
| Having retired from rock climbing for about 30 years, I decided to brush up on my "skills" and headed to Yosemite for two days to spend some time with a guide from the Yosemite Mountaineering School. We spent the first day in Yosemite valley climbing slabs and cracks and covering basic anchoring techniques. Day two was spent climbing 8 of the 9 Echo Peaks. We climbed #1, #2, #3, #5, #6, #7, #9 and #8. #4 was skipped, as being a bit far and would have made the day too long. #3 was a most satisfying summit, #6 was the most fun w/o a rope and #9 was a life-altering experience. We traversed right instead of left and ended up in 5.8+ territory, which I can barely climb WITH a top-rope. It ended up okay; there is a very fine summit register going back over 30 years and providing proof that this summit is not often visited. I am absolutely amazed that Josh downclimbed this thing!!! Of course, without a rope, what choice did he have? We had two ropes and used them both for a short rappel to a great ledge (which we missed on the way up) and for a second 160 ft. rappel down the completely vertical north side. (I'll get #4 and Cathedral Peak on my next trip to Yosemite). |