Climbing Weather App There's days when I sit behind my computer and neurotically check the weather. Yosemite, Castle Rock, Mortar, Smith, Bishop, Mickeys, Pinnacles. Where should I go? Where's the weather going to be best?

Perfect weather in the Valley.

On the BART ride home, on the drive out to the crag, and anywhere inbetween, it's nice to know what the weather is going to do for the next chance you have to climb. There's an app out there for checking the weather from Climbing Weather.com. This app allows you to check forecasts and maps for over 300 climbing areas on your phone.

Get weather forecasts and maps for over 300 climbing areas on your mobile phone absolutely free. Find nearby areas, view daily and hourly forecasts, search, add favorites, view maps and more.

If you don't have an Iphone, you can also get text messages with weather updates. It's a great way to get just a little more digital and take advantage of wherever the weather is best.

Click here for more details!

Labels: climbing weather, Climbing weather app, Yosemite

  ¶ Tuesday, November 29, 2011 0 Comments

  William Shatner Explains Why You Should Climb William Shatner stars in this great video about climbing. Check out a classic bit of Shatner advice- for more footage- see Star Trek IV where Captain Kirk attempts to free solo El Captain on his rest day.

Labels: Captain Kirk, free soloing, Yosemite

  ¶ Monday, June 20, 2011 1 Comments

  Yosemite Closed:Winter Storm Warning The National Park Service released this announcement earlier today- the current winter storm has closed Yosemite National Park.

All roads leading into Yosemite National Park are temporarily closed due o snow, ice, mudslides, fallen trees and downed power lines. In the last 24 hours, a winter storm has dropped over 3.5 feet of snow throughout the park in areas including Yosemite Valley, Wawona, and Crane Flat. Approximately 9 inches has fallen in El Portal. Highways 41 (Wawona Road), 120 (Big Oak Flat Road), and 140 (El Portal Road) into Yosemite National Park are closed at this time due to snowy and icy conditions. Additionally, Caltrans has temporarily closed Highway 140 outside of the park boundary between El Portal and Mid Pines due to mud slides, rockfall, downed power lines, and fallen trees. The Badger Pass Road and the Hetch Hetchy Road are also closed at this time. There is currently a winter storm warning in effect.

Assessment of all roads in Yosemite will occur throughout the day. For 24-hour information for roads within Yosemite National Park please call 209-372-0200. For updates on conditions for roads outside of Yosemite, please call Caltrans at 1-800-427-7623. For information about reservations and accommodations, please call (801) 559-4884. Additional news releases will be sent out as updates are available.

Labels: El Portal, winter storms, Yosemite

  ¶ Monday, March 21, 2011 0 Comments

  Time Lapse of Yosemite The fall temps are here and people are heading out to Bishop and Yosemite. Here's a beautiful timelapse of Yosemite to get people pysched.

Time Lapse Tour of Yosemite National Park from Henry Jun Wah Lee on Vimeo.

Labels: timelapse, Yosemite

  ¶ Sunday, October 17, 2010 0 Comments

  Guidebook App The evolution of the climbing guidebook is upon us. Wolverine Publishing, the company that has brought to you the brilliant Yosemite and Bishop guides has upped the ante. Coming out in May for all you Iphone geeks will be the interactive guide app to Red River Gorge in Kentucky. The app isn’t just an e-book but a fully interactive program that lets you search, filter and log your tick list. There are photos, maps and topos that will make find your way even easier, also it can use the GPS capabilities of the Iphone. There is a Lite version out now to tease you but expect more guides for other areas to be the future. Here is the link to the web page

Labels: Supertopo Guidebooks, Wolverine Publishing, Yosemite

  ¶ Monday, May 17, 2010 0 Comments

  Melissa Michelistch: The Wallress Melissa Michelitsch came into rock climbing over ten years ago with a strong background in dance and ballet. In between teaching classes in Oakland, she makes trips to Yosemite, Indian Creek, Red Rocks, and anywhere there are long classic crack climbs. She's been climbing in Yosemite since she started, making ascents of El Capitan's The Nose in a single day as well as Never Never Land, Zodiac, and a myriad of other Yosemite Big Wall Climbs. She's also climbed wall routes in Zion National Park, hiking up some of the best desert big wall cracks in the world.


