Tuesday Danny is on duty, another day « alone ». I planned hiking, up to a place called Unicorn Peak. A summit across form Cathedral Peak. One can really see the back of a horse and the horn of the magical animal peaking out at the top. It is said to be wild, no path leading up there, the only creatures you come across are grizzlies and unicorns. Maybe some squirrels too… It’s supposed easily to be found: going down to Tuolumne Meadows Camping, walking across and taking the only trailhead that is there (sounds good, but I did not know that this campground is considered the biggest in WHOLE AMERICA! The distances on the campsite map were much longer than supposed.) so I got lost. Can you believe that? I was wandering around for 45 min before I asked my way. The path leads up an hour to Elisabeth Lake. So wild and beautiful. For those, who read the comic series: Buddy Longway, from DERIB, know exactly what it looks like. I did not have magical encounters with wild animals but a dutch couple and an old jogging man. From here on I just followed my instincts. The orientational point is the peak itself. I figured I would take the most direct line, which meant to scramble across some easy granite slabs, that would bring me up on a plateau, eventually to a pass, and from there first go left to the lower summit and then cross over the ridge to THE Unicorn, which was at the end of an easy 5er climb. My climbing shoes were in my backpack. It’s not the first time that I go for this kind of adventure. I don’t remember how long it took me to the first summit but it was longer than suspected. It was like, behind this hill is the summit. But there was one hill after the other. Eventually I made it. Perseverance payed off with a stunning view. Horizons make no boundaries to the endlessness of granite and forrest. Stumbling over thousands of granite boulders, I made my way down to the pass, from there, on dusty occre/yellow colored path up, to get to where I had to put my climbing shoes on. What is called UNI-corn is actually a « mutated multiple-corn », a succession of 5 gendarmes. I had the greatest fun to climb up and down, doing it my way, opening my route, as if nobody had ever done that. The emotion was strong. Beautiful exposers to the left, deep view down hundreds of meters, to more rock and more lakes. My heart beat fast. sometimes my hand trembled, I had to be confident. Believing and hoping that on the other side of each peak, was a more easy way down. Sometimes looking up, I studied every exact movement, so I was sure to be able to make it backwards if there was no other issue anymore and I would have to turn around. Half way up the last gendarme I got stuck. Ok, breath, relax, and slowly back up. Down on an save platform I tried to read the relief. Making sure I did not miss out on something easy and so obvious that I hadn’t seen it. It looked doable. With a good sequence in mind I started to climb again. Getting up to the same point, I got this certainty that I would make it, but not down the same way - too much of exposure - and there was no way to see what was hyding behind. I was happy. Full of adrenaline. My life's destiny out-stood this crucial moment of a decision. I decided to turn, go resting and enjoying on the platform. What point in reaching the top if life was at risk. I was sitting on a rusty rappelling bolt. An obvious point of return. A sip of water and back I was on my way down.
Yosemite granites are the best rocks: « climb on! »
