Trip Report
TR pics: AquaChossy (April 2005)

by nutjob
Thursday February 21, 2008 9:45pm
OK Folks, dying for some photos so I dug up my own.

Breaking off from Upper Yosemite Falls Trail near the rim, beginning the 3rd-class approach to Via Aqua:

Sketchy 3rd-class traverse...

Looking down on lower yosemite falls:

Views from belay at top of P1:

Ritwik following up the awkward OW on the second half of P1:



  Trip Report Views: 425
nutjob 		About the Author
nutjob is a climber from Berkeley, CA.

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nick d

Trad climber
nm
  Feb 21, 2008 - 09:56pm PT
In the first photo, is that guy wearing a sombrero? Or does he have a super-bad afro?

Either way, I dig it

Thanks for posting up!
nutjob

Sport climber
Almost to Hollywood, Baby!
Author's Reply  Feb 21, 2008 - 11:29pm PT
I loved that hat, and sadly can't even remember where lost it. I could flip it up sombrero style, or turn it down for the cool rice-paddy look. That thing saved my @ss while climbing through the rain and hail half-way up the regular route of fairview dome... I could look up just enough to see where to stick my hands, without getting hail chunks pelting my eyes. And it was only 8 bucks.

The only problem was deciding whether to bring that for sun/rain protection, or the helmet for rockfall protection. Usually the sombrero won. If I find another place to buy them, I might get 2 and chop out the brim to tape onto my climbing helmet.
nutjob

Sport climber
Almost to Hollywood, Baby!
Author's Reply  Feb 21, 2008 - 11:35pm PT
I found some more pics of that hat... these are from Snake Dike (Aug 2003):
brat

climber
El Portal
  Feb 21, 2008 - 11:36pm PT
It looks vaguely like it could be the battered hat we found stuck on the slab off to the right of The Boltway on Stately Pleasure Dome last summer...
nutjob

Sport climber
Almost to Hollywood, Baby!
Author's Reply  Feb 21, 2008 - 11:48pm PT
The Hat - royal arches (apr 2005):

heavy water flowing, dicey ascent:


I owe it all to the hat:


after this pendulum section in the undercling, water was running up my arms nearly to my chest:


it doesn't look like much, but I had a mini-epic getting across the 1/2 inch thick layer of super-slime. that sheee is nasty:


and after a rap cluster-f# and getting to the ground at 10pm, that hat kept me in good spirits:


I really loved that hat.
nita

Social climber
chica de chico, I don't claim to be a daisy.
  Feb 21, 2008 - 11:53pm PT
I have a hat like that, you can still find them at music festivals for pretty cheap.

edit, It's actually my husbands hat, we battle over who gets to use it.
Trusty Rusty

Social climber
Tahoe area
  Feb 21, 2008 - 11:56pm PT
Glad you lost the hat bro, clearly time to redefine your image. Consider the 08 appeal of a leather bonnet or beer can hat.
Mighty Hiker

climber
Vancouver, B.C.
  Feb 22, 2008 - 12:04am PT
You and tarbuster should trade notes on hat lore.
nita

Social climber
chica de chico, I don't claim to be a daisy.
  Feb 22, 2008 - 12:06am PT
I think he looks cute in that hat! They really are great for sun protection..big rim and work pretty good in the wind.
J. Werlin

Social climber
Cedaredge, CO
  Feb 22, 2008 - 06:21am PT
Looks like the kind of hat worn by the Australian Lifeguards. After the Santa Cruz team went down under they all came back wearing those.

That slime on the Arches can be SCARY. Thanks for the pics.
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
  Feb 22, 2008 - 06:29am PT
Life is too short to go without a proper lid for any length of time.
Go git' yer bad self another brim,...bro.
Nice pictures; a couple/three more would do nicely.
John Moosie

climber
Beautiful California
  Feb 22, 2008 - 12:02pm PT
Thanks for the trip report.

More pics please......haha..

Aren't we a greedy bunch.
Zander

climber
  Feb 22, 2008 - 05:22pm PT
Nice pics. I hope you catch some sun tomorrow so you can wear a hat.
See ya,
Zander
nutjob

Sport climber
Almost to Hollywood, Baby!
Author's Reply  Feb 22, 2008 - 11:54pm PT
I think I'm gonna miss this weekend in the valley :(
... but I'll try to round up a partner for next Tuesday when its sunny and blow off work :)



And for more hat pics, I may have to break out the old pre-digital photos and have to scan... I don't think I have the luxury to procrastinate that much right now... just small doses. Will see if there's any more in the digital catalog.
Chiloe

Trad climber
Lee, NH
  Feb 23, 2008 - 03:22pm PT
Cool to see this TR along with Overhang Bypass because both routes were recommended grade IIs in Roper's original red guidebook, which I often thought about but never got around to climbing.
nutjob

Sport climber
Almost to Hollywood, Baby!
Author's Reply  Feb 24, 2008 - 11:25am PT
Note this is not for Via Aqua... on this particular day we started with Commitment, then linked to Selaginella, then finished with a hike up the trail to go do Via Aqua, got too sketched out on the approach, and did a first ascent (AquaChossy) instead.

The next weekend we hiked up the trail (didn't link any climbs) and did the real Via Aqua, which was fun but way more mellow. We topped out in mid-afternoon and enjoyed hanging out at the tourist railing on that trip, versus the present report which resulted in us reaching the car at 4am after a "just get through it" cold and wet rap-bail down the AquaMist chimney and cold/wet retreat when we didn't know we had reached a walk-off point at the rim. Somewhere here I think I wrote up the details a while back.
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