I think this might have been our first climb in Yosemite of this kind so it was more of a class 4 climb the way we did this. We didn't have much equipment then and there was snow up there too so it was pretty dangerous. Though I think we might have had ropes for safety I can't fully remember now. I remember my friend had an Ice Axe and Crampons and I hadn't broke an Ice axe or maybe I rented one.
anyway, it was winter time or something like that but around the base of Star King was all Snow. When we got there we hadn't expected the dome to be surrounded by snow. However, being pretty young and foolish then we made do because we had already hiked a long way to get there.
I asked how far a hike it was to get there and it says 7 miles so this means we hiked at least 7 miles in one day and likely spent the night in a campground in Yosemite Valley which means we hiked 14 miles that day in order to do this between sunrise and sunset on that day.
However, the reason I'm writing about this is this is the closest I came to dying climbing in Yosemite National park that day.
So, I'm walking along on the snow and the sun is out and I know this isn't the safest thing I have ever done and I haven't climbed Mt. Shasta yet because I did that in August of 1970 with 3 friends who were all college students then like me that I knew from the "I Am" Activity after the I AM Pageant of the LIfe of Jesus the day before (Sunday) so this was in August of 1970.
So, this day I'm walking along in the snow on the side of Star King Dome and I have an Ice Axe but hadn't learned to be really good with one yet and I have already hiked 7 miles that day to get here and the sun is bright and the reflection of the snow is burning the skin on our faces but we likely were wearing wool hats and maybe a visor or a baseball cap to shield our faces from the snow that day.
Well, I'm walking on a 35 percent to 40 percent grade traversing to a better place to ascend Star King and all of a sudden the snow goes out from under my feet and I could now fall about 1000 feet down that grade to my potential Death. So, I have this ice axe in my hand to save my life if necessary and when I slam the pick into the snow it almost rips my right arm out of the socket and when I do this my head (because I'm starting to travel really fast on this steep of a slope) so first it almost rips my right arm out of it's shoulder socket and then my head and body hit the ground at the same time and I had to hold on for dear life not to go unconscious when this all happened. Needless to say I gave up climbing much anymore after that because I was pretty shaken up having almost slid to my death that day. I think this was the day when I realized even class 4 climbs one should be roped in or you could die especially when there is snow you didn't fully expect to deal with regarding that much exposure as a climber. Then likely with my shoulder and head hurting I walked back 7 miles to Yosemite Valley and bought some apple Cider (alcohol version) to kill the pain so I could sleep as it snowed on my tent in Yosemite Valley that night.
I suddenly remembered this climb tonight for some reason likely because it almost ended me and you tend to not forget the times you almost died I find. (No matter what the cause).
So, I survived
By God's Grace
- Happy Isles to Mount Starr King: 7 miles one way (mostly uphill, gaining around 5,000 feet of elevation).
- Alternative Closest Approach (from Glacier Point Road / Mono Meadow, not the Valley floor): About 5 miles one way if starting from the Mono Meadow Trailhead rather than climbing straight out of the Valley.
- Are you planning a day hike or an overnight backpacking trip?
- Do you plan to scramble/climb the technical summit (which requires 5th-class rock gear)?
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