Camp 4 (Yosemite)
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Camp 4 | |
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Camp 4 | |
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| Location | Northside Dr., Yosemite National Park, Yosemite, California |
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| Coordinates | 37°44′30″N 119°36′9″W / 37.74167°N 119.60250°WCoordinates: 37°44′30″N 119°36′9″W / 37.74167°N 119.60250°W |
| Area | 11 acres (4.5 ha) |
| Governing body | National Park Service |
| NRHP Reference # | 03000056[1] |
| Added to NRHP | February 21, 2003 |
Camp 4 is a campground in Yosemite National Park. It became notable after World War II as the hangout for rock climbers with many spending months there—not necessarily legally. It is located near Yosemite Falls, on the north side of the valley. There is a single parking lot at the campground, and no driveways connecting to individual campsites, so visitors must carry their gear in. Nearby boulders have long been used for bouldering. Among the boulders located here, the Columbia Boulder is probably the most famous. On it is the world-renowned boulder problem called the Midnight Lightning first done by Ron Kauk in 1978. It is easily recognizable by a painting of a white thunderbolt next to it.
History
Physically unimpressive, Camp 4 was nevertheless a center of rock climbing development during the middle of the 20th century. Dozens of the most famous climbers in the world would congregate at Camp 4, learning from each other and trying out new ideas on Yosemite's walls. Some, such as Yvon Chouinard, made and sold climbing equipment in the camp's parking lot, laying the foundation for successful businesses later.
Camp 4 was the site of ongoing friction between climbers and the National Park Service. The conflict came to a head in 1997, when flooding in Yosemite Valley destroyed many employee housing units. The Park Service proposed to build a three story dormitory complex at Camp 4. Tom Frost played a critical role in the fight to save Camp 4. He filed a lawsuit against the National Park Service to save the historic rockclimber's campsite, and convinced the American Alpine Club to support the suit. The effort was successful. .[2] On February 21, 2003, Camp 4 was listed on the National Register of Historic Places for "its significant association with the growth and development of rock climbing in the Yosemite Valley during the 'golden years' of pioneer mountaineering".[3]
From 1971 to 1999, Camp 4 was officially known as Sunnyside Walk-in Campground, but has been since renamed Camp 4 in recognition of its historic status.
On June 14, 2012, the Superintendent of Yosemite National Park released a comprehensive rockfall hazard report for Yosemite Valley floor. The 96-page scientific report by an interdisciplinary team of geologists and rockfall-hazard specialists concludes that several campsites on the northern side of Camp 4 need to be relocated to achieve adequate safety for climbers.[4]
Reservations
Reservations are not taken for spots in Camp 4 as it is a "walk-in" campground (i.e., first-come, first-served). A total of 35 sites are available daily, each accommodating a maximum of 6 people (i.e., 210 spots total) at a cost of US$6 per person per night. The Park Service has imposed a 30-night camping limit within Yosemite National Park per calendar year; however, from 1 May - 15 September, the camping limit in Yosemite is 14 nights with only seven of those nights allowed in Yosemite Valley or Wawona. [5]
Because of these harsh restrictions and the fact that Camp 4 is the only "walk-in" campground in Yosemite Valley, spots can be exceedingly difficult to obtain during major holidays, such as around the Memorial Day Weekend. Below is a list of the number of available slots each day during and immediately after the 2013 Memorial Day Weekend as of 8:30am (i.e., immediately before the ranger arrived and distributed numbered cards to those on line confirming who could obtain a space and who could not); a further notation is made of the number of people who were present and waiting to be checked-in at the time noted.
- Fri, 24 May - 68 Available Spots - 22 People present & on-line at 5:15am
- Sat, 25 May - 27 Available Spots - 15 People present & on-line at 3:15am
- Sun, 26 May - 43 Available Spots
- Mon, 27 May - 107 Available Spots
- Tue, 28 May - 63 Available Spots
- Wed, 29 May - 65 Available Spots
- Thu, 30 May - 75 Available Spots
- Fri, 31 May - 78 Available Spots
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Yosemite National Park
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Mariposa County, California
References
- ↑ "Registration Form". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2002-06-18.
- ↑ Muhlfeld, Teige (2009-09-17). "Rock and Ice Magazine: Coffee's Free at Camp 4". Retrieved 2009-11-02.
- ↑ "Camp 4 Listed With National Register of Historic Place" (Press release). National Park Service. 2006-02-27. Archived from the original on 2006-06-16. Retrieved 2006-07-10.
- ↑ Stock, Greg M.; Luco, Nicolas; Collins, Brian D.; Harp, Edwin L.; Reichenbach, Paola; Frankel, Kurt L. (April 2012). 2012 "Quantitative rock-fall hazard and risk assessment for Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, California". Yosemite National Park Division of Resources Management and Science. USGS. Retrieved 8 March 2013.
- ↑ "Planning Your Trip at Yosemite National Park". 2015-03-13. Retrieved 2015-03-15.
Further reading
- Kirk, Andrew and Charles Palmer, "When Nature Becomes Culture: The National Register and Yosemite's Camp 4," Western Historical Quarterly (Fall 2006)
- Roper, Steve (1994). Camp 4: Recollections of a Yosemite Rockclimber. Seattle, WA: Mountaineers Books. ISBN 0-89886-381-3. An earlier edition was titled simply Camp 4 (1994, ISBN 1-898573-10-7)
- Reid, Don (1992). Camp 4 - bouldering guide: Sunnyside Campground, Yosemite National Park. Don Reid.
External links
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