Melissa on Slice N' Dice in Indian Creek

The big wall veteran, the Wallress, Melissa took some time to answer a few questions about big wall climbing for the Touchstone Blog.


How did you get into wall climbing?

I lacked skill but had lots of zeal and endurance. I (wrongly) reasoned that climbing walls would be like doing other climbs that I’d done…just doing them for a long time. I talked a friend with legitimate skills and experience into doing Lurking Fear with me. He must have thought I was cute or something because anyone with his level of experience would have realized that I had no place on any end of the rope on El Cap yet. I led two pitches and jugged the rest, slowly and ineptly, fearing for my life. My lousy start left me with something to prove to myself, so I tried to come back with a few more skills the next season.


What do you enjoy about being up on the wall?

The act of being on a wall really isn’t that fun for me. I like the anticipation and strategizing before hand and the sense of accomplishment when I’m done.


Do you ever get scared being so high off the ground?

I’m not afraid of heights. The exposure down low vs. up high feels about the same to me, and mostly I only see the rock in front of my face anyway. (Looking down is an activity for long belays.) Heights might be the only thing that doesn’t scare me.

Often the things that scare me the most are phantom fears…Fears of things that are very unlikely to happen or, for some of them, that wouldn’t actually be that big of a deal if they did happen: fear of getting trapped in a storm, of being too uncomfortable for too long and just dying from it, fear that good gear will rip, fear the my partner will get hurt on a lead that I shirked, fear that my rope will cut or my jugs will fall off when I’m jugging.


Melissa waking up on Never Never Land on Yosemite's El Capitan

What was it like climbing the Zodiac?

I climbed Zodiac w/ my bff, Kate, 6 years ago. Kate had never climbed El Cap before but had led more aid pitches than I had. I’d been up El Cap a couple of times but had always had a much more experienced partner to pick up my ample slack. We had plenty of bugs in our systems, but on the whole it worked out quite well considering that we were as green as grass. When my interest in taking the next step in what up till that point had been a progression of more challenging routes never materialized following our climb, I realized that I wasn’t really on a path towards harder aid routes any more. Kate had a very different epiphany. She went on to aid pitches as hard or harder than any woman before her.

What's your favorite part of wall climbing?

A wall can end up eating up a whole month of your life…Planning, packing, humping loads to the base, resting, fixing, climbing, resting again, carrying loads down from the summit, being in la-la land daydreaming about what you just did, etc. When you’re not into it, it starts to feel like a big time waster. When the project is exciting, it’s fun to give yourself over so fully to one absurd goal.

What do you do to prepare for a big wall climb?

Spend a little or a lot of time gazing at the topo and convincing self that the nice line must be hand jams. Negotiate the rack w/ a partner, always too much and never enough. Buy necessary food and beverage. Spend $200 at REI on who-the-hell knows what. Meet up w/ my partner at the designated time and place. Decide that we need to either bring an extra bag or leave some stuff behind. Choose to climb forth or bail.

What's the best way to start wall climbing?

I don’t think there’s a best way. When you climb walls you have to figure out how to deal with situations that you’ve never seen before with the limited tools on hand. Your partner is often out of sight and out of earshot, so you’re on your own. People who are really driven to do walls (as opposed to casually intrigued by the idea) are going to be pretty good add seeking out the learning resources that they need to get started.


Melissa rebolting on Arches Terrace in Yosemite

You don’t have to be a strong free climbing to do many walls, but it doesn’t hurt either. People with years of experience leading long, traditional free climbs usually fare better than their counterparts with less rope and epic management experience on their first walls. I skipped the years of experience part when I started trying to climb walls, and as a result I often spent more time trying than climbing. Anyone seriously driven to stick with it can eventually summit (if they don’t make any grave errors or fall to wanton acts of nature).

Steve Schneider is easily the most well rounded El Cap climber ever. He’s also a member and employee at Touchstone Climbing. He’s an AMGA certified guide and has a clinic planned at Ironworks this spring.

Labels: big wall climbing, Melissa Michelitsch, Yosemite

  ¶ Sunday, April 04, 2010 0 Comments

  Royal Robbins: To Be Brave Legendary Yosemite climbing pioneer, Royal Robbins will be coming to the Bay area March 3, 4, 29 and April 27. Robbins will be discussing the first in his autobiographical series: To Be Brave.


