Its probably a bit late for a 2012 recap, but with most of North America still in the grip of winter, I figured those of us who live in snowy states need a reminder of what it is like to climb in a t-shirt! 

I first visited Yosemite Valley in 2008 on the tail end of my first climbing trip--which ended with Stefanie and I getting married in San Diego. It was my first ride through the valley and I was still green as a climber, so I could accept the chills that shot down my spine when I looked up into the cold stone face of El Capitan and imagined what it would be like to be adrift on that sea of granite.

I've just returned to the good ol' USA from a wild and overhanging bigwall adventure in the Venezuelan jungle. It was a crazy trip full of machetes, hunger, and whippers. As I write this, I am about 3 Thin Mints away from killing a box of girl scout cookies. God Bless America.