Stan leading La Cosita, left side, at the base of El Capitan. (Photo by David Nebel)
I have done a fair amount of climbing in Yosemite and Tuolomne. Highlights (5.6 to 5.10) are Snake Dike on Half Dome (twice: Sandy Kline; David Nebel). Arrowhead Arete (twice: Eric Craig; Rich Laver); Cathedral Southeast Buttress (Katie Larson), Royal Arches (twice: Rich Laver; Sandy Kline), East Buttress of El Capitan (Larry Dolecki), West Crack of Daff Dome (David Nebel), Hobbit Book (David Nebel), North Face of Fairview Dome (twice: Byron Lemay; Jim Koegel), Magical Mystery Tour (with Byron Lemay, David Nebel, Katie Larson), Nutcracker (Jim Koegel), Moby Dick (twice: Rich Laver; Byron Lemay), La Cosita Left Side (David Nebel), South Crack of Stately Pleasure Dome (twice: Rich Laver; David Nebel), and many others. Here is a sampling of photos.
My main mentors in the sport of rock climbing are Sandy Kline, David Nebel, and Rich Laver, and I forever grateful to these three for their enthusiasm on challenging climbs and teaching me the fine points of a superb sport. (And I am also grateful to Dick Burkhart, who got me started with climbs of Sahale, Rainier, and the north ridge of Mt. Baker, and a 5-day ski trip along the east side of Washington Pass, in 1972.)
High on Arrowhead Arete in Yosemite Valley. (Photo by Eric Craig)Sandy Kline, taken at base of Mt. Sir Donald with Avalanche Peak behind..David Nebel leading (we were two groups of two) the second pitch (5.8) of Magical Mystery Tour on Fairview Dome.Rich Laver on South Crack on Stately Pleasure Dome in Tuolomne Meadows.Rich Laver after the Pendulum Pitch on Royal Arches. The rotten log was still present when we climbed this. On my second climb of this route Sandy Kline and I free-climbed this 5.9 pitch.David Nebel at the summit of Mt. Whitney after he, John Hutchinson, and I climbed the spectacular East Face route in June 1983, descending the Mountaineer’s Route in deep snow.The beautiful face of the Hobbit Book in Tuolomne Meadows.David Nebel leading the crux pitch of the Hobbit Book. It is an exciting pitch as the only protection is a bolt a few feet above David. But the chicken heads are solid.Stan leading La Cosita, 5.7. (Photo by David Nebel)David Nebel leading one of the fantastic dike pitches on Snake Dike on Half Dome (5.7). This is one of the best climbs anywhere. I first did it with Sandy Kline. The bolts here are 75 feet apart, and there are 4 or 5 pitches like this.Larry Dolecki on the East Buttress of El Capitan. This is the easiest pitch on the route.
