Yosemite Hike - 2

Two Miles to Camp #1 @ Illouette Falls Loaded up and ready to go, Jason prepares to make the short 2 mi's to Illouette Falls, our first camp. There are only two camp sites at Illouette. However, they are not marked on any map so few know they exist. Of the half dozen times I've made this hike, I've never failed to get one of the sites. Shhhhh... Let's keep these a secret. Illouette has all the important characteristics I look for... few people, scenic, close to water, and interesting activities near by... How interesting you ask... Hold on to your hats...
Dynamic Duo Takes off From Glacier Pt All for one and one for all, here we go! Half Dome is prominent in the background. It almost looks like you could walk straight there. However, there is this little matter of a 3000 ft chasem between Glacier Pt where we now are and our destination.

The tractor you see on the left is part of a major reconstruction project affecting almost all parts of Glacier Point. I'll be interested to see what it looks like next year.
Arriving at Illouette Falls (275') In a quick two miles we are nearing Illouette Falls. We were surprised by how much fire damage there was along the trail. A couple of major fires must have occurred since the last time I was here about 2 yrs ago.

Illouette Falls is 275 ft tall and running pretty hard for so late in the summer season. Both sides are guarded by 'unclimbable' rock outcroppings. Nine guys from Alpharel (my x-company) plus Marshall tried and failed to get down to the prespice. I'm sure Marshall will attest to the degree of difficulty.
Jason Clings to an Unclimbable Wall ...Unclimbable until a certain 16 yr old was told it was unclimbable!! This is no act. Jason is glued to the razor sharp vertical edge of the only way down. Once down, there is certainly NO WAY BACK!!

Note the raging water below his feet. The lip of the falls is just behind the rock where Jason has his right hand. It was all I could do to stay calm. But yelling and screaming wasn't going to help now that the deed was almost done.

Jay Hops the Creek at the Prespice Now successfully all the way down, Jason goes for the flaming double... In this case, jumping the water at the very edge of a 275 ft tall falls and climbing down into that interesting looking hole with all the gravel in the bottom. Ok, so here's the scene. Nephew Jason is now in a location which is truely impossible for me to get to AND he is planning to jump into a pit from which there is apparently NO escape...

Even Jason realized he'd made a mistake once in the pit. Several runs at the sheer walls convinced him raw power and climbing skills were not going to be enough to extricate him from this latest predicament. I saw him dissapear for a few minutes deep in the hole rising eventually with the only sitck of wood available within the confines. The log was propped up against the left wall forming a launch ramp. One last run at the wall with the assistance of the ramp allowed for just enough additional height to allow a couple of strong arms a grip and press the body up the side.

Now with one dissaster averted, on to the next problem... How to get up either the east or west wall and back to camp. Walking up the river was one possibility but then there was the matter of that pesky water fall 10 ft away. It was pretty clear it was impossible to retrace his steps back up to where I was standing. The only option left was to try the other wall across the stream. A long story short, Jason did make the climb but it was definately NOT easy. The most I could do during this trial was to yell directions from my observation post on which hand holds to try.
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