Yosemite Days Part II (Conclusion!)

Continued from Part I

A short 3 hour drive and I was back...

I sought the Spaniards I had met on the Nose in camp that evening. I was happy to run into Ben and Peter back down from the wall. They had a large group indeed! Wives and family, a couple babies! This is our young friend we met on the wall! The crazy soloist! He wanted to join us if we'd let him! They had turned around as well a few days after they saw me from up high. The joke was something about Peter pooping too much- the story was they had to come down because there was no more room in the bucket they carried! The camp erupted in laughter.

Ben offered me a spot to stay with him if I liked, he was on his own and had just bought a new tent from the store and it was the biggest one they'd had. He couldn't fit one in his luggage on the plane coming out. I was also in time for dinner! I'd never really met anyone from outside the country before, but I felt immediately at home and happy to be here. We were here to climb and everyone was so friendly! It was exciting. I had entered another world I'd never found before.


Jumping the Gap on Cathedral Spire

I was part of the group! I soon forgot the troubles behind at home. Life was good! In exchange for loaning out my car to taxi the others around the valley and the use of my deluxe 2 burner camping stove, I had free meals, a climbing partner, and as much expensive cams and climbing gear as we needed. Yay!

My old stove. How I loved it till it finally died out!

A simple life - First a large breakfast. Then what were we going to climb today? We'd set off in groups for 3 or 4 or sometimes larger towards a new climbing objective each day- often doing short routes and single pitches nearby so we could climb together. The Church Bowl, The Five Open Books, Glacier Point. Royal Arches! Each day was a new adventure. Evenings were spent in a long hours around the campfire telling jokes and climbing stories, but don't get loud and wake the baby! A couple weeks passed quickly.

My First Car  +  Our Campsite & Preparing  More Adventures!

An Early Rappel on Royal Arches

 

I had called home. Mom and Dad knew I was in Yosemite. I think they were glad to hear I was so happy after everything again. Eventually Dad asked me about school. I would make it? I better. That was his car I was driving? Does Dad need to come get you? Are you being safe? Ugh. This was the last thing I wanted to think about. Everything was perfect here. Yes Dad I'll be there. I'm safe. Goodbye!

Everything seemed so perfect I hadn't hardly thought about anything else. The reality was this wouldn't go on forever though. I wasn't the only one thinking seriously- I hadn't forgotten my dream to climb a big wall, but neither had Peter. No one in camp had been successful on the walls this season. Someone needed to go! El Cap? Peter said El Cap was too big. The best climbers in the group had already failed on 2 routes up there this trip. We needed to do something smaller. We would send 2 teams so we had the best chance at success.

Two teams? I knew immediately I wanted to go! I stood up quickly moving towards Peter. I will go Peter! Send me! The rest of the group was quiet. Peter looked at me. Why should I send you Ryan? Because.. because I won't turn around. I'll keep going until we are finished. I won't give up!! I promise! I'll do it.

I was a stranger, maybe just a kid to them, but I was determined. Could they see that? I wanted another chance! Would he send me? He didn't say. Peter talked with some of the other climbers alone. Oh please pick me I thought! Finally he turned, "Ryan you will climb with Ben. Joe and I will be the other team. We are going to Washington Column. You get to climb your wall mate! One of us better do it this time!"

Washington Column

That night was a party in camp with a huge dinner around the campfire. My heart had leaped when Peter had told me I could go! I'd get another chance this year! I called home to tell Dad I would be on the wall again for a few days. School starts this week Ryan? I know, I'll make it! I got a chance to climb the wall with a team with my friends here! I'll call you when I'm down. Love you Dad!

We gathered all the gear we could from among the camp. Peter and Joe were going to climb the South Face and Ben and I were going to climb the Prow. I was surprised and excited to learn we would be doing the harder of the 2 routes, why not Peter? Maybe he thought the best chance was on the other? The pile of gear and carabiners we amassed was immense. I'd never seen anything like it. I'd never have enough money to afford all this on my own! How much did this cost? Ten thousand dollars maybe? We pooled all the gear from the camp to split between the teams, everyone giving suggestions to what we should bring- micro nuts, hooks, special small alien cams, and even a portaledge! I felt lucky now, this was something I probably wouldn't be able to do for years later on my own.

Joe testing out a portaledge

 When all was said and done we had mixed and borrowed gear from 8 different countries. A grand adventure indeed! We hauled the heavy loads in the next day together, sleeping at the base:

We set off on the climb soon the next morning, alternating leads with Ben starting. The first pitch went smoothly and we could see Peter and Joe were making good work on theirs' just off to our side!

