Resting at Camp 4, Shitty Weather, Shiloh Jones

---

Arriving at Camp 4 late in the day, it was unsurprisingly full. So I headed out on 140 down the Merced River and parked along the side of the road for the night. Actually I had to head out all the way to the valley to "activate" my phone for the local towers, but that's a long story.

The next morning I waited in line to register at Camp 4. I've stayed here plenty of times before, so I knew the routine. After moving my food and toiletries to the bear locker at my site, I embarked on the Upper Yosemite Falls trail, 3500 feet up, 3.5 miles long. It was strenuous but I actually found it easier to do than in the past, since I'm in better shape now. At the top it started to snow, and I was still in my gym tank top. I scarfed down my sandwich and fruit and prepared to get the hell out of there, when I met a couple of cool dudes from Rancho Cucamonga- Justin and Kurt. Cool guys- we hiked down together and had some good laughs. Justin is funny and outgoing, Kurt didn't talk much. At the bottom Justin gave me his business card and we parted ways. At my site there were the usual suspects of climbers. I met a few, including a German couple from Munich (Betti(na) and Fabian). Met so many people here but this always happens at Camp 4 and there's no one I really need to remember individually. Let's see, just off the top of my head there was Julian , Patricia, Skylar, Joel, et al. No one I'll talk to again I presume- I don't climb rocks. Fun enough to just hang out with around the fire in the evenings.

The weather rolled in. The next 36 hours it was either rain or wet snow. For that reason, the first two nights at Camp 4 I didn't even set up my tent, but rather slept in my comfy and dry truck. No point in getting the tent all wet.

The night I did finally set up my tent I got a little too drunk and got in a nice tussle with some violent asshole named Shiloh Jones. In a nutshell, I sat in his chair, and the next thing I know he flips out and knocks me out of it. I only remember wrestling with the guy for a moment before he threw me to the ground (no punches were thrown). I didn't really have any strength or focus, being drunk, and also I wasn't exactly prepared to fight with someone, this being a sneak attack. Rangers got involved and he got cited and I was relocated (just for that night) to another campsite (which was a fabulous spot, ignoring the circumstances). The rangers assigned Shiloh the blame, but in retrospect I have to admit I had probably gotten a little too rowdy, so maybe I should help Shiloh pay some of the citation, to share the blame. But of course, since he's a violent asshole as previously stated, I'm going to let him cover the entirety. Lesson of the day: only drink around people you've known for at least 48 hours.

One more night of Camp 4, a little slacklining, and another ascent of the now snow covered Upper Yosemite Falls (Glacier Point 4-mile trail was closed halfway up), a few more new faces and names (couple of climber dudes from Quebec), and I was pretty well tired of Yosemite Valley. I had accomplished my main goal- my neck was almost fully healed. Time to move on.

---

Photos

yosemitehalfdome
Yosemite Valley with Half Dome in the background. About 1/3 of the way up Upper Yosemite Falls trail.

yosemitefalls
Yosemite falls, from the Upper Yosemite Falls trail

backdownupperyosemitetrail
Looking back down the trail from the top.

fallsfromabove
At the top, looking down on upper yosemite falls.

treacherous stairs
The treacherous stairs from the falls platform.

meatthetopof upperyosemitefallstrail
A picture of yours truly at the top of the Upper Yosemite Falls trail.