Conditions:Yosemite Falls (Upper)-20210824214312

Latest:	22 Aug 2021 (3 yrs, 9 mos ago)

Reported by:	Willie92708 (997 reports), Rodtel314 (36 reports), Reeves (37 reports)
Quality:	Amazing
Waterflow:	Very Low
Wetsuit:	Rain jacket
Water temperature:
Difficulty:	Advanced
Time:	15 hours

Team: 3 people with experience level Advanced to Expert

Trip report URL:

Comments: Willie: Anchors from the previous descent had to be rebuilt/replaced due to deterioration and sun exposure. Only the soft goods on R2A needed replacement because of Sun exposure. The cams on R2B and R2C were frozen from rusting and had to be swapped out. Most of the nuts and both TriCams were OK, but one nut was badly rust (tested later, failed under 1000 LBF).

Oasis Ledge and the rappel prior provided occasional spray from the falls. The "very low" water flow is for the falls itself. The route itself was dry, with a few tiny puddle on Oasis Ledge

We carried 480', 428', 300' rope. We did the Middle Earth exit, and brought wetsuits for that. Timeline left parking lot 4:45am, starting R1 8am, ropes stuffed and continuing to Middle Earth at 2:30pm.

Willie: I set another R4 anchor on a small ledge DCR (West) and 60 feet lower from the big horn R4 anchor in the beta. This small ledge is around a small corner, and has a nice short tower to put webbing behind, however the edges of the tower are sharp. I also left a #3 Camalot for backup here. I padded the webbing with MTB innertube. This anchor is much easier to use than problematic R4 horn and the ledge 30 feet point the horn's point. We used the DCR (West most) R3 anchor on Oasis Ledge to rappel 320 feet. to this new R4 anchor location, rappelling slightly DCR (West) of plumb. Pic from this new location; rappel is 390 feet to touch down.

I learned some lessons about chucking pull ropes down cliffs and expecting them to stay untangled.

All condition reports

Date	Quality	Waterflow	Wetsuit	Difficulty	Time	Team	Reported by
19 Sep 2021	Great	Dry	None	Advanced	12 hours	4 people	Willie92708 (997 reports)
Comment: Since I had rebuilt all the headwall anchors on the previous month's trip, it was smooth sailing on UYF! We also ran ME and LYF for a "casual" 12 hours car to car. UYF was dry, but we had a tiny bit of flow in ME & LYF.
22 Aug 2021	Amazing	Very Low	Rain jacket	Advanced	15 hours	3 people Advanced to Expert	Willie92708 (997 reports),Rodtel314 (36 reports),Reeves (37 reports)
Comment: Willie: Anchors from the previous descent had to be rebuilt/replaced due to deterioration and sun exposure. Only the soft goods on R2A needed replacement because of Sun exposure. The cams on R2B and R2C were frozen from rusting and had to be swapped out. Most of the nuts and both TriCams were OK, but one nut was badly rust (tested later, failed under 1000 LBF). Oasis Ledge and the rappel prior provided occasional spray from the falls. The "very low" water flow is for the falls itself. The route itself was dry, with a few tiny puddle on Oasis Ledge We carried 480', 428', 300' rope. We did the Middle Earth exit, and brought wetsuits for that. Timeline left parking lot 4:45am, starting R1 8am, ropes stuffed and continuing to Middle Earth at 2:30pm. Willie: I set another R4 anchor on a small ledge DCR (West) and 60 feet lower from the big horn R4 anchor in the beta. This small ledge is around a small corner, and has a nice short tower to put webbing behind, however the edges of the tower are sharp. I also left a #3 Camalot for backup here. I padded the webbing with MTB innertube. This anchor is much easier to use than problematic R4 horn and the ledge 30 feet point the horn's point. We used the DCR (West most) R3 anchor on Oasis Ledge to rappel 320 feet. to this new R4 anchor location, rappelling slightly DCR (West) of plumb. Pic from this new location; rappel is 390 feet to touch down. I learned some lessons about chucking pull ropes down cliffs and expecting them to stay untangled.
27 Oct 2019	Amazing	Dry	Rain jacket	Advanced	11 hours	5 people Intermediate to Expert	Willie92708 (997 reports),Reeves (37 reports)
Comment: Anchors from the previous descent had to be rebuilt/replaced due to deterioration and sun exposure. Inclement weather threatened on the Oasis ledge, but cleared up without incident. The falls were running at a bare trickle, but everyone was glad to have layers we could add and remove as the weather shifted. We carried one 600', four 300', and one 200' rope. Total car-to-car time was about 11 hours. Willie: the last rappel R4 is closer to 450 feet, but extra length is needed to pendulum over from the main pothole; thus 500 foot rope will work. The rappel before that (R3) is longer about 270 feet. Other rappel (R1, R2a, R2b, R2c) lengths seem about right. Also, my 600 foot rope got buggered up about 120 feet from the R4 anchor which is about where the drop becomes free. R4 should be broken up into the face part and the overhanging part so the rope does not rub on this edge where the drop becomes free hanging.
12 Oct 2018	Amazing	Very Low	Rain jacket	Advanced	48 hours	6 people Intermediate to Expert	Willie92708 (997 reports)
Comment: Since this was the maiden voyage, most of the details are in the main RW page. The water flow was zero 3 weeks earlier, but some rain had made the falls barely flow again. If the flow was too high, we would not have been able to do this descent. Now we know the line down, it can be done in modest flow, but clearly nothing like the raging spring snow melts, or even most of the summer big flows. I was actually surprised that there were excellent natural and trad anchors to break up all the drops (except the final one) to under 250 feet each. And even rappelling down on a 150ft and 600ft with 2x 600ft rope in my haul bag, trad gear, and other stuff, fixed line rigging the full 1600 feet was accomplished in under 4 hours top to touchdown. It was a bummer that some of our gear was stolen Friday night (2 sets of vertical gear, 2 helmets, 200ft rope and backpack) Also, I have to thank our 2 Sherpas (not part of the 6 members that went down) for their effort hauling 600ft ropes to the top.