El Capitan — Local services in Oakhurst

Allow me to regale you with the tale of one of the most lamentable expeditions I have ever embarked upon. This journey, fraught with trials and tribulations, is a testament to adventure's unpredictable nature. Firstly, the sustenance provided was of such a dreadful quality that it induced the most distressing malady upon my person, causing a relentless bout of liquid diarrhea. This unfortunate affliction necessitated changing my pajama bottoms, a most undignified ordeal. My bunkmate was a constant source of misery. Despite the ample legroom provided by our bunks, he insisted on sleeping with his legs dangling off the bed. I can confirm the adequacy of the legroom, for we are of near identical stature, and I managed to keep both legs comfortably within the confines of my bed. Furthermore, they vehemently denied the habit and snored with such ferocity that it was impossible to attain a restful slumber. The accommodations were in a deplorable state, the rooms being both filthy and worn. Another compatriot consumed an excessive amount of caffeine and was a perpetual source of disturbance. The company was further marred by a barrage of inappropriate jests concerning the human anatomy and acts of a most indecent nature. To compound our woes, there was a complete absence of Wi-Fi, rendering it impossible to send or receive messages or partake in the simple pleasure of watching YouTube during our idle moments. Entertainment was sorely lacking, making our downtime excruciatingly dull. The bathing facilities offered scant privacy, the flimsy curtains affording one the dubious privilege of glimpsing one's comrades in their natural state. The cabins lacked heating, necessitating to kindle a fire within a diminutive furnace, its tiny chimney expelling smoke to the heavens. One of our compatriots, I must note, enjoyed the exclusive luxury of a private room, a manifestly unfair arrangement, especially given her solitary female presence on this excursion. Moreover, my bunkmate exhibited the most unbecoming cowardice at the sight of a bat native to the wilderness surrounding our cabin, letting slip an expletive of the most vulgar kind. Yet, amid this adversity, a beacon of joy emerged in the form of the middle schoolers from a neighbouring school. Their company was a delight, their presence a rare and cherished pleasure in an otherwise...

The recent Academy Award-winning documentary, Free Solo, tells the terrifying story of Alex Honnold and his conquer of El Capitan. El Capitan is in Yosemite National Park and consists of nearly 3,000 of pure granite. However, the size of the monolith is not the only impressive thing, the formation also happens to be at almost a ninety-degree angle with the ground the whole way up. Free Solo explores the endurance it takes to climb it with a rope, as well as the bravery, confidence, fearlessness, and slight insanity it takes to scale this beast.

Watching this film was part of an extra credit assignment, therefore, it has to have some educational value. Personally, I see this film as something that shows the vastness of nature, as well as its endless possibilities in formation and creation. As where some students chose to watch a fictional film, I see this documentary as a vehicle for the realness of landforms to be delivered to students, as well as anyone else who watches it.

As far as my reaction to the film, there were many turns in emotion. For the majority of the times, my palms were sweaty, and I cannot even imagine being in the presence of the task. There were also times that I could not even watch, similar to a few of the videographers who had to look away through the really tough pitches. Overall, the film was something that has not been done before. Not only did the filmmakers respect every wish from Honnold, they also made sure to cut down on distraction, which was incredibly important in my opinion. As far as future movies that will come to follow, I feel as if filming more of the movie with drones could seriously cut back on the pressure that Honnold talked about while knowing that people and cameras were sitting around every corner...

El Capitan is a granite monolith that juts upward 3,000 feet above the Yosemite Valley floor. It is a beautiful land formation with a surface smooth, the result of glacier activity nearly 1.3 million years ago.

You won't be able to help but see El Capitan throughout your time in the Valley. It is first encountered as you drive through the Yosemite Tunnel and stop at the tunnel viewpoint. El Capitan dominates the landscape to the left, just opposite the Bridalveil Falls to the right of your view at this location.

While driving in the valley, you can pull over from Northside Drive at the El Capitan Meadow and with binoculars, you can spot rock climbers scaling El Capitan. Simply look in the crevices and you'll seem them, tiny specks of colour upon the rock face.

The sun shines nicely against El Capitan from late morning onward, allowing nice photographs to be taken during much of the day. When skies are clear and blue, it is a wonderful land formation to see as part of your Yosemite National...