Below is a description of the event, which will be an exciting opportunity to hear one of the world's greatest climbers to speak:

CLIMBING LEGEND ROYAL ROBBINS RAPPELS INTO BAY AREA REI

At 75, Robbins Recounts His Life of Daring Adventure

San Francisco, CA – February 19, 2010 – At age 75, Royal Robbins, one of America’s most leading climbing figures of the Golden Age of Yosemite Climbing, still inspires with his bold vision of what makes for truly great climbing. On March 3, 4, 29 and April 27, Robbins will regale outdoor enthusiasts with tales from his adventurous life during “An Evening With Climbing Legend Royal Robbins” at four REI stores in the Bay Area.

Robbins will share stories and images from his many daring exploits including the world’s first ascent of Yosemite’s famous Half Dome Face in 1957, and his historic climbs on El Capitan and the Leaning Tower. It was on these magnificent granite towers that Robbins invented his own form of rock climbing. His technique was environmentally friendly, personally challenging and today would be described as an ‘extreme sport’. The rock faces he climbed were preserved and not scarred by pitons and bolts that were typically used by climbers. Robbins forever changed the ethic of climbing worldwide.

Less known but equally remarkable, Robbins transferred his skills from climber to adventure kayaker, making first descents of the headwaters of major California rivers, such as the San Joaquin, the Kern, and the Kings. Following the program, Royal will sign copies of his new autobiography, To Be Brave, My Life: Volume One, published by Pink Moment Press, September 2009. This is a rare chance to meet and be inspired by one of America’s most extraordinary adventurers.

Dates and venues:
7 pm–8:30 pm, Wednesday, March 3 at REI San Carlos
7 pm–8:30 pm, Thursday, March 4 at REI Brentwood
7 pm–8:30 pm, Monday, March 29 at REI Saratoga
7 pm–8:30 pm, Tuesday, April 27 at REI Berkeley
REI Berkeley: 1338 San Pablo Avenue 94702; (510) 527-4140

REI Brentwood: The Streets of Brentwood Shopping Center, 2475 Sand Creek Road,
Suite 100, 94513; (925) 516-3540

REI San Carlos: 1119 Industrial Road, Suite A, 94070; (650) 508-2330

REI Saratoga: 400 El Paseo de Saratoga, San Jose 95130; (408) 871-8765

Please note: Registration is optional for REI’s free in-store presentations. If you register, you will receive an email reminder and any program updates. Seating is limited and is first-come, first-served.

####

If you would like more information, or to schedule an interview with Royal Robbins, call

Susie Bennitt at 626-226-6392 or email Susie at susie@pinkmomentpress.com.


"Royal Robbins writes with the same unflinching courage that made him a climbing legend." - Malcolm Maroglin Founder and Publisher of HeyDey Books

Labels: Royal Robbins, Yosemite

  ¶ Tuesday, February 23, 2010 0 Comments

  Dean Potter Walking the Line Dean Potter is a noted free-soloist with ropeless ascents of Astroman (V 5.11C), A Dog's Roof (5.12b), and a number of other difficult Yosemite tedstpieces. Beyond his solos, Dean also enjoys walking high-line slacklines. A recent documentary shows him putting it on the line between the Cathedral Spires in Yosemite. Check out the footage.

Labels: Dean Potter, Slacklining, Yosemite

  ¶ Thursday, December 31, 2009 0 Comments

  See El Cap Close Up and Personal
If you're a fan of El Capitan, and Yosemite National Park in general, this little bit of news will most likely interest you. As you know, some of the best climbing in the entire country can be had in Yosemite Park and the one jewel of it's crown is El Capitan. Some of the most impressive climbing feats in the last 30 years have been completed right here, and so a chance to get an up-close and personal look at the place is great.

Word is that the ElCap Report now has it's very own blog filled with information, reports, and yes, pictures of this great place. This is a one-stop shop to read up about climbers and their amazing El Cap exploits, as well as take in some photographic proof at just how impressive this place really is.

So, feel free to go check it out and read up about one of climbings most impressive locations. Great way to get inspired to climb at your peak potential, great way to get inspired to just get better. Who knows, we might see you on the site next!

