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Tuolumne Dreamin'... (mostly pics)

PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2012 1:10 pm
by Princess Buttercup
It took four years for Kurt and I to actually pull off a climb together.

We planned; our schedules and lives jumped around each other; we set dates; we frowned at weather reports; we called each other at two in the morning because it was raining in town. We had almost completely given up.

But at long last, when he texted me last week, asking if I had a day during the week to come out and play, my schedule allowed for it. With no patients to see, I took an unpaid day to head up to Tuolumne Meadows with my globe-trotting friend.

The thin ice fall clung to every curve and bulge of the cliff face of Drug Dome, the start of the route awash with waves of yellow and white ice. What transpired was a gorgeous dance of watching Kurt lead the route, then me trudging up behind, my feet screaming in too-tight boots. But to look out across to the west: to Mt. Hoffman; the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne; trees and blue sky cut only by the occasional jet roaring overhead; to hang from the rope and my tools looking for the next step, the next strike; all of it drove home how special this moment was.

While smiling throughout, when I stepped into the sun beneath the second belay, a WI4 curtain separating me from Kurt's anchor, I looked up at him and shot the biggest toothy grin I've had in a long time. We may have had to wait four years, but we sure hit this one out of the park.

On the way home, Kurt and I stopped at Tioga Lake to skate (only his second time ever!).

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Rest of my pics are here.

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The rest of Kurt's pics are here.

From the luckiest girl in the world:
Climb Hard. Be Safe.

-L :cool:

Re: Tuolumne Dreamin'... (mostly pics)

PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2012 6:09 pm
by sharperblue
sweet! nice work! looks pretty thin -?

Re: Tuolumne Dreamin'... (mostly pics)

PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2012 6:32 pm
by Princess Buttercup
Indeed. Kurt did an outstanding job of leading up some pretty thin sections. Definitely one of the prettiest climbs I've ever done. :)

Not bad for a hiker. ;)

Re: Tuolumne Dreamin'... (mostly pics)

PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2012 8:51 pm
by ExcitableBoy
Wow! We don't have anything quite like that in the PNW.

Re: Tuolumne Dreamin'... (mostly pics)

PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2012 10:48 pm
by JHH60
Really nice! The family and I were in Tuolumne on the last day of the year, and walking on the frozen surface of Tenaya and checking out the roadside mini ice-falls on 120 I figured that there must be some amazing ice climbing on some of the domes. I'm glad you found it and shared with us!

Re: Tuolumne Dreamin'... (mostly pics)

PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2012 10:57 pm
by MoapaPk
MooseTracks wrote:Indeed. Kurt did an outstanding job of leading up some pretty thin sections. Definitely one of the prettiest climbs I've ever done. :)

Not bad for a hiker. ;)


We hikers do some epic shit! ;)

Re: Tuolumne Dreamin'... (mostly pics)

PostPosted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 4:06 pm
by DukeJH
Looks awesome! Some things are definitely worth the wait.

I'm praying for snow so I can get some Tuolumne time with my new snowshoes.

Snow wouldn't hurt for Kurt's avy class at the end of the month either (which I'm finally getting into).

Re: Tuolumne Dreamin'... (mostly pics)

PostPosted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 11:20 pm
by TyeDyeTwins
Badass dudes...great pics and even better climb. Thanks for sharing.

Re: Tuolumne Dreamin'... (mostly pics)

PostPosted: Sun Jan 15, 2012 4:33 pm
by TimB
Awesome!
And that is a word I don't use very often-but it sure fits here.

Thanks for sharing, mt.

Re: Tuolumne Dreamin'... (mostly pics)

PostPosted: Mon Jan 16, 2012 3:17 am
by Princess Buttercup
Thanks, everyone! It was a really inspiring day. And while I'm praying for snow, I'm kinda having a lot of fun with the ice in both horizontal and vertical planes, sooo... (I know, BLASPHEMY!!)

BIADH, that is a furry coyote friend indeed. He was showing us how it was perfectly OK to head out into the lake. ;)

-L