I was up next to lead. This was different than the Nose! We had seemingly about three times as many cams as I could gather before, but the climbing was tricky! A thin crack lead up above a ledge. I placed a black alien wondering if I should bounce on it to test. I didn't own any small cams like this? Ben didn't think it was a good idea. Okay I eased onto the small piece gently eyeing the ledge below. Better hold! I continued placing more small cams after being unable to get a nut to stick.

Starting up my first lead on the Prow!

It wasn't as exposed as El Cap, but the climbing seemed a lot trickier. There were weird old nuts called copper heads previously hammered into the rock with rusty fraying wires sticking out. We knew we weren't supposed to bounce test these because we didn't have anymore to replace on our own. We would have to trust what was there. The fraying wires made me uneasy each time I moved past. At least the hauling was easier on the steep wall. We had only packed 3 days of food and supplies this time.

I learned Ben was an engineer for a cell phone company back home. He showed me one of the newest ideas his company was working on- they were building a camera into a cell phone combo. I'd never heard of this. He said it would be the big thing someday and showed me a prototype only company employees had, wasn't out yet? The pictures look like crap though? Why would anyone ever want that when you could have a real camera? I laughed a few years later when I finally got a cell phone and it came with a crappy camera built in. Nowadays a funny afterthought!

We had planned to climb 8 hours a day, but we had underestimated the awkwardness of the steep aid pitches proving trickier this time than anything I'd tried before. There was just very little to stand on in general. The harness dug into my hips at the anchors while we stood atop the haul bag. We were anything, but efficient, classically epic- stacking the ropes over again and untangling and organizing everything it seemed endlessly in the process of toiling upward mobility. At least we had a lot of cams! These were the longest belay duties I'd ever been on- sitting at the anchor for 3-4 hours while we switched turns finagling the leading duties.

This time the route was almost exclusively aid climbing up the vertical to slightly overhanging wall- thin cracks and seams. I found the climbing terrifying- never having trusted anything so small to hold my weight before and the copperheads seemed like ticking time bombs. Every time I hesitantly stepped my weight onto a new one inevitably staring at the frayed wires, I couldn't help but imagine what if it pinged out from underneath and I fell into the air below? How far would I fall before one of these pieces was good enough to catch me? I wouldn't know till it happened though? Nothing else to do, when it was my turn, I continued on little by little focusing on the next move in front of me.

 We reached a decent ledge as darkness came again and decided to get the portaledge out. We knew Peter and Joe had reached theirs' hours before shouting up encouragement!

It immediately proved awkward setting up the portaledge, even on the ledge. We finagled each adjustment point one at a time so it was close to level and and then both climbing on to balance things -swinging back and forth teeter tottering whenever one of us moved around much! Finally we were on and eating dinner. It had been a long day and a test against our comfort zones, but it felt like a success so far. Neither of us had fallen! We were going to do this!

 I slept on the outside of the hanging 2 person cot; perhaps slightly better- offering more room, but closer to the edge. It was surprisingly awkward with 2 people on the inward sloping cot, separated by the fin of a canvas divider, we slept squeezed head to toe. I was tired though and had no problem going to sleep, undoing the leg loops of my harness for comfort.

Ben waking up on the ledge

The next day was punctuated, while during my belay duties, we watched a climber descending the North Dome Gully below suddenly tumble end over end with a haul bag down the steep slabs. There was nothing we could do. We shouted to the ground! Someone was going for help okay?! Eventually the red and white rescue helicopter arrived hoisting the climber from the gulley on a long cable. I wondered if he was okay? We didn't know. I vowed this would not be us! An article written up later exclaimed he had slipped and fallen because he was wearing the heavy haul bag, but lived because the bag had cushioned his fall- bouncing and landing on it at the end!

A long day.. We continued on dealing with the constant cluster of gear. It did seem to get easier after a while. I bartered with Ben to switch out lead duties on one of the long pitches. The long string of copper heads visible from the anchor spooked me. I offered to lead something else later if he didn't want to! He didn't mind.

Ben Leading

Nearing dusk we heard shouts from Peter and Joe at the base of the wall. They were hiking out on the ground! What had happened?? They shouted out to us to keep going! Now we really had to make it! We felt a new sense of urgency pushing us on up the wall!

We continued on into the dark this time one more pitch! We had to do at least 4 pitches today! We had only done 3 yesterday! I continued up the last section for the day. Finally we were setting up the portaledge again. It proved seemingly impossibly frustrating in the dark with absolutely nothing to stand on for our feet against the vertical wall. We got all the poles laced together, then the ledge was us up, but terribly lopsided! I eyed my rope tie in knot thinking how far would I fall if I tumbled off as we flipped it back and forth adjusting the things? It was sure easier when there was something to stand on! Finally 16 hours later we had finished for the day!

