If you haven’t seen the 2014 documentary, Valley Uprising, it’s about time.
At the heart of the project lies Yosemite Valley and the climbers who’ve loved it. Legend by legend, the film takes viewers through modern climbing’s very recent but incredibly rich history. And more to the point — the filmmakers do it all well.
From climbing’s stick-it-to-the-man beginnings at Camp 4, Valley Uprising sort of raises you with it. Characters like Camp 4 founding member, Royal Robbins, the now-deceased Dean Potter, tomboy extraordinaire/crusher Lynne Hill, and a wide-eyed, cheeky, far-less-famous Alex Honnold (he wouldn’t catapult to Free Solo stardom until 2018).
As a culture, climbing encompasses many a retelling of guts and glory. But much like Yosemite Valley itself, the quirky, impish, dirtbag moments are what give Valley Uprising life. Take, for instance, the tale of Dope Lake, teased in the clip below. It recalls the time a ganja-laden plane crashed high up on Merced Pass in the late 1970s, and how the fringe climbers from Camp 4 made a very lucrative business out of it.
For the full story an so much more, watch Valley Uprising on Amazon Prime.
