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Loosemonkee
Trad climber
sthlm, SWE
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jan 23, 2017 - 03:42am PT
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Well, making the pilgrimage after many many years of climbing.
My partner and I will be in the Valley in May, hoping to get on El Cap.
Since it's been close to 20 years since I've been there, can I get some help with logistics?
We're flying in from Sweden, renting a car from SF and driving down. We have 14 days planned for 1-2 wall routes, but need some help with planning since rules and regulations have changed since I was last there.
Can I get some advice?
1. Rumor is that the best way to stay at camp 4 now (and I understand this is dodgy and I hope I'm not breaking any forum rules) is, 1 person queues up early and hopefully gets a space. Next week the other person does this?
2. What do you do with your car?
3. What happens if your up on the wall, and your camp space runs out? Are you ticketed? Is there any kind of leniency?
4. If you can't make camp 4 work, what's the best alternative? And again, what do you do with your car?
5. Anything else we need to think about?
Cheers!
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Da-Veed
Big Wall climber
Bigfork
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Jan 23, 2017 - 07:00am PT
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I have been in Yosemite every year for 20+ years now. Last year was the worst for Camp 4. People were lining up to get a camp site at 7 pm the night night before. Rangers were coming around every three hours are so yelling at us (I wish I had his name!) for "camping in line". Just don't sleep and they cant really do anything about it, however they will threaten to tow your car, because you don't have a parking pass, even though you are in line for a site. Its a lose lose situation.
Its best just to get on a wall and stay climbing while you are there, the best camp site is your portaledge.
You can alternate with your partner for the time you are there, I don't think they really check your licence plate, just if you have a parking pass or not.
If you are on a wall and can't renew, ask the people in your camp site to renew for you.
I would say gorilla camp, but it is illegal, however they make it so hard on climbers in Camp 4 now, I don't really see an alternative.
I wont be staying in C4 anymore, climb and leave.
Last year I never seen so many beginners clogging the trade routes, it was ridiculous. If you are planning Zodiac or the Nose, I would just get on the wall and stay on it. We had a couple of guys jug our fixed ropes, jump ahead of us, slow us down, just to bail. Those guys were super nice people but really bad ethics!
Through all of this, I still love the place and will be back in the fall.
Climb hard, have fun, and avoid the LEO's.
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JerryA
Mountain climber
Sacramento,CA
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Jan 23, 2017 - 08:41am PT
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Skip car & take Amtrak from S.F. to Merced & YARTS to El Portal . YARTS starts May 17th. Get a room first night & find place to stash luggage . Check out Valley & routes Good luck !
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le_bruce
climber
Oakland, CA
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Jan 23, 2017 - 09:23am PT
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Shoot me a PM if you want, may be able to offer some advice.
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anita514
Gym climber
Great White North
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Jan 23, 2017 - 10:33am PT
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find place to stash luggage
Uhh... where?
At least with a rental car you have a place to keep your luggage, passports, etc. while you are climbing.
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cragnshag
Social climber
san joser
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Jan 23, 2017 - 12:12pm PT
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A car is very useful. Rent one that has a trunk. The car gives you freedom to camp for free outside the Valley if you need to do so. Also, it makes staging before a big wall much easier. Don't leave food or food smelly stuff in your car overnight. There are bear boxes all over the Valley for food storage (including places where you would park for climbing the major Big Walls). Don't bring a stove or cooking supplies- it will make logistics more difficult since you won't be in one place the whole time- eat cold cereal, prepared foods, canned foods, fresh fruits and veggies from the Valley store, hot food at the cafeteria, etc.
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WBraun
climber
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Jan 23, 2017 - 12:18pm PT
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So far we have had one of the wettest, heaviest snowfall in years up to now.
The walls in May will be very wet.
There will be water oozing out of cracks everywhere this spring ......
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Loosemonkee
Trad climber
sthlm, SWE
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 23, 2017 - 11:52pm PT
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thanks for the advice! We will have to see what we can do.
I've been reading about the snowfall and stuff, I guess that makes more of the free pitches aid instead if we're looking to get on Salathe or the nose?
If we do have to leave the car outside the park when we get on the wall, is there a good place to do so that is relatively safe? I'm just thinking about if we need to take our passports with us and other small items. . .
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wallyvirginia
Trad climber
Stockholm, Sweden
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Jan 24, 2017 - 01:06am PT
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Hej!
Fellow Swede here. I've been to Yosemite to climb three times now. Most recently last june.
You definitely want a rental car! And regardless if you score a campsite in the valley or not you park in the parking lot below el cap when you're climbing el cap. Theres Steel boxes there for food storage. I took My passport with me climbing but I'm paranoid.. =)
Theres campsites on the road from San fransisco not too far from the park Gates. One option is to stay there and take the 45 min to hour drive on the morning of climbing. If doing multi Day walls this might not be a big deal.
We stayed in camp 4 this time but ive stayed ouside the park before. Got in line at the camp 4 kiosk at 4 in the morning and just barely scored a site. There were hundreds of People in line when they opened at 9.
And, of course, you bring a small camping stove when camping. That was weird advice above.
//Mikael
Maila gärna om det är nåt speciellt du undrar över så ska jag svara så gott jag kan.
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Loosemonkee
Trad climber
sthlm, SWE
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 24, 2017 - 01:15am PT
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Hej Micke!
Thanks for the tips about outside camping. That sounds like a good option. We weren't planning on sleeping much anyway, haha.
Do you need a permit to park below el cap like you mentioned? And can you leave the car there for several days? That is the best option really, leave the car and climb and not worry about it.
And can you put food in the boxes for free?
Lastly, anyone know some good trails to run in the valley? If there's any downtime I need to squeeze some long runs in, was looking forward to a nice 30k trail if someone has a good one to recommend?
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wallyvirginia
Trad climber
Stockholm, Sweden
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Jan 24, 2017 - 01:24am PT
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Nope, no permit for parking there other than park entry fees and food boxes are free too. As far as I know you can just leave your car there for a few days of climbing. We did.
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Jan 24, 2017 - 01:41am PT
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Yes, you can park your car at El Cap Meadow for days. No permit required. No need to have a Camp 4 spot while you are on El Cap!
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