Half Dome Helicopter Evacuation
Myself along with 80 tourists getting pulled off the top of Half Dome by helicopter due to the Meadow Fire spreading on Sept 7th, 2014.
A big Sunday.
Yosemite Meadow Fire: The Sequel
I have a huge amount of respect for the pilots whose job it is to fly a helicopter full of water through narrow canyons and get as close to a tower of smoke and flames as they can before dropping their cargo.
One thing that has resonated with me since I’ve been living in California is how huge of an operation fighting wildfires is. The ground aspect of fighting this fire involved sending several hundred firefighters up the Mist Trail to work and camp in LYV in the ensuing days.
Also, when you look at the pictures of the flames shooting over the tops of those trees remember that most of those trees are probably 100ft tall, at least.
“I am become Time, the destroyer of worlds.” – Vishnu, the Bhagavad-Gita
Yosemite Meadow Fire
Pictures of what was known as “The Meadow Fire”, in Yosemite National Park, spreading into Little Yosemite Valley and eventually to Cloud’s Rest on September 7th, 2014. A persistent drought combined with windy conditions meant the fire spread quickly.
These were taken from an Iphone in the early afternoon as the fire progressed.
Eventually the 80 or so hikers stranded on Half Dome were evacuated by helicopter with combined efforts of several local rescue agencies.
Jump
We got down from the Prow and the next day we drove to Parachute Center in Lodi and went skydiving.
I was strapped to the front of a dude from Hungary named Roman who didn’t speak much English.
Highly recommended.
The Prow, Washington Column
Last week Richard and I climbed The Prow on Washington Column. This was the first time I had ever slept in a portaledge and the first time I have ever done a route where you have to haul all your gear up with you.
The route is steep and exposed, tall compared to the rest of the planet but a short wall by Yosemite Valley standards.
Props to Richard for swinging leads with me, all his help with rope management and hauling, and his easy-going attitude.
San Francisco with the Fam
Spent a week with my wonderful family. Walking has long been a favorite activity of ours.
Mount Dana
How we spent the 4th of July. That and eating pie with ice cream. 13,061 ft high but Tioga Road does most of that work for you.
Steck-Salathe
The plan was to do it in a day.
We left the apartment at 4:30am on Tuesday and got back at 3:00pm on Wednesday.
From the route description on Mountain Project:
The Steck-Salathe truly deserves its status as one of the “Fifty Classic Climbs of North America”. Everything from the climbing itself to the many stories of adventure had on the north face of the Sentinel makes this climb a must-do for any aspiring Valley climber — if not a route to be repeated again and again, it certainly should at least be seen as a rite of passage. The climb’s reputation for being long, wide, and physical is well deserved, but the quality of that climbing, the position one achieves, and the overall sense of adventure the route offers should not be understated.
Big ups to my roommate and friend Stewart Williams for being such a baller.
El Capitan
The first day of my life climbing on El Capitan. Perfect weather. Thrutched my way up the first two pitches of Zodiac by myself.
Featuring maneuvers such as cam hooking, a horizontal roof section, many many offset cam placements, and even a bit of free climbing!
