&nbsp;<p>Nov. 11, 2003</p>
<p>Serenity Crack &amp; Sons of Yesterday is described in Supertopos as &quot;the best 
and most consistent display of 5.10 crack climbing in Yosemite.&quot; From the topo 
we could see that 7 of the 8 pitches feature sustained, straight-on crack 
climbing. We decided to go climb it! Rain foiled our initial plans to hit the 
Valley, but with a sunny forecast for Veteran's Day, we drove down the night 
before to check out this classic.</p>
<p><a href="p1wet.JPG">
<img src="small/p1wet_small.JPG" xthumbnail-orig-image="p1wet.JPG" border="2" width="100" height="133"></a>When 
we arrived at the wall, it was cold--very cold! Also, the wall was wet. But 
the crack soared overhead, splitting a clean wall of granite. Seeing this 
singular feature rising up the center of the wall immediately got us psyched to 
climb.&nbsp; The horrible pin 
scars, which are only present for the first half of the first pitch, are 
painfully obvious. However without the scars, a potent reminder of the effect 
that climbers can have on their environment, the crack would likely be unclimbable.</p>
<p><a href="topo.JPG">
<img src="small/topo_small.JPG" xthumbnail-orig-image="topo.JPG" border="2" width="100" height="75"></a>We 
took the opportunity to flake the rope, read over the topo, and chill for a bit, 
waiting for the wall to warm up and hopefully dry off somewhat.</p>
<p>&nbsp;<a href="dry.JPG"><img src="small/dry_small.JPG" xthumbnail-orig-image="dry.JPG" border="2" width="100" height="133"></a>After 
an hour or so, we were eager to start. I used copious amounts of chalk to dry 
off the starting holds. After I went up about 20 feet of insecure climbing which 
was relatively poorly protected, all the wet holds were making things much more 
difficult than necessary. So, I downclimbed and we waited <b>another</b> 40 
minutes for the route to dry! Then I started up again, it was STILL wet but I 
was able to dry off the critical holds on my way up. Fortunately after the first 
50 feet, the route was perfectly dry!</p>
<p><a href="p1.JPG">
<img src="small/p1_small.JPG" xthumbnail-orig-image="p1.JPG" border="2" width="100" height="133"></a>Looking 
up at pitch 1(10a). </p>
<p><a href="p2.JPG">
<img src="small/p2_small.JPG" xthumbnail-orig-image="p2.JPG" border="2" width="100" height="75"></a>Yuko 
following pitch 2 (10a). This pitch had spectacular crack climbing with a crux 
traverse halfway up.</p>
<p>&nbsp;<a href="p2trav.JPG"><img src="small/p2trav_small.JPG" xthumbnail-orig-image="p2trav.JPG" border="2" width="100" height="75"></a> 
Yuko gets psyched to follow the friction traverse on pitch 2.</p>
<p>&nbsp;<a href="p2top.JPG"><img src="small/p2top_small.JPG" xthumbnail-orig-image="p2top.JPG" border="2" width="100" height="75"></a> 
Yuko on the cruiser wide crack at the top of pitch 2.</p>
<p><a href="p3.JPG">
<img src="small/p3_small.JPG" xthumbnail-orig-image="p3.JPG" border="2" width="100" height="133"></a> 
Looking up at the SWEET flake of pitch 3 (5.10d).</p>
<p><a href="p3a.JPG">
<img src="small/p3a_small.JPG" xthumbnail-orig-image="p3a.JPG" border="2" width="100" height="75"></a> 
Yuko enjoys stellar handjams on pitch 3.</p>
<p><a href="p3b.JPG">
<img src="small/p3b_small.JPG" xthumbnail-orig-image="p3b.JPG" border="2" width="100" height="133"></a> 
Looking down at pitch 3. The 10d fingercrack is visible at the top of the pitch.</p>
<p>&nbsp;<a href="finger.JPG"><img src="small/finger_small.JPG" xthumbnail-orig-image="finger.JPG" border="2" width="100" height="133"></a> 
I jammed a little too emphatically while leading this section. I had to chalk up 
a couple times to keep the blood on my finger from making me slip! Fortunately I 
was able to fire through the crux before getting too pumped.</p>
<p>&nbsp;<a href="serentop.JPG"><img src="small/serentop_small.JPG" xthumbnail-orig-image="serentop.JPG" border="2" width="100" height="75"></a> 
Relaxing at the top of Serenity crack, with Glacier Point Apron visible in the&nbsp;background. 
