Granite Walls

by Walt Carvalho

I spent many weekends as a young man in the Yosemite Valley. It started as a personal goal of overcoming the fear of heights and eventually led to probably one of the biggest personal growth experiences of my life.

The Yosemite Valley is known for the quality of it’s rock (the walls are made up of a high grade granite), the creative routes which have been established by some of the best climbers in the world, as well as the cross section of people who venture their from all over the world.

The Yosemite Valley is one of the premier destinations for climbers from around the globe.

Many of the climbers I had met would save their money to be able to spend the entire climbing season in the Valley. For most, pushing themselves to their mental and physical limits was a daily practice.

Climbing taught me to trust myself, as my passion grew for the sport. My fear of heights was reduced with every handhold and foothold I mastered. I learned the calmness and relaxation necessary to be able to complete some of the more demanding routes. I was introduced to myself in a very profound way.

I remember till this day some of the magic. I remember the silence while reaching for the next handhold, sleeping on a ledge on a clear moonlit night, being pushed to my limit as I could hear my own breath from within as I climbed.

The vertical world has many surprises. There are birds that dart in and out of cracks, there are snakes and yes, those mice that will steal your food at night. I always wondered how they made it up to those high places!

I met foreign climbers from France, Germany, Italy, Great Britain and Japan. We did the best we could to communicate. The love of climbing was our bond.

I cherish the experience climbing has given me. It lives with me till this day.

The most important formula I learned in the Valley in those years was a simple one. It is this:

Staying in your comfort zone = zero growth.

The limits are still being pushed on a daily basis. Lynn Hill and Katie Brown are two people who go beyond limitation. Their level of accomplishment inspires me. Here is a video displaying the grandeur of the Big Walls of the Yosemite Valley and the possibilities of the human spirit. Enjoy!

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