El Capitan 7569’
Sierra Nevada
Note: My GPS went haywire around Yosemite Falls, so elevation gain is likely overestimated and distance slightly underestimated.
Total Time: 13:30
Distance: 15.3 miles
Elevation Gain: 7060’
Crux: Class 1
Trailhead: Camp 4, full services
Companions: Holly, Cara and Steve Whittingham
I first started “peakbagging” the summer of 2011, after a springtime ascent of Mount Whitney in a record snow year, requiring crampons. I consider it my first real mountain, and have been chasing summits ever since, averaging about 100 new summits every year. So roughly 9 years later, I was closing in on the major milestone of 1000 peaks (based off my statistics on peakery.com), and was lucky enough to time it to when Cara and Steve were visiting our new home in the Sierras. After a more casual first day in Yosemite visiting Taft Point, Sentinel Dome and Turtleback, Cara and Steve were itching for a bigger day, perfectly lined up with peak #1000. The group was quickly on board for a day hike of El Capitan starting from Yosemite Valley, a roughly 14 mile day hike with about 4,000’ of elevation gain. We awoke before dawn and arrived at the trailhead parking lot across from Camp 4 a bit after 7 AM. We hiked through the desolate campground, shuttered due to COVID, and picked up the Yosemite Falls trail on the far side. This was my third trip up the Yosemite Falls trail, the first two as backpacks, and the stretch climbing through the forest to Columbia Rock took just as long as I remembered.
Shortly after the viewpoint, the trail briefly levels out and even descends a bit to the base of Upper Yosemite Falls, where we took our first short break of the day. The falls were in pretty weak shape for early July, and it looked like it would be completely dry by August after the below average snow year California had.
After our break, we started up the tedious switchbacks, the least enjoyable part of the day with the nearby falls creating increased humidity in the tight gully. As the trail swung away from and above the crest of the falls, we lost the humidity as well as the shade just in time for us to make the majority of our elevation gain for the entire day.
We took some short breaks on the switchbacks and one longer one when we re-entered the forest and shade of the trees. Our route to the summit of El Capitan now headed west around Eagle Peak and along the rim of the valley. Near roughly 7000’ of elevation, we were all impressed with the size of the trees in the forest, even passing one small subalpine meadow.
We passed the junction for Eagle Peak and I was surprised to see it was only a 0.3 mile side trip, making a note to tag it on the return. A quick start on the next 1000 peaks…
Rounding Eagle Peak we dropped into a gully where I expected to find water. We were running low, and it seemed like the best opportunity to refill before the summit. Finding none, we continued on along the rim, the views beginning to open up across the valley with peak-a-boo views of Half Dome around the face of Eagle Peak and the Three Brothers.
Expecting a dry descent back to Yosemite Creek, we were all pleasantly surprised to cross over an unmarked stream running over granite slab, and took the opportunity to recharge our waters for the final push to the summit.
The summit itself of El Capitan is rather unimpressive from the rim, only a few feet of prominence from Boundary Hill to the north and the monolithic cliffs of the mountain hidden from view below.
What the summit lacks in prominence (from the rim), it more than makes up for in views, with a spectacular vantage point up canyon towards Half Dome, the Clark Range serving as an impressive backdrop. Over our shoulder, we could see the summit of Mount Hoffman, as well as Hoffman’s Thumb, Holly and I having climbed it only a few days before. We found a spot in the shade of one of the larger pines to celebrate summit #1000, with a spread featuring a cold bottle of champagne, home made sandwiches and an artichoke jalapeño dip. Definitely stepping up our summit snack game.
We spent a solid hour at the summit before heading along the trail back the way we came towards Eagle Peak.
Steve was the only one interested in the side trip to the bonus summit, and the two of us cut off the trail at a high point above the gully instead of the junction itself, saving about 100’ of elevation descent and subsequent gain. The trail to the top of Eagle Peak wound through trees and boulders, topping out on a prominent and slightly exposed outcropping over the valley floor. Compared to El Cap, the view was actually slightly better, with more of a directly line of sight to the valley floor below, as well as a part of Upper Yosemite Falls.
We dropped off the summit to rejoin the girls, the descent taking a bit longer than the 0.3 miles would suggest. We found them waiting at a stream running east of Eagle Peak, and refilled our waters for the descent. We passed a surprising number of people on their way up to the top of Yosemite Falls; they would definitely need a headlamp for the return.
The leg pounding descent down the switchbacks wore us down, slowing our pace for the final mile past Columbia Point to the start. With limited food options in the park to celebrate, we headed to the Curry Village food trucks and enjoyed celebratory beers in the meadow near Church Bowl and the Ahwahnee before heading back to Coarsegold.