Labels: El Capitan, Touchstone Climbing, Yosemite, Yosemite National Park

  ¶ Wednesday, May 27, 2009 0 Comments

  A Time To Live: Be There
Just a quick reminder, even though the event is not for a month, that you absolutely DO NOT want to miss this. Royal Robbins and Ed Drummond are going to be telling stories, reliving climbs, showing photos and putting you where he's been. From success to near death experiences, this is not something you're going to want to miss if you have any interest in climbing whatsoever.

Think of it this way, you can blow $25 on a movie, or you can come to the Victoria Theater at 6:30 on November 20th, drop $10 and hear stories you'll never forget. Even better news is that tickets are only $10 if you buy online. Head over to VictoriaTheatre.org and buy yours today!

Check it out!

Labels: Ed Drummond, El Capitan, Royal Robbins, Victoria Theatre, Yosemite

  ¶ Tuesday, October 21, 2008 2 Comments

  Hans Destroys Record on El Cap!
Hello and Happy Monday! Congratulations are certainly in order for our very own Hans Florine and his climbing partner Yuji Hirayama as they absolutely decimated their own previous record for fastest climb up the Nose of El Capitan. In June, the two did this spectacular feat in a breathtaking 2 hours, 43 minutes and 33 seconds, but resting on their laurels was not going to happen.

The new record, an even more jaw-dropping 2 hours, 37 minutes and 5 seconds came as the two men battled the cold, gravity and themselves on October 12. The ascent up El Capitan, specifically the nose route, would take normal climbers three full days of climbing, resting and climbing again to complete. Hans and Yuji, two of the best speed-climbers in the entire world, managed to pack all of that climbing with none of that resting and demolish their record by a full 6 minutes.

Check out the video of some of their climb, it's not to be missed and a great indication of just how talented both of these men really are. Congrats Hans, congrats Yuji!
(Image: Michael Maloney/The Chronicle)

Labels: El Capitan, Hans Florine, New Record, The Nose, Yosemite

  ¶ Monday, October 20, 2008 0 Comments

  Yosemite Facelift Coming Soon Yosemite Facelift is a five-day volunteer clean-up of Yosemite National Park. Volunteers meet a the booth in front of the Yosemite Visitor Center each day after 8:00am to sign up and receive cleaning supplies. Trash is brought back before 5:00 pm for weighing and sorting recyclables. Each participant receives a raffle ticket for each day they participate.

There will be a raffle at 5:00 pm every day at the booth except for Sunday's raffle, which will be at a thank you reception at the East Auditorium. The reception will include the raffle, free drinks, food and live music with the Jonathan McEuen Band.

This event is organized by the Yosemite Climbing Association, a non-profit dedicated to preserving Yosemite's climbing history. You can find more info at: www.yosemiteclimbing.org

Labels: climbing, community, event, Yosemite

  ¶ Tuesday, September 02, 2008 0 Comments

  A Climbing Taxonomy Our non-climbing friends are still confused. So here are the kinds of climbing again:

Free climbing does not mean soloing (without ropes). “Free” means not aid. When we free climb, we climb the rock without pulling or stepping on any equipment--pitons (does anyone use pitons anymore?), cams, slings, or whatever, to make forward progress. The rope, harness and gear are there for backup against falls.

Aid climbing is the opposite of free climbing. Here the climber puts nuts, cams, or other gear into the rock and then actively uses that gear for forward progress. When climbing was in its early days, this was the only way people could climb long, hard walls like those in Yosemite. Now lots of those aid routes have been freed.

Bouldering is short, hard climbing with a bouldering pad and a spotter, but no ropes and no other safety gear. It’s safest when kept below the height you can comfortably jump down from (although lots of bouldering routes push this limit considerably.) Newcomers to climbing often think that because the bouldering walls are short, they must be easier. Quite the contrary, the hardest climbing routes in the world are usually bouldering routes. What they lack in height they make up for in finger destroying, overhung intensity.

Solo climbing is climbing by yourself, either with or without gear.

Free soloing is climbing by yourself with no gear. Unfortunately, this seems to be what lots of non-climbers think climbing is.

Roped-soloing is climbing by yourself with gear placements and a rope and harness for backup.

Solo-aid climbing is climbing by yourself, using gear placements for forward progress.

Deep water soloing is climbing without a rope, harness, or gear (shoes are ok), over deep water. Falls mean big air, lots of screaming, and plunging into the surf or lake below.

