Yosemite Welcomes and Challenges

-Southern California pair complete a dozen hikes, looking ahead to Kilimanjaro

Brennen Thompson at the bottom looking up Half Dome at Yosemite National Park. Photo: ValleyTough.com

What would you say if you hiked eleven mountains throughout California, and then stared at the bottom of the awe-inspiring Half Dome at Yosemite National Park.

If you were this former upstate New York transplant to California, there is just one sentence:

“It’s going to be long day!”

For the past year, Brennen Thompson and his climbing partner Garrett Wright have been climbing mountains.

Every month, the pair has been making their way through a series of climbs throughout California.

Starting with Sandstone Peak (southern California), they set their sights on a new mountain each month.

Over the course of twelve months, they made it to Mount Wilson, San Gabriel Peak, and Mount Whitney among others.

Half-Dome at Yosemite was number twelve.

They intend to wrap up this year-plus adventure with a climb up Mount Kilimanjaro this summer.

Brennen shortly upon entering Yosemite National Park. Photo: ValleyTough.com

Each climb has been done with purpose.

They raised over seven-thousand dollars to benefit charities in Brennen’s hometown in upstate New York.

But there was more to this effort than raising money for non-profit organizations.

As a new Californian in late 2019, Brennen was committed to making his time in the Golden State impactful. Once the COVID crisis hit, the resolve to succeed became even stronger.

In the Our Community Story column from a year ago when the climbs started, he said, “What better time to give back.”

The Yosemite climb began with a 4:00 AM wake up, a breakfast of pre-cooked oatmeal with fruit, and the trip to the trailhead.

“I was surrounded by massive shadows like El Capitan and, of course, Half Dome,” he said.

Brennen Thompson is originally from Herkimer, New York. He moved to southern California in 2019. Photo: ValleyTough.com

Midway up the cables of Half-Dome, Brennen’s awareness of the gift of life was heightened.

“After encountering trees the size of skyscrapers, waterfalls that couldn’t be imagined, and views that take your breath away, I was a little more thankful to be alive than normal.”

Peanut butter sandwiches, nuts, and granola kept the pair nourished during the adventure.

After five hours, they made it to the top. Brennen took it all in.

“Climbing the sub-dome cables was one of the dumbest things I’ve ever done,” he thought to himself. “Can’t wait to see what they’re like on the way down.”

Thinking initially they would take in a few moments with the solace of nature before heading down, they met another climber who has done the Mount Kilimanjaro climb the pair intends to do this summer.

“We stayed up there longer than normal, probably an hour.” By then, it was time to head back down Half Dome.

It took four hours to make it back to the valley floor using the same route.

“Going down the sub-dome was actually harder than going up!” Brennan explained. “Baby steps, and don’t look to the left or right.”

This was Brennen’s first time in Yosemite. “I was overwhelmed with the beauty and couldn’t have been more pleased with the hike.”

Brennen taking it all in at the top of Half Dome. Photo: ValleyTough.com

As spectacular as Yosemite was, and as ambitious as the total package of twelve hikes has been, the real challenge is coming up soon on the other side of the world.

The pair will head to Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa later this summer.

After that, who knows what is in store for this pair of Californians who promised to make an impact and who are delivering on that promise.

To paraphrase Brennen’s own words, it may indeed be a long and satisfying climb.

Steve Newvine lives in Merced

Brennen Thompson’s story is featured in his book Can Do Californians, available at BarnesandNoble.com and at Lulu.com

You can view summaries of the Valley Tough mountain hikes at YouTube.com and on the ValleyTough.com website