The American Alpine Club 2016 International Climber's Meet

Hello All,
Although anyone can look at this forum and post, the point of this forum is for participants of the AAC ICM to connect with other participants for carpooling, climbing partners, and any other info.

Get psyched!

Taking the bus to Yosemite from the airport

There is a YARTS bus that runs from Fresno to Yosemite and Merced to Yosemite. yarts.com/

If you fly into Oakland or San Francisco you can take a Greyhound bus to Merced and then catch the Yarts bus to the Valley. greyhound.com/

anyone flying into SFO sunday 9/25 want to share a car to yosemite?

I'm looking forward to a great time, but don't have my travel plans down yet.

Hello,

Looking forward to meeting you guys. Adventures are waiting.

Don’t have travel plans yet either, however thinking of flying in SFO on Saturday, renting a car and getting to the Park the same day. Leave Sunday early morning to SFO.

Throwing here some climbs if anyone would be interested to do with me, but I am open to anything, even practice aid climbs on el Cap base. Will bring aid gear, with jumars, if necessary.

First days. These are the climbs to warm up. My first day climbing in the Valley usually sucks, so these should help with getting into the rhythm.

Church Bowl - Church Bowl Chimney 5.6, throw the top rope into the 5.8 open chimney right next to it, always fun to suffer in that one.
Church Bowl - Bishop’s Terrace 5.8
Five Open Books - Commitment 5.9, potential linkup with Selaginella 5.8
Manure Pile Buttress - Nutcracker 5.8
Higher Cathedral - Braille Book 5.8

Other climbs. I would prefer to do these after the warm up days.
Middle Cathedral - Pillar of Frenzy 5.9
Middle Cathedral - East Buttress 5.9 A0
Reed’s Pinnacle - Direct 5.10a
Reed’s Pinnacle - Lunatic Fringe 5.10c
Washington Column - South Face 5.8 C1
Higher Cathedral - Northeast Buttress 5.9
Cookie Cliff - Outer Limits 5.10c and do loops on TR
Cookie Cliff - Elevator Shaft?
El Cap - Freeblast first two pitches. If with strong and fast partner, maybe do full 10 pitches.
El Cap - Moby Dick 5.10a

Would love to get hands on these, but need stronger climber:
Royal Arches - Serenity Crack 5.10d with Sons of Yesterday 5.10a
Sentinel - Steck Salathe 5.9

If anyone would want to do Half Dome, NWRR, let me know as well. Attempted one day ascent before the rock fall, but had to bail from pitch 5, we were too slow. Not sure about the current condition, after the rock fall and if rivets were replaced.

Jan.

Carol Kotchek wrote:Hello All, Although anyone can look at this forum and post, the point of this forum is for participants of the AAC ICM to connect with other participants for carpooling, climbing partners, and any other info. Get psyched!

I wish there was specific info on the meet. Dates, location (Yosemite is big),schedule, etc.

I didn't see a link in the OP.

Excited to be coming to the meet and meeting everyone. Still have some logistics to work out and have some questions. I haven't been to the Valley for years and know traffic has boomed. Does it make sense to have a car or is it more hassel? Do the buses get to all the key places one might climb or is parkng an issue? This being the 100th anniversary of the park system, park traffic could be at a record.
Jan, your list is appealing to me save for most of the 5.10s. Also have a nostalgic desire to repeat Royal Arches. I did it last century.
Probably flying to SFO 9/25 and would entertain a car rental if the cost can be split 3-4 ways. I'll be coming from Boston.
Carol, beyond those who team up ahead of time, is there a plan/ process for pairing particpants with the locals takng part? My guess is the the more routes one has identified as targets would be helpful to the process.
Thanks all!
Wow!!
Peter

Peter Hodge wrote:Excited to be coming to the meet and meeting everyone. Still have some logistics to work out and have some questions. I haven't been to the Valley for years and know traffic has boomed. Does it make sense to have a car or is it more hassel? Do the buses get to all the key places one might climb or is parkng an issue? This being the 100th anniversary of the park system, park traffic could be at a record. Jan, your list is appealing to me save for most of the 5.10s. Also have a nostalgic desire to repeat Royal Arches. I did it last century. Probably flying to SFO 9/25 and would entertain a car rental if the cost can be split 3-4 ways. I'll be coming from Boston. Carol, beyond those who team up ahead of time, is there a plan/ process for pairing particpants with the locals takng part? My guess is the the more routes one has identified as targets would be helpful to the process. Thanks all! Wow!! Peter

Hello Peter,

I had the same concern, but having a car would be useful especially in case of early morning alpine start type of climbs (4 or 5am) either due to getting ahead of crowds or if the climb is little further out of campground. Parking shouldn't be an issue.