Labels: climbing, Yosemite

  ¶ Monday, August 11, 2008 0 Comments

  Beth Rodden Refuses to Meltdown
The route follows a very thin finger crack for 45 feet then it switches to a discontinuous seam for the rest of the 70 foot, slightly overhanging route. Beth red pointed the route on placed, natural protection. In order to sprint up the route and place the gear as efficiently as possible, she carefully organized 8 tiny pieces of gear taped instead of clipped to her harness. Dedication got her through big fall potential, serious commitment, and piles of snow that needed shoveling at the base.

You can read an interview with Beth about this climb at climbing.com.

Labels: climbing, Yosemite

  ¶ Friday, April 04, 2008 0 Comments

  Spare Change Giving to the American Safe Climbing Association

Members at Class 5 have donated over $210 this year in spare change to replace old and dangerous bolts and anchors. Dropping spare change into the plastic bucket near the register really adds up!

The American Safe Climbing Association works to return classic climbing routes to their original danger level by replacing deteriorating old fixed anchors, usually bolts, with modern camouflaged gear.

They have replaced over 4000 old bolts to date in Yosemite and many other areas throughout the U.S., mostly in the western states.

Class 5’s donations will replace from 20 – 40 bolts and anchors. That little bit of extra change will help make climbing a little bit safer. Thanks Class 5 members who have been so generous since every little bit helps.

Labels: class 5, climbing, community, Yosemite

  ¶ Monday, December 24, 2007 0 Comments

  Lyn Does Thriller Great Western Power Company manager, Lyn Verinsky, recently climbed one of the most classic boulder problems in Yosemite Valley, if not the world. Thriller, v10, climbs a gently overhanging wall in the heart of the Camp 4 boulders and is a climb that not only tests one's strength, but skill and determination as well.

Lyn began to try the climb in earnest last fall after seeing her friend, Robyn Puro (who also happens to be 5'2"), nab the second female ascent. After many days and hundreds of attempts, Lyn's hard work paid off this last Saturday. Nice work Lyn.


Here is a video of her send:
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Labels: climbing, concord, Diablo Rock Gym, Great Western Power Co., oakland, staff, Yosemite

  ¶ Wednesday, November 21, 2007 0 Comments

  Art Auction Gala

About the event:
This year they have work from Galen Rowell, Michael Frye, Glen Denny, Ansel Adams (a rare signed poster), Jerry Dodrill, Greg Epperson, and many other well-known artists. The event is becoming a showcase for top adventure photographers. They will also have several works available for a prize drawing. They hope you decide to join them for this fun and worthwhile event, it is a great opportunity to buy amazing artwork at a reasonable price for a good cause.
The Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite Valley hosts the event each year. The work will be hanging from the morning of November 8th until the evening of Friday the 9th. The gala reception and silent auction's final bids occur from 5:00-6:30pm on Friday. It is a festive night with food, wine, and a great mix of park locals, climbing heavies, art collectors and the general public.

To see a selection of the work, visit:
www.smugmug.com/gallery/1936467
This site will be updated frequently.

A little about YCA:
YCA's goal is to preserve the park's climbing history and interpret it for the public. They are non-profit and are a designated NPS park partner. They are currently working towards a climbing museum and library within the Yosemite Valley visitor's center. The money raised goes towards housing and cataloging our burgeoning collection of historic items, acquiring new items, and interpretive programs. It also helps them organize the biggest annual park wide cleanup in Yosemite's history. This year they cleaned up a record 20 TONS of garbage! To find out more check out their website: www.yosemiteclimbing.org. They have had a lot of press this year, including ABC news and National Geographic.

Labels: climbing, community, Yosemite

  ¶ Tuesday, November 06, 2007 0 Comments

  Chop, Flare, and Grind Why crack climbers consume more athletic tape than an NFL team doctor.

There are old, classic cracks in Yosemite with deceptively low grades like 5.7 and 5.9 that regularly reject seasoned gym and sport climbers. The whining and protesting can be heard all over the valley. “How can that thing be 5.7 - I can’t even get off the ground on it!” and “These grades are sandbags!”

There are a couple of special techniques that, once mastered, will make that route feel like it’s graded right. But without them, it might as well be a 5.13.

