Betsy and I spent three days hiking and climbing in Yosemite Valley at the end of October and beginning of November. We were joined at various times by Betsy’s friends Arielle, Lindsey, Bea, and Suman. We camped at Upper Pines Campground, and Betsy and I slept in her van. Here is what we did each day.
Day 0 (Thursday, October 30): I fly from San Diego to Oakland in the evening, and Betsy and I drive to Yosemite, arriving at 1 am the next day.
Day 1 (Friday, October 31): Betsy and I hike 5 miles from our campsite to the top of Vernal Fall and back. Arielle works remotely on her computer, and the others arrive in the evening.
Day 3 (Saturday, November 1): All six of us shuttle to Yosemite Village and hike to the base of a climb to Sunnyside Bench east of Lower Yosemite Fall. Betsy and Arielle do the three-pitch climb as a team, while Suman and Lindsey are the other team. Bea and I hike a loop below the base of the fall and then back to the start. Suman heads home after the climb.
Day 3 (Sunday, November 2): The five of us hike and rock scramble to a ledge at the base of Glacier Point Apron, from where Betsy and Lindsey climb the first pitch of the Harry Daley route. Arielle heads home, while the rest of us hike to the base of El Cap to cap off another great adventure.
Day 1: Friday, October 31. The Raven and Pumpkin Pi are ready to start their Halloween hike at Upper Pines Campground. 
Betsy makes this cool Pumpkin Pi hat before the start of the hike. 
Arielle places this sinister warning in camp. 
The Raven and Pumpkin Pi pose on a bridge over the Merced River. 
We have this nice view of Glacier Point. 
Who and what lives in the rock piles by the trail? 
Pumpkin Pi climbs the steep trail. 
We have a nice view of Vernal Fall, which is still impressive at its low water level in the fall. 
These steps on the trail have been newly laid 
I lean over a railing to take this photo looking down from the top of the fall. 
A hungry ground squirrel hopes for a handout, but I resist the temptation to oblige.
Photos and commentary follow.
Day 2: Saturday, November 1. Bea, Lindsey, Suman, Betsy, and Arielle are all smiles at the start the hike to the base of the climb to Sunnyside Bench. 
Upper and Lower Yosemite Falls still have water this late in the season. Sunnyside Bench is the prominent bench above and to the right of the lower fall. 
Suman organizes his rope. 
Betsy has another rope and lots of cams as she looks up the route. 
Arielle and Betsy scramble to the start of the roped route. Just then, a fist-sized rock whizzes down from above but misses us! 
Fall color brightens the trail that Bea and I take to Lower Yosemite Fall. 
The lower fall is little more than a trickle now. 
This is one of the deer that we see on our hike. 
Half Dome towers above the valley floor. 
Later in the day the sun shines on the face of Half Dome. 
A raven watches over us when we go for a pizza dinner at Curry Village.
Day 3: Sunday, November 2. Betsy cooks breakfast as Lindsey watches and Bea shares a story. 
Arielle and I warm up with a cooked egg on our leftover pizza. 
Betsy’s van leads the way to the start of the day’s climb. (Thanks to Bea for the cool pic!) 
Glacier Point Apron is the lower-angle slope behind the trees. 
Bea, Lindsey, Betsy, and Arielle are ready to go. 
Brilliant yellow maple leaves adorn the approach. 
Half Dome comes into view as we climb above the tree tops. 
Betsy leads along the base of the apron. 
The route steepens as Betsy and Lindsey scramble up to the ledge where the serious climbing begins. 
Arielle, Betsy, and Lindsey organize the rope. 
Betsy leads the climb up Harry Daley. 
Betsy (in red) nears the top of the climb, while Lindsey (in green helmet) belays from below. (Thanks to Arielle for the awesome pic!) 
Betsy makes it to the top! 
Lindsey starts the climb. 
Lindsey climbs higher. 
Betsy rappels down. This is the face where she took a horrific fall rappelling in 2017! 
Four happy climbers celebrate their morning adventure with Half Dome in the left background. 
Betsy, Bea, and Lindsey join me on a bridge over the Merced River at the start of our afternoon hike. 
We have this great view of the impressive face of El Cap! 
Four climbers are on the face: 3 above and 1 below! 
This is the start of the trail to the bottom of the face. 
Betsy and I enjoy a ginger bear cookie at the base of El Cap 🙂 
Lindsey and Bea enjoy each other 🙂 
We hike back down the trail. 
We pass this downed tree trunk full of holes drilled by woodpeckers to store acorns as we wrap up another great adventure in Yosemite!