3rd Pillar Mt. Dana from Tioga Rd.
John Gilardi on approach to Mt. Conness
Looking at the SW Face (climbed with Wayne Burleson,1984) and West Ridge, our plan for this day.
On the ridge - called one of the best in the Sierras in several guidebooks (e.g. Chris McNamara's Supertopos and Peter Croft's `The Good, the Great, and the Awesome'.)
John stylin'
Taking a rest
Looking up at the exciting tower
Summit break, shoes off...
'Scuse me while I kiss the sky...
View south toward Banner and Ritter (far left) where I first hiked with family in 1973 and climbed with Jeff Achey in 1975 while doing the John Muir Trail.
Toward Tuolumne Meadows and Yosemite. On the upper right, our climbs on the next two days, Tenaya Peak and Half Dome
Wildflowers
Everywhere
...
Thursday-NW Buttress Tenaya Peak
Headwall
Nice ledge
Cool summit
Halo
Tenaya Lake
View down the route
Toward Cathedral Peak
Toward Conness, the West Ridge we climbed the day before on the left
Matthes Crest, Traversed with John Ackerly 2006
Toward Half Dome, the next day's project
Sunset on our route
The Bachar-Yerian
The Hobbit Book, climbed with Doug Brockmeyer 1982
Oz, climbed this with Mads Carter in 1987 and with Lucky Streaks on Fairview same day in 1984 with Bill Myers
Fairview Dome
Friday morning, Olmstead Point view to our destination, Half Dome
Forces of Change
Mist on the drive to the Valley
Foggy meadow
Went to see the Captain...
Looking up at Royal Arches, Washington Column, and North Dome. We'll look down on them just as far later in the day.
Breakfast below Half Dome
Moon over Glacier Point
Lunacy
In Little Tenaya Canyon
Vernal Falls from the Mist Trail
Two trees, Little Tenaya
Bear claws?
Snake Dike on the left skyline of the South Face of Half Dome
First view of the route
Big Pine Cone
Tree Hugger
Huge
John on the `psychological crux' run out(!!) first 5.7 pitch
Looking down the 2nd Pitch
John coming across the `technical crux' 2nd pitch traverse
Long runouts on the upper Snake Dike
Off belay!
Long scramble to the top. This is where, in 1996, we had long been out of water and Micah pulled out kiwis and mangos from his pack! Anatoli and I were impressed.
Still more uphill...
A nice rest
Tibetan Prayer Flags!
Summit plateau - John and I were last here together in July 1984 after climbing the Northwest Face,,,I'll try to find and add a picture from then!
Shadow of Half Dome
Looking back on the routes of the past two days - Mt. Conness on the left, Tenaya Peak to the right of it.
Grateful!
Looking down on North Dome and Washington Column that we looked up at just as far at breakfast
Ravens perched, and one flying in the shadows
The scariest part! Down the cables...
Quite steep and polished...
Looking back up
Gloves...
Back to the plant zone
Warning!
Saturday morning - Soaking our feet in Tenaya Lake
And breakfast
Caterpillar on the beach
Rock stripes
Memo from Loyd. Rated 5.10d in 1984 when I did it with Wayne Burleson. The new Reid-Falkenstein says 11a, Supertopo says 11b. We both thought it has gotten harder ;-)
Dear deer...
Joy! Sushi in the meadows
$5 gas at Lee Vining
Tufas at Mono Lake
Three carbonate creatures
Tufa
Praying girl
I wish they all could be California Gulls
Them too
Lizz
Not observing the mandate
Forest Fire
Boundary Peak, High point of Nevada (left), Mt. Montgomery, slightly higher but not notable among California summits (right).
Lava patterns, east of Benton
Our friend Paul Valiulis, went swimming in the ocean while at medical school in Saba, St. Maarten last fall and is still out there riding the waves...Thanks for the fun climbs and inspiration Paul!
