This ride report isn't really about the ride, although I was on the bike for one of my 4 trips to Yosemite this last week and a half. Also, if you're expecting beautiful pics of Yosemite, you'll be disappointed. I'm just excited about what I witnessed and wanted to share. If you're inspired by athleticism and the competitive spirit, like I am, then please read on.
I was assigned to photograph two rock climbers attempt to break the speed record for climbing the 2,900 foot vertical granite rock called El Capitan. The record was a mind boggling 2 hours and 45 minutes on a route that takes most climbers 4-5 days to complete. Needless to say, the climbers Hans Florine and Yuji Hirayama are two amazing athletes.
I drove up to Yosemite to meet them prior to a practice climb. Yuji had just arrived from Japan the afternoon before the climb and was still suffering from a lack of sleep and jet lag but they needed this practice climb to get familiar with the route and each other since they hadn't climbed together in over six years. And, most importantly, they place their lives in each other's hands (literally) throughout the climb. They were hoping to do the practice climb in six hours...it only took them less than five.
So, after two days rest, they were ready to attempt to break the record. Starting early in the morning to avoid the heat of the late afternoon sun, they took off or rather up. Yuji always led, his strength and speed and willingness to take risks contrasted well with Hans' ability to not only keep up but also clean up the equipment they needed to ascend the rock. And most importantly, it was Hans' task to be the anchor should Yuji slip and fall.
!st attempt - 3 hours and 28 minutes
2nd - 2 hours and 47 minutes, just 2 minutes off the record!
3rd (and final attempt because Yuji had to fly back home the next day) - see bottom of post.
Following are some of the photos I took to document their efforts. I made a total of 4 trips to Yosemite, just one of them on my bike. The equipment I had to carry was just too much for a comfortable ride on the bike and by the end of the day, I was just too tired to safely ride back home.
Entering Yosemite Valley from the northwest entrance, you are greeted with this classic view. That's El Capitan on the left and Half Dome further in the valley. Note how steep El Capitan is!
To cover this story, I had to carry a huge lens and tripod and other assorted camera gear. I took the bike once but decided as much fun as it was to ride to Yosemite, it was much more pratical to cage it. That's Bridal Veil Fall in the background.
You can't see them, but Hans and Yuji are climbing El Capitan in this shot that gives you some perspective on just how tall the granite wall is.
The early morning sun is reflected off the top of the rock.
Yuji and Hans look up at the base of El Capitan. Yuji is 39 years old, Hans 44.
Their equipment choices are carefully calculated - they don't want to carry too much weight to slow them down.
Hans on the lower section of the climb.
That's me in the white shirt behind my lens in the center. (Photo courtesy of Tom Evans) I used a 600mm lens with a 2X converter giving me a focal length of 1200mm which on the Canon Mark III is a 1560mm lens...still not long enough for this type of photography!
Hans casts a cool shadow as he motors up the rock wall.
His wife and daughter watch and yell encouragement from the valley floor.
Yuji swings through the air, 1,000 feet above the valley floor in a move called the pendulum. This dangerous swing is made to traverse a slick, unclimbable section of the wall. The rock formation above them is called Boot Flake.
Hans works his way past the Great Roof - almost to the top at this point.
Success! 2 hours and 43 minutes! A new record.
I did some hiking/climbing up alongside El Capitan to meet the climbers as they were coming back down on the last day and my legs are really feeling the effort!
I did have 3-4 lenses in there but the 600 was in a bag, strapped to the passenger seat. If you look at the bike photo, you'll see the bag containing the 600 along with two camera bodies. Also strapped on top of that is my laptop computer since I had to send photos back to my paper. My tripod wrapped in foam is strapped to the top of the Pelican case.
