Captain Kirk is climbing a mountain, why is he climbing a mountain ?

[Mikey]

Just found this and I can't stop listening to it ...

It's so annoying but something makes me wanna keep listening

loops around 5 minutes in.

m

[Hector]

That's Yosemite's el Capitain in the background...I was just there last year, it's spectacular...









Did he really climbed that?

Hell no (ok, in Star Trek V he did, lol), that's a 3000 ft vertical drop right there...but I'm glad he's just "singing" about it...

[JRT!]

I go there every year,LOVE the place! And it was a fun scene in ST V.

[Hector]

Yes, Yosemite is fantastic...I don't go every year, but been there a few times, never gets old. Loved the giant sequoias too.

[rykerw1701]

This is why ST V is so bad. Clearly Shatner was completely incoherent about what he was doing or why he was doing it. Other than "he was in love," of course.

It's by far the worst of the TOS movies. I can't even watch that thing enough to mock it.

[Mikey]

Love the pictures Hec.

They inspired me to check out some videos and youtube.

I never knew it take 5-ish days to climb and people "camp" on hanging ledges.

Also the "nose's great roof" is very interesting.

One thing that leave me scratching my head, how could free climbing with no safety ropes be legal ?

They give people a fine for not wearing a seat belt in a car but your free to climb an Empire State Building size wall with no protection ?

[Hector]

Correction, a THREE Empire State Buildings tall cliff...

Those dudes are crazy...the complete rope less climb was an extreme rare event. I think it has been done only one or two times, I don't know...but they still used safety lines to stop from falling...check the video...

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-el-capitan-climbers-closing-in-20150114-story.html

Still amazing...

[Hector]

Half Dome is even higher, but does not have that straight smooth wall drop like El Capitan. You can hike both Half Dome and El Capitan from behind, the back way. If you start from Yosemite Valley, it's about 12-14 miles to Half Dome...and almost 30 miles to El Capitan. I considering tackling the Half Dome hike, but found out there that you needed a special permit...because the last 400 yards...you can actually go up straight to the peak of Half Dome...I'm afraid of heights...and I said, HELL NO...lol...

[Hector]

More Half Dome...

[Hector]

Mike, check out this very cool Google interactive el Capitan climb...

https://www.google.com/maps/about/behind-the-scenes/streetview/treks/yosemite/

[Hector]

I mostly hiked in the Yosemite Valley area, stayed for three days, was walking about 8 miles a day...late May, when the waterfalls are at full blast, gorgeous park. We booked a cottage inside the park. We also went to Mariposa Grove, home of the Giant Sequoias...and Glacier Point...that's the top, 6K+ elevation...you get spectacular views of everything...almost eye level to Half Dome, pretty awesome. Lots of driving inside the park to go from point A to point B...I think we drove something like 100 miles inside the park, the place is just huge, lol.

I have some pics, perhaps I'll start a little thread on that in the near future...