The Fire Near Yosemite

So as many people know there is a HUGE fire near Yosemite, but as of this morning it is 40% contained! Today Joel and I drove into Mariposa to get the internet and power, since we have been without power for 6 days! We recieved power 2 days ago for a couple hours then it went out and yesterday for a couple more hours and now we might not get power until tomorrow! Crazyness!!
But today Joel and I drove by where the fire had been and it is still going behind the ridges that we passed. But we saw a helicopter fly out of the river gorge and one fly into it! It was so cool! The pilots have to be amazing at what they do!!
So here a short video of one of the helicopters and more pictures to come from Joel's camera! The video ends short because Joel wanted me to take pictures with his camera, so I stopped the video.

More from here

Last Light on half dome.

We took a group to Olmstead Point to watch the stars and have a bible study. 

The next few photos are from a hike up Mono Pass. The flowers were amazing and  the views are even better.

water over moss

Happy little Hoppers oh the fun....

Infrared

At the base of the trail the flowers were growing like crazy. these are beautiful and have a great smell.

The last remains of the Dana Glacier

Flowers growing in the few dirt spots along the trail up Dana

Flowers near the top of Dana

Lake where the Dana Glacier used to be.

Half way up Mt. Dana

High Altitude Groundhog (Marmot) on Mt. Dana

A bear-proof dumpster 

Kry getting started on a small highball problem on a trip to the Buttermilks in Bishop.

Topping out

Diana

Morning over Halfdome

The Latest from Yos

Huge parts of Cali are burning and it had the Valley and everything up top clogged with smoke for days.

California Burning

El Cap

We went to Clark Canyon with some friends to sport climb the other day. It was our first day clipping bolts since we got out here and I'm not even close to as strong as I was a couple months ago. We did several routes and i managed to hurt the tendon in my left hand again.. not too bad though i stopped and seems like it will be just fine.

Krystina

Some really cool roots and my little wife.

Leaving Clark Canyon

Baby Snatchers.... 

The last belay on top of Daff Dome in Toulumne. This big boulder was left on its precarious perch when the glaciers receded from the high country.

Krystina at the last belay of West Crack 5.9. 

Krystina heading up the first pitch of West Crack 5.9 in Toulumne. 

We were bouldering one day and this little fellow just came walking right past up.. the animals here are so tame its crazy.

Lauren and Krystina

Paul enjoying the view from the start of the climb where we spent most of the day. So, A couple weeks ago Paul and I decided to climb The Leaning Tower. We made it up the horrible approach and to the base of the climb just in time to sit and wait on a party that was waiting on another party to bail. we sat for the whole day and finally realized we were not going to be able to make it to the bivy ledge before night so we hung the bags and left. We came back and were climbing by 730 the next morning. I led the first two pitches and then Paul started heading up. Turns out Paul hadn't jugged steep rock before and by the time he made it to the belay he was totally dead... so we ended up having to bail which was quite a feet since the rock is so overhung. It was a fun experience none the less and I will be back.

The "Pig" at the point where we turned around on our attempt of the Leaning Tower. If you look right in the center of the frame you can see Paul jugging the line up to the anchors.

We went to San Francisco for the weekend and hung out with a bunch of friends.

I thought these were the coolest Jellies because the way they magnified the rocks they were sitting on...

Magnifying Jellyfish...

Some of the girls in the tribe trying to all fit into one camera.

ok so these are two sappy "pine cones"

Paul Goofing off on the San Fran Bridge.

El Cap. We went into the valley with Bryce and Spesh to watch an attempt to break the speed record on the Nose. The day we were there the team climbed the 3,000+ft in  2 Hours 47 Mins. They missed the record by just about two mins. they came back a couple days later to beat the record by about two mins making them for at least a while the fastest team to climb the Nose. This route takes most parties 2-5 days to climb and it was amazing watching them fly up this huge piece of granite. 

Middle Cathedral 

Middle Cathedral sits directly across from El Cap and is one of my favorite walls in the Valley.

Bryce and Spesh in El Cap Meadow.

Middle Cathedral, Central Pillar of Frenzy.

Bryce, El Cap Meadow

We spent the morning in the meadow watching these two guys blaze up El Cap.

The Boot Flake on The Nose. There are climbers visible just below the heel of the boot...

The Great Roof on The Nose of El Capitan. If you look really closely under the roof you can see the climbers working up the arch toward the roof its self. 

Bryce and Spesh Ball off the PCT for a couple days in Yosemite and Birthday cake.