Always Upwards: Heaven's At 9,000 Feet

The past few weeks I have spent some quality time climbing and living near Tioga Pass at the "9,000 foot bivy", a spot I have used for years to avoid the mayhem of camping in Yosemite National Park. Even on days I didn't have a partner I could access awesome trad, sport, and alpine rambling from this beautiful spot.

Liana and Lucho enjoying a beautiful morning at the 9,000 bivy

Just up the road from the bivy is the the Private Property Cliff, a unique swath of gold granite littered with holds of all types. Many of my friends in the area spend shady afternoons sending rope stretching pitches on this inspiring wall. Days usually start with a romp in T-Meadows and end at the PP Cliff fighting for the chains on the latest project. I hit that groove for a few days between less relaxed (which means more relaxed!) objectives in the high Sierra. I also scrambled up the NE ridge of North Peak on a rest/sick (the flu in Cali...how does that work?) day from this point.

Mike Collins savoring the flavor of climbing at the PP cliff (Dan M. photo)

James Lucas weathers an altitude related motivation problem...life at 9 grand ain't easy!

Whenever I arrive for a stint at the 9,000 bivy I always am happy to run into the same great people. Dan McDevitt, a fixture around Yosemite for many years, is assured to be there, his genuine love of climbing and the Sierra always as refreshing as the crashing creek that flows through the campsite. Lucho Rivera might be on his tailgate, waiting for the shade to fall over the afternoon project or resting for another bout on a rad route on the Hulk. New faces always emerge, each one as friendly as the next. Old friends pull in and out as they journey in this land of granite. Big thanks to all the kind folks that hang with me during my stints there!