San Diego 4:30 pm
With summer fading fast we knew we wanted to climb someplace great. In the running was Charleston, The Needles, Holcomb Valley, and Yosemite. Friday at 4pm we left San Diego, a regretful time to go through LA, but we chose not to think about that. Somewhere around Oceanside doubt and boredom set in as we started thinking of a closer climbing destination. The traffic was terrible and only getting worse as we moved along but we stuck to the plan and arrived in Yosemite a little after midnight, after all the Rostrum was waiting… We stayed the night in an anonymous location outside the park entrance and slept for a few hours.
This is our “Rostrum” story, pitch by pitch, with gear list at the bottom for all you folks that are interested in this awesome feat. Let’s begin!
Yosemite Valley 4:30 am GO TIME
Two I Phones simultaneously started off our morning as the alarms sounded. We got up and broke down camp just a few hours after we went to sleep. The moon was full and so bright it actually kept us from sleeping well. Some double strength Coffee for Gordy and some tea for myself got the morning started. Within a half hour we were parked on the side of the road racking up. The wind was surprisingly strong and the cold weather was well received after the recent San Diego heat waves. Just as the sun started to rise we locked the car and headed off.
After some dark hiking in sandals down steep terrain we were getting further into the valley, and I was really wishing I had shoes on. We only saw two other climbers the whole day, they came barreling down the trail all the way from France and we let them pass us on the descent. The approach is unique and after two full-length rappels we were at the base of the route.
Climbing:
The French team was surprisingly off to a slow start but that gave us time to get psyched, stretch, and celebrate the 850’ of overhanging granite, clean splitters, and perfect belays ahead. When the French team was working on Pitch 2 Gordy was itching to leave the ground.
Pitch 1:
With the standard pre climbing fist bump Gordy takes off on some lie backing and face climbing. Easy moves with decent gear leads us to simple yet physical chimney with a big airy exit move. Rated 5.9 +, a fair grade for Yosemite.
Pitch 2:
The tips crack. The nature of this pitch requires careful and powerful lie backing, up solid tips & finger locks. A delicate traverse down & left 12′ directly off of the belay. Gordy found a stance, placed a small cam, & punched it through the crux. Before I knew it he yelled down “off belay” from the base of pitch three. This 5.11A really set the pace for the climbing above.
Pitch 3:
Especially fun! Jogging up the first 30′ and quickly out of sight we realized how long every pitch was going to be. Physical jamming up a secure and overhung hand crack gives way to some jug hauling on big holds up to the huge half way mark ledge below
pitch 4. This pitch is really, really long. 140 feet. 5.10+
Pitch 4:
Looking up at this intimidating laser cut dead vertical finger crack will either make you smile, or make you wince! Gordy turned the music up on his iPhone, racked some choice gear and started up the pitch. An easy ramp leads to a jug with two bomber nut placements. Within seconds he had cranked through to the notorious “thank god” hand jam, and was preparing to climb through the rest of the burley moves. This pitch proved to be incredibly difficult and I felt honored to be on a climb of this caliber. We are now right behind the French team and climbing fast. 5.11C (hard).
Pitch 5:
This consisted of an amazing orange dihedral with an overhung hand crack. 20 feet of spread out but bomber hand jams topped out this pitch. We were both smiling the whole time. One of my favorite pitches on route coming in at 5.10+
Pitch 6:
Those big, heavy cams finally come out of the pack. Airy face moves directly off the belay, leads to an unrelenting off width crack. Very physical climbing while pushing a #5 will see you through, have your mind clear & you’re staying power turned way up. Worth doing some laps on local wide climbs at Woodson to prepare for. 5.10+ but fatigue is setting in.
Pitch 7:
Amazing stemming & jamming up a slick crack system past a huge fin jutting out into space half way up. Gordy takes a huge 30-foot screamer at the final hard and I pumped out at the same place. This pitch really stood out. 5.11B
Pitch 8:
A short traverse on some manky gear leads to a fun entrance move into yet another off width. Push that #5 as far as it will go, then ditch and make it up to the final tree belay. 5.10
ON THE SUMMIT We had it all to our selves and the route was truly amazing. We had made it through in great fashion, and pretty good time. It was everything we had expected and even a little more. We finished our water, joked, celebrated, and wasted no time getting on the road back to San Diego only 23 hours after we had left, our typical smash and grab style.
Gear List for both of us:
Sandals and Vibrams
Backpack for the follower
Approx 2.5 liters of water and a Coconut Water
1 compressible down jacket
1 lightweight windbreaker
Assortment of bars and Gu
2 pairs of Moccasym’s
70M rope
1 headlamp (Just in case)
-Parker Onufer and Gordy Schafer
Mesa Rim Indoor Rock Climbing San Diego ^^ A Community Blog 
Damn, I’m honored to know Gordy! Wish there was similar stuff here in Va Beach!