In this week’s Founder’s Log, Ken Yager recalls a story from 1979; after moving to Mammoth Lakes for a ski-area job, he made his first trip to the Buttermilks with Yosemite friend Grant Hiskes.

And for this week’s feature, I talk with Brian Ludovici. Brian is a Yosemite-based climber originally from North Carolina who came west after being inspired by Valley Uprising. He now lives in the Valley, works as the park’s after-school program coordinator, and spends much of his free time soloing, bouldering, and linking together big days like the Yosemite Picnic.

For this week’s Founder’s Note, Ken Yager shares how he helped create an NPS-approved “Ask A Climber” telescope program and hired Tom Evans as the interpreter. And for this week’s feature story, I write about climbing with Eric Johnson during his first multi-pitch route in Yosemite.

For this week’s feature, I interviewed Miya Tsudome, a Bishop-based climber, photographer, and filmmaker who built her skills in Yosemite and now documents big wall ascents in real time. She’s helping with the YCA film festival coming up later this year. This summer, she’s headed to the Cirque of the Unclimbables in Canada’s Northwest Territories.

In this week’s Founder’s Note, Ken Yager recalls a pivotal summer in 1972 in Geneva while his dad worked at CERN, with weekends in Chamonix, where the climber campfires hooked him on the idea of bigger mountains. After an inexperienced, snow-storm-aborted attempt near the Dru and reading The White Spider, he tried to “do mountaineering” back home with a brutal winter ascent of Lover’s Leap—verglassed 5.6, deep snow, near-frostbite. He topped out shaken and decided he preferred warm hands and dry rock.

This week, YCA News Brief features Remy Mitchell, who shares why Yosemite keeps drawing him back through different life chapters—community, history, and that endless “new again” feeling.

Ken Yager shares his experience working as KPIX’s assistant during Mike Corbett and paraplegic climber Mark Wellman’s 1991 Half Dome ascent of Tis-sa-ack, juggling rope rigging, filming support, and repeated hikes to deliver footage to the Valley.

This week’s Founder’s Note features Ken Yager taking readers back—way back—to 1977 and the infamous drug plane that crashed in Lower Merced Pass Lake.

And for the week’s feature, I talk with Marc Manko, Heide Lindgren’s fiancé (see story on Heide in last week’s news brief), a Yosemite big wall climber who works as a physician assistant in Idaho.

For this week’s Founder’s Note, Ken Yager writes about his first serious attempt to climb the Nose in winter, where he learned hard lessons in logistics, cold bivies, and a sketchy retreat.

And for this week’s feature story, I talk with Heide Lindgren and her fiancé, Marc Manko, about their love of climbing in Yosemite. A few years ago, Lindgren and I ran the trails at Stockton Creek Reservoir in Mariposa, and later she joined my friends and me bouldering above town. She took to it immediately, and over the years, she’s kept me updated on her progress—today, living in Boise, Idaho, she’s a 5.10 lead climber.

• Climbing Magazine reported: When he topped out on 'Free Rider' (5.13a; 3,300ft) on November 30, Teddy Eyob (@goretex_jockstrap ) became the first Black climber to free El Capitan

• Tom Herbert put up a new line on Loggerhead Buttress called Winter Sport

• In this week’s Founder’s Note, Ken Yager shares a classic Yosemite story that starts in the late ’80s, when plastic holds and indoor competitions first appeared in the U.S.

• For this week’s feature, YCA speaks with Midpines local, Nick Miranda!

For this week’s founder’s note, Ken Yager writes about how climbing became his lifeline. And for this week’s feature, I talk with Lydia Bothwell, a Midpines local who has been part of my climbing group for the past few seasons. Lydia grew up in Mariposa, picked up climbing in 2019, and last February she did her first big wall: El Cap’s Salathé Wall.

Save the date! The Yosemite Film Festival & Storyteller Summit is coming to the valley May 21-24, 2026.

This week, YCA founder Ken Yager shared his story of climbing Horse Chute on El Cap. For the feature story, I interviewed Norm Pelak, a Merced, Calif.-based climber I often climb with.

This week’s feature is on Julian Bigi, while Ken Yager shares a story about running into Lynn Hill after injuring his wrist with a drill bit while roofing in Foresta, then agreeing to film her as she trains to free The Nose in a day.

This week, we’re highlighting Yosemite Boulder Farm in Mariposa, which opened to the public earlier this month. The Boulder Farm offers private instructional climbing via toproping and bouldering, along with a WiFi-enabled Airbnb and an outdoor grill—all on the outskirts of Yosemite.

For this week’s feature, we talked with Laura Pineau, who — belayed by John Kasaian — completed the first female ascent of Wet Lycra Nightmare on Leaning Tower.

In other news, Pietro Vidi sends Magic Line (5.14c) and the National Park Service announces fee-free day changes.

This week, Ken shares his memories of Royal Robbins.

We’re thrilled to share that Sasha DiGiulian has completed the Direct Line/Platinum Wall on El Cap!

This week’s feature highlights Rich Calderwood, who assisted on the first ascents of The Nose and the East Face of Washington Column (Astroman). In Ken Yager’s Founder’s Note, he remembers the late Tom Frost (June 30, 1936 – Aug. 24, 2018) and his key role in the early days of the Yosemite Climbing Association.

Amity Warme speaks with us about freeing The PreMuir on El Cap! A 12-day battle with heat, sun, and six 5.13 pitches marks the hardest El Cap free climb of her career.

Sasha DiGiulian and Elliot Faber make progress on El Cap! Enjoy this week’s feature on Ryan Sheridan.

Speed records, climbing news, and a special community spotlight with YCA volunteer Linda Jarit!

From the High Country to Yosemite Valley, Clayton Koob walks the Park’s longest lines—and sees them as fleeting art in the sky.

Earlier this week, we wrote that 22-year-old Connor Herson made the first free ascent of Triple Direct on El Cap and, two days later, freed The Nose in 9.5 hours. Both ascents were supported by his dad, legendary big wall climber Jim Herson. Yesterday, we spoke with Connor about both routes, and he also hinted at his next project—which he’s keeping under wraps for now.

This week, we’re profiling longtime Yosemite climber Mecia Serafino, Director of Outreach and Digital Content at Friends of YOSAR.

This week, we feature former Yosemite local, Ben Zartman, and his cross-country tour, as well as lots of Yosemite news updates!