where is everyone climbing this memorial weekend?

[mike a]

morning all, so starting friday afternoon i do not have to go back to the hell hole in shellow alto "varian":-), i am done with that place:-(, and now i have the whole summer to climb :-), but for this weekend one day i was thinking of checking out prime rib on fallen eagle, it looks good, have anyone out there done it???, and i was thinking one of the other days of going to 557 wall and check out slater's so called best 5.10 at shuteye "heaven" anyone done that one???, i hope it's not as awesome as his so called best 5.8 at shuteye "dreaming in colors" on the r.e.m. tower lol :-), hope to run in to guy's this weekend and summer, it's going to be one awesome climbing season this years, happy climbing mike a.

[susan]

Sounds good Mike A. Enjoy!

Not sure quite where we'll end up but am sure happy all points may be accessible at last. Should be unusually social out there with the guide in more folks hands and 120 & 108 closed for now.

Sure hope Jeff can make it out this way at some point.

Have fun all!

[mungeclimber]

108 just re-opened, fwiw.

[jeff]

Come on folks, I know a bunch of you were out there over the long weekend, post some of your awesome pics for those of us who couldn't make it.

Please

[daniel banquo merrick]

Figuring there would be lots of people there for the holiday weekend, I didn't go to Shuteye. I don't know but guess that the days of always having a particular crag to myself are over.

[susan]

Trying... had so much trouble with the internet since returning home late yesterday it's ridiculous. Absolutely no email or web access at home by phone or computer after struggling with it at work as well, putting me behind at work too.... Will be glad to post soon!

Photos of the greater Southern Yosemite area are also welcome!

Wonderful weekend though some folks were missed who could not make it.

[John]

Jeff
I did Shades of Gray finally, it was super awesome!! Sorry, didn't get on the second pitch of Gravy Train yet. You guys should have been there, we missed you.

Sure was busier out there than I have ever seen it.

[jeff]

Hey Sue! Glad you had a wonderful weekend I sure did miss out but was happy to be home with Mony. Unfortunately we didn't do much...Mony had a weird pain in her foot. She iced it several evenings and it was feeling better yesterday...puzzling as she didn't really do anything to it. Don't let the boss man find out your falling behind, I have heard rumors about that guy.


John, glad you liked Shades of Gray.  What else did you guys get on?  Start or finish anything?  Who was out there?  Many new faces?

[susan]

Shades of Gray is another all star climb, Jeff. Like Wanderlust's P1, the word that comes to my mind to describe it is "elegant" bc of delicate moves and footwork, and some fine tuning of  body positions so as not to flop.

A bunch of us checked it out and loved it.


Brandon leading Shades of Gray Above


Tresa getting a belay from Sean on Shades of Gray while Lynn and Fynn hang out


John checking it out earlier.

[susan]

Squiddo taming Bitch Kitty

[susan]

Jeff, hope Mony's foot is better soon. Maybet a little r&r was just the thing?

Definitely saw more folks out there than usual, but none too many. Sure had missed the Gray hood and loved getting back to it. Very nice repeating some favorites on east side of gray... wanderlust, bitch kitty direct (using ds start), dream within a dream, some of eschers, and rainbow and checking out shades of gray to name a few. The star system in the doe guide is making sure wing feather gets a conga line. Great route no doubt but not anywhere as great as others there.

Heard that the cords on the hex anchor on book of spring pages are not good anymore. The pitch from this anchor to the next which is the 2nd p anchor on Dream within a dream is not the  greatest mainly bc as i recall fragile rock and the lichen and awkward climbing there. Doesn't seem right to put iln a permanent anchor without the blessing of the founding climbers who seemed very keen on keeping it natural. But then again... who would one ask? Dick Erb and Royal Robbins?

Also... heard vic ran it out severely on wanderlust not knowing about the #3 cam hole? Yikes.

[jeff]

Thanks for the pics Sue. I really like the one of Brandon. I know that spot well.  Sounds like a great time was had.  Soon I hope.

[daniel banquo merrick]

Anybody been to Big Sleep lately? I wonder how many people one can expect to find there. I'm thinking of going there this weekend and finishing up the two routes we started. I have this feeling that with a good road, nice camp spot and some easy routes that there might be a fair number of people there these days.

[susan]

Haven't seen it over run yet but do expect to. Recently spent time up there and only saw one other party briefly.

With all the areas to access from there, hopefully overall crowds get absorbed pretty well, though the slabs could fill-up for camping some time. 

It is all about accessibility and abundance. Easy roads, abundant camping and moderate climbs, reasonable walking distance to crags, conveniently equipped routes... Lots of sport climbing, bouldering and trad to be found there makes it diverse. There are also a number of R and what would be considered PG rated climbs on Big Sleep itself, so maybe that would help keep it lower key since it's the most accessible of the formations.

[susan]

Did you make it out there? How is the progress on your two routes? I like the look of that area.