This trip started as any good trip does — get a bunch of friends together, a ton of gear, and pack it in the smallest car possible. We drove through the night in hopes of getting a campsite at Camp 4 around sunrise. You get this real magical feeling driving through the entrance of Yosemite National Park in the dark. Soon the sun will be revealing all the beauty that surrounds you. Once we secured our campsite, we all went to sleep until about noon.

Well-rested, we grabbed some food, a few beers and started our day. The main reason we came to Yosemite was to highline, as it’s home to some of the highest lines in California. We also wanted to try slacklining in Yosemite in various ways. There are a couple of slacklines left up at Camp 4 to hang out and practice at, as well as plenty of opportunity to slackline over the river and across the meadows. Most of our first day was spent slacking over the Merced River. The area we chose was already in the shade by the time we got the line situated across the river. Even in summer the water was still cold, but the setting couldn’t have been more beautiful. We were surrounded by granite walls, lush meadows and the winding Merced. After a couple hours we headed back to camp to relax and wait for some more friends to roll in.

The next morning was the big day of our trip. We packed all our highline gear and headed up to Taft Point. When you get to the trail head it’s an easy one mile hike to the epic spot. The first thing I did when I got there was look over the edge down at Yosemite Valley 3,500 feet below us. I definitely got huge butterflies in my stomach. It really sank in what we were about to do at that moment. There are 3 high lines at this spot, the one we rigged is 60 feet long. Rigging a highline can be very complicated and dangerous if not done correctly. Lines are either bolted into the rock, or wrapped around big heavy boulders with slings. Everything in the system is backed up at least twice for maximum safety. Rigging a line is a huge team effort and this is what makes slacklining so rewarding. Walking the slackline is an individual activity; you don’t feel all alone though because you have your friends right there encouraging you every step of the way.

A lot of people ask what it’s like to walk on a highline, or just to be out there. Most people think we are crazy but it’s the complete opposite. While it can be scary, it’s completely relaxing to me at the same time. Your feelings and state of mind are heightened. You most definitely will have adrenaline running through your body. I personally have trouble getting into the groove of walking calmly. My mind is usually at ease when I’m sitting but my actions don’t always show it once I stand up. This can be anything from your body shaking or walking unsteadily, and makes it more difficult to cross the line. Once your body is able to relax though, walking is the most amazing feeling. It’s definitely something hard to put into words. The closest way to describe it would be to be gently floating on by. I love the idea that you are in a space that humans are not meant to be in. All that matters in that moment is focusing on your next step and controlling your breathing. When you finally step back onto solid ground, the feeling of joy is so immense.

This line was a tough one for me. It was the highest I have tried walking above the ground. The process of falling and catching the line or falling underneath is exhausting. Getting back up and trying multiple times to walk can become a huge mental and physical challenge. A few of our friends made it across the line, but it’s really just about being there in the moment and enjoying it all. It’s not always about making it across every time. When you fall and don’t make it across, you can get back up and try walking again from that same spot. The other alternative is to shimmy your way back to either side. On longer lines we carry a device that lets you attach yourself underneath the line, and allows you to quickly roll back to either side. The sunset was really magical that evening, over looking the valley floor and across at El Capitan.

After a great day spent in the sun, we derigged the line and headed back down to the valley. We grabbed some IPAs once we were back down to celebrate our awesome day. We gathered around the fire and continued the good vibes. Around 1:30 am, I found myself with two friends laying in a field looking up at all the trees, granite walls, the stars and Milky Way. It was the perfect way to end the day.

Our final day of the trip was just as good as the first two. We were only in Yosemite for three days but it felt like over a week. We were all pretty tired from the day before and just wanted an easy day. We started the day off at the El Cap bridge and went swimming. Jumping off the bridge, and rope swing were both a must. After that we ended up hanging out most of the day in the El Cap meadows. We decided to rig a longline which was around 140 feet long. The longer the slackline the harder it is to walk, this makes it a far greater challenge. While one person walked, the rest of us relaxed in the shade staring up at El Capitan.

Just before sunset we headed up to the alcove swing. The hike alone is really cool, but the swing is something else. It’s a rope swing that’s attached to El Capitan, you run off the granite slab and swing out hundreds of feet above Yosemite Valley. You feel so free when you take that last step and jump into the wind flying above the earth below. It was also really cool to see those a bit intimidated take the jump. One moment their second guessing and the next you see them embrace the jump with a huge smile on their face. Everyone was having such a good time, it was such a great way to end the trip. I definitely recommend checking it out if you find yourself in Yosemite. Once we hiked back down we headed to Curry Village for dinner. Everyone shared a big pizza, then parted ways and drove off once again into the night.

Images and story by Cameron Gardner