Me getting ready to go the next morning

Day 3- I followed a thin diagonal crack up to the right. This time I called down to Ben to send me the micro nuts up on the haul line. It was too thin to use cams! I hoped the piano wire thin nut would hold. I continued on towards a bolt, finally reaching high off a copperhead. My insides spun as just after clipping into the bolt gravity dropped beneath me with the copper head I was standing on popping from the wall. I took a short stiff fall onto the bolt against the daisy chain ugh!

We hadn't brought enough water. Where had it gone? We had used some the first day and night huffing the large packs to the base. We had got to get to the top today and this time it was 5 pitches! Retreating didn't look particularly easy. No, we were all in now just keep moving! We were in agreement. There wasn't much left for discussion at this point.

I wanted to succeed, but I started to feel over it mentally. This was suffering indeed! It was as if this had all been one infinitely long day that just keeps going on! No, we couldn't quit though. Part of me really wanted to be done now, maybe even back in the school classroom! There was no where else to go though? Ben knew I was ready for a break and took the next 2 pitches. I sat silently contemplating at the long belay, what would I do when we were back down? We had rationed it carefully, but finally we had now ran totally out of water. I fought pulling and kicking at the haul bag as it got stuck in cracks and little overhangs while Ben heaved it up the wall. We aren't done yet!

Ben's Hands

He was ready to be done too! Dusk approached, it was my turn. Was I always stuck with the night leads? Eyeing the odd crack above, I decided we should best dig my free climbing shoes from the pack just in case. Scrambling up through the wide crack in the darkness encumbered by all the gear and ropes proved awkward indeed! I was very thirsty now. I don't think I've ever been so thirsty before! At least we had snacks left to eat- although I didn't feel very hungry either at the moment.

Again fighting with the bags ugh! Help Ben! Heave!! 1, 2, 3, Go! One more pitch? It looked like free climbing again by an odd flake from the anchor. There was a bolt up there somewhere? I took off again feeling exhausted, but carrying a renewed sense of energy knowing we were now going for the top! A few odd aid climbing moves and I was able to scramble some- seemingly done with the difficult climbing. The hauling was easier than the last yes! Ben followed quickly this time scrambling up and over to the top and yarding on the rope to help heave the bags past. He lead one more short section, dragging the bags to the top and finally I arrived, It was 3 AM! We had climbed for 20 hours! Feeling desperate we searched the summit for any left over water cache! We found a 2 liter bottle wedged down in a crack. Is that water? It was yellow or green in color under the headlamp? Hope it's not pee! Smell it! It was some kind of sugary Gatorade or lemonade mix yes! We both pounded a large swig, then put it down down. Small sips would get us through the night! We would certainly be camping here till morning.

Made it!

We took a couple victory pictures. We had done it! We climbed a big wall! Yes we made it! I felt exhausted from the long day. We rolled out our sleeping bags in the nearest flat spot we found.

Morning- we loaded up the haul bag, ugh poop tube!, portaledge, ropes, and climbing hardware. My God this gear is crushingly heavy! We'd finished off the lemonade drink that morning. Still so thirsty again! I stumbled hunched forward under the weight of the heavy bag. Luigi and I had done North Dome descent before on a previous climbing adventure from Royal Arches (for our pendulum training :P). I knew what was ahead- also distinctly remembering the falling climber a few days ago! (What had happened to him?) We traversed carefully across above the steep slabs resting frequently under the heavy weight. I had the haul bag and Ben awkwardly had the 2 ropes, portaledge, and some of the climbing gear. At one point I slipped on the brushy hillside- a bit tipsy finally laying down on top the bag against the hill. "We aren't even to the bad part yet!" I didn't finish this climb to die on the hike down, I thought? "That's it Ben, I'm leaving this gear under a rock somewhere."

He understood, but wasn't too keen on the idea of leaving what didn't belong to us. We'll come right back tomorrow or the next day with help? I don't care if the bears eat it or someone takes it somehow. If we lose all of it, I'll have to give up the car? I didn't really have anything else valuable so it made sense to me. I was ready to be down and I couldn't get the picture of the tumbling climber out of my head.

