Lockdowns plaguing California with new restrictions daily, and wildfires threatening most of the state, it's been a trying year. Somehow we managed to wrangle ourselves a day permit for Yosemite.

Tenaya Peak is a 1,400ft face that towers up from Tenaya Lake. With massive granite flakes and a peak that's just over 10k, it's a looker. With our bags packs full of virgin trad gear, we were set to make a clean and safe summit.

With some trad experience myself, and our friend Yoshi with an encyclopedia of knowledge, we set out in two teams. Yoshi and Desmond - long time belay partners, and myself and my life partner, Sara.

We set out at 7am with overcast skies and a lingering campfire smell from the surrounding forest fires. It was going to be epic.

After hiking along the beach of Tenaya lake we dove into the woods with no trail - just a goal of going up. We eventually emerged on granite slabs that extended as far as we could see.

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