Sons of Yesterday starts directly from this ledge, and--as the logical extension 
of Serenity--is a different climb only in name.</p>
<p><a href="sons.JPG">
<img src="small/sons_small.JPG" xthumbnail-orig-image="sons.JPG" border="2" width="100" height="133"></a> 
Looking up at Sons of Yesterday. The crack of Sons pitch 2 is easy to see. 
Pitches 3 and 4 are barely visible higher up in the photo.</p>
<p><a href="sons1.JPG">
<img src="small/sons1_small.JPG" xthumbnail-orig-image="sons1.JPG" border="2" width="100" height="133"></a> 
Yuko leads pitch 1 of Sons (5.6).</p>
<p><a href="sons2a.JPG">
<img src="small/sons2a_small.JPG" xthumbnail-orig-image="sons2a.JPG" border="2" width="100" height="75"></a> 
Looking down at Sons pitch 2. It's continuous, insecure 5.10a. Sure felt harder 
than 10a to me! I placed a lot of pro, and took a lot of time to lead this 
pitch, but was able to get up without falling.</p>
<p><a href="sons2b.JPG">
<img src="small/sons2b_small.JPG" xthumbnail-orig-image="sons2b.JPG" border="2" width="100" height="133"></a> 
Yuko follows pitch 2 (5.10a).</p>
<p><a href="sons3.JPG">
<img src="small/sons3_small.JPG" xthumbnail-orig-image="sons3.JPG" border="2" width="100" height="133"></a> 
Yuko leads pitch 3 (5.9). The crack, and the lead rope, are obscured by the 
shadow. But there is a perfect, sustained tight hand crack in that corner! It's 
super fun and continuous.</p>
<p><a href="sons4.JPG">
<img src="small/sons4_small.JPG" xthumbnail-orig-image="sons4.JPG" border="2" width="100" height="75"></a> 
Mike following pitch 4 (5.9). Although it isn't visible in the photo, this pitch 
has an absolutely perfect 70 foot splitter handcrack. It accepts only 2&quot; cams 
for this section. We meant to bring some extras, but accidentally only took 2 
pieces in this size. Accordingly it was necessary to space the pro out a bit.&nbsp; 
In this photo I am at the top of the 70' splitter, where the crack continues but 
with slightly more variation in size.</p>
<p><a href="sons5.JPG">
<img src="small/sons5_small.JPG" xthumbnail-orig-image="sons5.JPG" border="2" width="100" height="75"></a> 
Mike leading the beautiful Z-shaped crack of pitch 5 (5.10a). The wall is much 
steeper than it appears in this photo. Also the angle is slightly skewed; the 
crack actually goes almost straight up, then angles up and left before cutting 
straight up the wall again. </p>
<p><a href="valley.JPG">
<img src="small/valley_small.JPG" xthumbnail-orig-image="valley.JPG" border="2" width="100" height="75"></a> 
The awesome view of Yosemite Valley.</p>
<p><a href="rap.JPG">
<img src="small/rap_small.JPG" xthumbnail-orig-image="rap.JPG" border="2" width="100" height="75"></a>Rappelling 
the route at the end of a GREAT day of climbing.</p>
<p>&nbsp;We started at ~10am, and were back on the ground by 5:15pm--which was 
barely before sunset! Incredibly, we had this spectacular route to ourselves all 
day. When we climbed Royal Arches the year before, we saw at least 8 parties on 
Serenity/Sons!!</p>
<p>Pitch-by-pitch breakdown: 10a, 10a, 10d, 6 (only non-crack pitch on the 
entire route!), 10a, 9, 9, 10a.</p>