except for hanging out with my friends, racing up and down stairs on the way to the casinos, and drinking this absurd 100oz margarita that had a strap. You know you're in for some trouble when your drink comes with a strap.
AAAHHHH, out of the cities, finally! We are on our way to death valley, in the car once again.
Mars... err, death valley
Looks desolate, but looks can be deceiving.
We go in search for an oasis called "Darwin Falls." We actually aren't in search of Darwin Falls here, we're just wandering up a canyon, but its similar to the canyon on the way there.
A little bouldering spot that was cool. about 10 feet high.

Found it! a little green vein in the desert.


Alex and Uncle Judy figuring out a route to the top of the falls.

I found my route, straight up this crag about 40 feet.The falls. Smelled like sulfur but looked absolutely amazing. Life in death valley.
At the base again, heading back down the canyon.
We drove up a service road a ways and found a nice little canyon to sleep at, complete with some awesome bouldering rocks (that we are sitting on) that we climbed on till dusk.




And then Yosemite. So damn beautiful. This was a perfect time to go because there weren't very many people there.
Froggie!
Half dome, on the way to climb it.
Nice polished granite steps on the way to the base of the cables. Ascending like kings!

At the base of the cables there were some crows and a laughing old bald man, telling us "its not that bad."
Mid climb, sitting on a big crack in the granite. The view from here was pretty awesome.


After we got to the summit, Alex went and sat on the surfboard. It was a LONG way down, and the view was crazy righteous.

Me dangling off the first of the overhanging rocks on the surfboard. Good view.
The view from up there was beautiful. I fell immediately in love with Yosemite, I'm definitely going back for more climbing/hiking/general adventuring. Jennea had the idea of working there for a summer or something like that, which is an awesome idea.
Cheers, thats the end. Didnt have too many "good" photos, but had good touristy photos... oh well. Till the next trip, which is hopefully soon (this weekend? Smith rock maybe?)