The Caverns and Jamcrack
Sierra Nevada– Rock Climbing
Total Time: 6:10
Distance: 2.2 miles
Elevation Gain: 1000′
Crux: 5.9
Pitches: 6 (4 for Caverns, 2 for Jamcrack)
Protection: Double rack of cams #0.5-2 plus #3-5, set of nuts
Companions: Holly
Trailhead: Lower Yosemite Falls, full services
With temperatures and the Merced River rising quickly, our Yosemite Valley season was quickly coming to a close, but we hoped to get at least one more day to tick off some routes. A warm Saturday in May meant there would likely be crowds, and with a chance of afternoon thunderstorms, we didn’t want to get stuck on a multipitch behind a slow party. So after a good deal of debate, we decided to try The Caverns, a 4 pitch 5.8 in the Five Open Books area near Yosemite Falls. Overshadowed by nearby Munginella and Commitment, we would likely have the route to ourselves with a walk off should the weather turn in the afternoon. Due to a number of single lane sections along the 41 from road damage, we got a bit later start than I had hoped. There were a number of groups racking up in the Yosemite Lodge parking lot, although all were headed for either Munginella or Commitment, leaving the Caverns all for us.
Yosemite Falls was thundering ahead as we started our approach, hooking off the popular trail through the forest up to the base of Munginella before following the wall to the right to find the start of the route, spotted by the tooth like and blocky crack about 40′ off the deck.
There were two starting options for the first pitch- a wide off width crack in the corner, or a slightly wet flake straight up. Although wet, the flake seemed as if it would offer better options for protection, and I stepped off a large boulder onto the wall and up the route. The flake and seam quickly merged with the main crack in the corner leading to the crux of the entire route- a small bulge/ roof that you climb around to the right.
I placed a pair of cams in the roof with the crack in the back offering great hand jams. There were small dimples on the rock for feet, and I slowly worked right under the roof. At the corner, I grabbed the edge, finding it a bit sloper-y but positive enough to grab. However, in doing so, I was now nipple height with the edge of the roof, the crack in the back now out of reach. This in turn led me to give the entire feature a bear hug before I could get myself established in the corner, slinging the tree up to end of the first pitch. I definitely did not make it look graceful- Holly would wind up face climbing up directly beneath the right side avoiding the roof moves entirely. In the interest of time, I wanted to link the first two pitches together and continued on up the second pitch, which starts with a weird bulge off the belay which can be avoided by cutting around it to the right or going up and over using cracks on the left. I chose to go up and over to limit rope drag, and continued along the corner until reaching a beautiful splitter crack.
There was a stuck cam near the top which I clipped before exiting back into the main corner and reaching the second 5.8 crux of the climb- a steep lieback. The start was almost like a chimney and I needed to move inside to place a piece. Holding on to the rock with my left hand, I grabbed a cam off my right hip and placed it across my body with my right hand. This resulted in my entire body turning, and as I started working up the chimney, my body started to naturally face away from the wall. This was fine at first, but when I reached the section that I needed to lieback, I couldn’t turn myself over without taking on a cam in a seam above. Annoyed that I didn’t get the route clean by climbing it very incorrectly, I quickly powered up the 5.8 lieback to the next belay, the third major tree from the start. There was a great little belay ledge to sit as Holly started up, completely in the shade of the large tree with Upper Yosemite Falls peeking through, the wind occasionally blowing a bit of mist our way. Holly face climbed the right corner of the crux, definitely less strenuous although more difficult to protect on lead. She had no issues with the second crux lieback section (not spinning backwards in the chimney as I did) and joined me at the belay for a short break.
The third pitch of the climb was a bit confusing on the topo, and I knew I needed to traverse right at some point to reach the base of “The Caverns” a deep chimney in the rock for which the route was named. I started up in the corner off the belay, with some very easy low angled 5.6 liebacking up to a brushy corner with a large tree and manzanita.
Just above the tree was a horizontal seam that cut to the caverns, and I traversed the easy ground to the stump of a dead tree, backing it up with two cams for the belay. Holly made short work of the third pitch, with one more pitch of the route to go.
The Caverns pitch had three variations, only one of which offered any form of protection. The most obvious would be to dive into the deep chasm, with about 50′ of unprotected chimney climbing to regain the right facing corner above. Although tempting, when I saw just how deep the chimney was, I quickly ruled it out. The second option is unprotected 5.7 face climbing to the right of the cavern. The final option, and the only one I really considered, was to climb the right facing corner above the belay. Although I was worried this would rob me of experience the Caverns for which the route is named, you’re climbing next to them for the first section of the pitch until the chasm merges with the corner higher up, requiring you to step over the deep cave as it runs directly beneath the corner. Very unique little pitch. The corner ends on a brushy ledge, and I followed this out right trying to find the exit and walk off trail. I eventually ran out of rope and tied off to a tree, bringing Holly to the top of the route.
Just around the corner I found the key to finding the walk off trail, a short 5.6 corner that we stayed roped up for, definitely stouter than it had looked from below. Above the short corner was a huge oak tree and we unroped here, another group starting up nearby Selaginella about 20′ away. After coiling the rope, we started our descent, which I very quickly botched. Following the most well worn path brought us to the top out for Munginella. I knew I needed to stay high above the cliffs, but instead of backtracking I took a use trail up from there, thinking it would cross over the standard descent route. Although I’m sure it did at some point, I never recognized it and wound up back at the base of the second tier routes, climbing through brush on very thin trails created by other climbers off route.
We eventually reached the grassy ledges, about three tiers above the use trail below, although we were able to cut back and worth through weaknesses to eventually get there. The standard descent was under water, and instead of rappeling the stream, we follow some new beta on MP, crossing the stream and hiking down grassy slopes to the west.
This eventually led us back to the normal climbers trail, although this was in horrible shape with tons of downed trees from the rough winter. It was ironic that I chose a climb with a walk off given the threat of weather, and it wound up being the worst part of the day. Back to the bustle of the Lower Yosemite Falls trail, the weather seemed to be holding, and I suggested we check to see if anyone was on nearby Jamcrack, a classic two pitch splitter 5.9. I was quite surprised to find it empty, and we flaked the rope at the base before a line formed.
The first pitch is rated 5.7 although the first moves are extremely polished and difficult, and I needed to lieback to maintain traction before getting to more secure climbing above. Once above the first few polished feet I found tons of great stances for gear placements and quickly reached the ledge and top of the first pitch. A twosome got in line behind us as Holly started up, although it was the darkening skies that put more of a fire under us to climb quickly. The second pitch was rated 5.9 although considered soft forthe grade, and I started up, the first half probably only 5.7 or 5.8. The crux of the route was finger crack level with a small tree in the rock to the right and a fixed cam in place. I backed it up with one of my own before trying the moves, falling a few times as my feet popped from the thin seam. Once above the short crux, it was only a few easy moves to the anchor and Holly raced up the pitch as the dark clouds grew above the Clark Range in the distance.
She seemed to have to trouble with the crux section, although she claims it was due to my tight belay. I quickly set up a rappel, and we reached the middle anchor just as the leader of the twosome below topped out. We let him clip into our anchor and we rapped back to the base, coiling the rope and hiking through the crowds back to the car.
Stunning photos and very interesting read.