On a blank wall of glacier polished granite, the only usable feature might be a narrow, parallel sided crack. Inside the walls of the crack there will be little irregularities where it gets narrower, turns a bit, or widens up.

To climb such a crack under your own power (versus aiding it):

1. Pretend you’re making a “karate chop” with your hand and slot it into the crack pinky down just above one of those constrictions.

2. Twist your hand, flaring your elbow up and out to the side of the crack.

Alternately you can slot your fingers into the crack thumbs down and tuck your elbow down to your side to lock it. Now as you cam your fingers into the narrow bit, feel around and find the sweet spot where two, three, or four fingers seem to naturally fit and settle in most securely. It might even only allow one finger—just be careful and don’t rip it off.

3. Ensure the edge of the crack in grinding into the fleshy parts of your fingers between the knuckles.

Pain is good here—that means you’re getting a good lock. This is why crack climbers consume more athletic tape than an NFL team doctor.

4. Hold the positioning of that hand as much as you can as you pull down with your back and shoulders, find footholds, and smear your way up.

5. Once you’ve reached a bit of stability and you can extract one of your hands, pull it out carefully, reach up, find another tight spot in the crack, and repeat.

Spend some time down on the ground experimenting with how your fingers will lock into the confines of a crack, and getting used to pulling on them

Labels: climbing, tips, Yosemite

  ¶ Monday, October 29, 2007 0 Comments

  Yosemite Facelift
For five days in this fall, the Yosemite Climbing Association will once again sponsor a Yosemite-wide cleanup to benefit the park and help restore high use areas after the busy summer season. The goal is an intensive cleaning of all areas in the park before the winter rains set in. This will include roadways, the river corridor, trails, parking areas, campgrounds, climbing areas, and lodging areas.

Meet the YCA in front of the Visitor Center between 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM from September 26th to September 30th, to pick up trash bags and litter sticks. Bring your trash back for weighing and sorting by 5:00 p.m. Signing in and weighing your collection at the end of the day helps us track our progress, reach the most area and create revenue for the Park.

Show up early for assignments, or if you already have a route for the day, sign up, grab a trash bag, and spend some time cleaning the area you are enjoying. If you can’t be there at 8:00 AM, show up when you can, every little bit will help. Each participant receives a raffle ticket for every day they participate. Hundreds of prizes will be raffled off at a special reception for all participants on September 30.

Last year, 1,157 participants donated 9,256 hours, collect 25,000 pounds of trash, valued at $166,970 by the NPS. Thanks to this effort, the NPS presented Ken Yager with the Yosemite Award. Help us make the YCA Yosemite Facelift an even greater success this year.

For more info, contact Ken Yager.

Labels: climbing, community, event, Yosemite

  ¶ Friday, September 21, 2007 0 Comments

  New Managers Current Touchstone Concord manager, Lyn Verinsky will be taking the helm at the Great Western Power Company, the seventh Touchstone gym in the greater Bay Area, when it opens this fall. Lyn has worked with the company since 2003, first as desk staff at Class 5 and Berkeley Ironworks, then as manager of Class 5 and Touchstone Concord.

An avid climber since her first time on the wall at Ironworks in 2001, Lyn has embraced the climbing lifestyle and has tried to take as many road trips as her job and 11 year old son allow. Most recent adventures include a winter trip to Hueco where, as she laughingly says, "I had an amazing time getting spanked by the powerful climbing." Fontainbleau, Yosemite Valley and Squamish top her list of favorite climbing spots, though she also has a fondness for local crag Mortar Rock.

Taking over as head honcho at Concord is long-time desk staff Andrew Descalso. Andrew was one of the first members of Touchstone Concord when it opened almost five years ago and has worked the desk since 2004. Andrew has a love of bouldering that has survived even an ankle break while climbing at the Druid Stones in 2005. His most recent climbing accomplishment was a proud send of the infamously hard Ironman Traverse in the Buttermilks this last winter. Highballs and mantels are Andrew's greatest nemeses, but he has a weakness for adorable and friendly canines. One description of Andrew can be found on the yelp website reviewing Touchstone Concord: "Andrew . . . is fabulously helpful, not to mention easy on the eyes!"

Labels: concord, Diablo Rock Gym, Great Western Power Co., oakland, staff, Yosemite

  ¶ Friday, August 31, 2007 0 Comments