Without the weight of the gear we moved seemingly 4 times quicker now, carrying just the portaledge and rope. Finally, after scrambling down the loose gully through 4th class, we were through the technical part and rounding back around the base where we had started. There was Peter, Joe, and Simon! They had been watching us now via binoculars and knew we were coming down this morning and they had water! Give me the water!! I quickly pounded a 2 liter bottle within a few minutes. Nothing tastes as delicious as water when you haven't had it for a long time (by days end I would drink 6 liters or 12 lbs of water)! We told Peter where we had hidden the gear and he and Simon headed back up to find it. I hadn't been so happy to see friends before in as long as I could remember! We had done it! I felt a huge relief with some water on board and knowing all seemed okay now. Thank God!

Me in my Vans finally back on the Valley floor

We had an afternoon lunch on the Pizza deck. Mom had called the rangers again while I was on the wall telling them "He's on the Washington Column and he's late!" There was a note left for me at camp to talk to the rangers and call home. This had taken longer than I thought it would, 5 days now getting up and down! School was starting today! I called home. I'm okay! You're not staying there are you? Yes I'm tired! I need to finish up things here with my friends. I'll stay tonight. I know school has started! I'll be there when I can!

That night was a party and dinner in camp around the campfire like we hadn't before. Eating and drinking as much as we wanted! We'd done it! I'd found my adventure, faced the unknown, made some new friends, and climbed a big wall like the real climbers! We hadn't let our friends down! I was content as I'd ever felt surrounded by my new found climbing family. Peter was happy too, though they had got stumped somehow by an aid climbing move up there and Joe wasn't feeling well; so they had come back down. He was glad we had kept going and wished he could have been with us! Next year they'd be back for El Cap!

The night was punctuated by a funny moment in the tent when Ben and I awoke looking for the ropes and harnesses. We're not tyed in?! Oh no we're not tied in? Oh were in the tent!?! Peter awakened nearby through the thin tent walls in camp started laughing. Soon several others in the camp were too. They think they are still on the wall! Poor boys! Hah! We must have been a little traumatized from the wall sleeping close again in the enclosed space of the tent like we had on the portaledge! We were safe.

The next day we finished packing, and sorting gear as I readied to drive back to school in my dirty climbing clothes to meet Dad and get settled into the dorm, rejoining a few high school pals. None of them would really understand where I had been. I was sad leaving the valley and my new friends, but I had found a new happiness and belonging in my adventures there. This time I said a real goodbye to my new friends, I knew they would always be my brothers if we met again. I was so glad I had gotten a chance on the wall!


I was 2 days late for school, but I made it ;)

They'd later interview me at the school assembly about my climb.

I found a part time job working at the college climbing wall in the evenings and teaching others to climb during weekends outdoors at Mt St Helena with the Outdoor Club.

Dad found me a summer job next summer working at a church camp in Yosemite taking kids climbing and backpacking. They would send me the following year off to Certified Guide Education with the AMGA in Colorado.

I met my first girlfriend, Ann Reynolds, a horse wrangler at the camp, and soon taught her to climb too. She still does today and now is working at NOLS in Lander, WY.

Within a year I dropped Business School for Nursing after a late night discussion in the Bishop Hot Ditch hearing the tales of adventures from a climber nurse!



Eventually I found a position with Yosemite Search and Rescue and then one day finally had to leave the long Yosemite summers behind to find new experience and become a nurse.





There are few moments in time I wish I could go back to. That season is one of them. The perfect summer. Innocent and simple times. Yosemite and memories of climbing friends and adventures will always be very dear to me. Writing these memories down inevitably brought up an occasional tear.


I never became a super tough or uber strong climber, but I've always kept on climbing- coming and going a few times over the years taking on new challenges with many grand adventures, including a few returns to El Cap. It's never quite been as exciting as the spark I first found! Climbing and the crazy world of friends and adventures was there for me in an important time in life and will remain. I've done my best to bring you along  for part of my story, thanks for reading.




Ryan Tetz is a Climber, Adventurer, & still a Big Dreamer. He did move to Bishop, California in 2010 where he now works as a nurse and currently lives in an infamous climber house known as the Zoo. Ironically spending the last hours of life with many patients now during his career.

He has kept a penchant for all kinds of new adventure and wishes he had time to do it all. He's never met that girl.

He returned to the Nose a few years later with a good partner and this time they did it in only one day!

In recent years he's ventured into new adventures in kiteboarding and ultra distance cycling.

Ryan misses Yosemite more than anywhere else, it seemed home in the best of times. He visits every summer and still tries to climb El Cap given the chance! Maybe one day he will find his way back again for a while longer ;)

  I'd still love to go back to the Nose and finish it solo wall style someday - For Grandpa

-Ryan