Haven't done Royal Arches, could be good idea for warm up, although long day.

Having a car will probably be a big help. Traffic has boomed of late, but midweek in late September the valley will not be incredibly crowded. Parking problems and traffic jams will be pretty minimal.

Per the above comment, Royal Arches is a fantastic warmup. If you are competent it goes quite quickly. I think I did it car to car in about 9 hours with a party of 3; for reference, none of the 3 of us were leading any harder than 5.8 so you don't have to be Superman to get it done and be down in time for beer!

Just thought I would mention that after checking flights from Boston or NH, that flights to Fresno were cheaper than flying to Oakland. Fresno is closer to the Valley, with a much smaller airport, and less stress.
There is a Yarts bus with transportation to the Valley.

Peter,
I am also planning to get into SFO that same day if you are interested in carpooling. Its definitely less for me to go SFO from east TN.

Hello everyone! Excited to be flying over to join you from the UK!

I'll be flying into SFO on Saturday 24th afternoon. Was thinking of hiring a car and driving over on afternoon of Sunday 25th. Flight back will be afternoon of Saturday 1st. Keen to share costs of this and driving as it looks like a few others are planning the same!

Won't be booking flights for a bit as need to sort out visa first (complicated :) ).

Let me know if you'd like to share the trip over?

My plan is to drive from salt lake to Yosemite on Sunday September 25th. Incoming from Salt Lake City Utah. Let me know if you want a ride.

for those flying in with gear. How are you planning to get your gear with you ship it? or check it?
anyone know a good place to ship gear ahead ?

I plan to bring my gear with me in my checked luggage. I've done this for previous ICMs as well as climbing trips to Mexico and Switzerland (from Canada), and not had a problem with it.

A couple years ago, IIRC, one person had their luggage delayed, and they managed to borrow a bunch of stuff from others.

It may be worth making sure that the minimum you need to climb (harness, shoes, maybe helmet) are in your carry-on, just in case.

thanks david. I am trying to make sure to have a decent layover just in case also.

benlariv wrote:My plan is to drive from salt lake to Yosemite on Sunday September 25th. Incoming from Salt Lake City Utah. Let me know if you want a ride.

Hi, if still possible I would appreciate a ride and would share in expenses. I have not made travel plans yet but I would plan on flying in the 25th and flying out the 2nd. Hopefully this coincides with your plans.
Many thanks,
Steve

Hello All,
I'm glad you are communicating and sharing rides.

Things are coming together for the event.

Those driving in will get park passes for the days that we are there, so you won't have to pay an entrance fee.

We have the auditorium scheduled for Sept 27th for Doug Robinson's slide show.

Don't have any concern about partnering with other participants. Almost everyone is coming solo, so all will be looking for partners. Plus we have our host climbers. No one is ever left out.

I will be sending out a group e-mail closer to the event, outlining our schedule and more on what to expect. Plus there will be an electronic waiver to sign.

Excited to meet all of you for another exceptional event!!

Jan Virt wrote: Sentinel - Steck Salathe 5.9 .

Your plan sounds great: nice slow warm up with ambitious routes involved. I would love to get on the stech salathe.

I'll be driving from SF and will have room in my Outback for 3 more people + gear. Send me a message if you're interested in carpooling together.

Stoked to be coming to the AAC meet. I've never been to Yosemite, so this will be a first for me.

I'm driving in an Outback from SF either 9/24 or, more likely, 9/25. If you are interested in catching a ride, let me know.

I'm also planning on staying in Yosemite for a few more weeks afterwards (likely until the end of October), so I'd love to hear from similar folks, so we can meet up and climb afterwards if not during the ICM.

Looking forward to meeting everyone at the meet.