The Park Service works diligently to protect Yosemite, however it is just one member in a larger community of stewards who care for the place they love. This community includes a colorful and passionate group of locals who have become a part of the landscape, through their commitment to adventure, exploration and preservation. Many men and women devote their time and energy to preserving and developing Yosemite to be a landscape in which others can also become a part. By doing so they help to perpetuate human connection to this place, thus protecting it.
One such person from this community is Dan McDevitt. Since driving his motorcycle to Yosemite on a whim at the age of 21, he has become a staple in the community. Dan is a prolific first ascensionist, putting up over 600 new pitches in and around the Yosemite area including multiple FA’s on El Cap. He is also an accomplished kayaker having run almost every Class V river in California. Through building trail, fixing hardware and new routing, Dan helps to create a safe space for people to climb and enjoy Yosemite’s Wilderness. He is constantly giving back to the community through mentorships in climbing and caring for the vertical landscape.
When I heard of Dan I was flipping through the back of my many guide books. I often climb routes in forgotten corners of the park, many of the climbs being fun and challenging. After climbing these routes I would look up the FA history and I would see Dan McDevitt. Spending more time in the community I began to see Dan around the crags. He is a climber who is perpetually excited about this landscape and sharing this excitement with other people.
On a beautiful fall afternoon in El Captain meadow I sat down with Dan and talked about how he came to be so deeply connected to Yosemite.
How did you come to Yosemite and start climbing?
I traveled from New York to Yosemite Valley on my motorcycle in 1981. When I first got to the Valley I went to the top of Half Dome to camp for a couple nights. While I was there I saw two climbers topping out the Regular North West Face of Half Dome, this was mind blowing. Later when I was back in the valley I saw some guys bouldering around Camp Four, and I joined in. Soon after that a friend took me up Manure Pile as my first ever rock climb, it was so much fun I was hooked. I got a seasonal job with NPS as a dispatcher and I never left.
How did you start living at the Search and Rescue site and how long were you there?
I met John Dill while I was on Dispatch. I showed a lot of interest in Search and Rescue and climbing but I was still a beginner. John saw potential in me and let me on the site even though I did not have the required three El cap routes under my belt. Within my first year I really learned the ropes and did a lot of wall routes starting with the Nose in 1983. I was an aid climber and an off-width climber at first. I worked for search and rescue 12 years.
Winters were cold back then, it still snowed. I remember going to the bar at the Loft when it was really cold. We did not have enough money to buy anything so we would just try to hang out in there long enough to get warm before we would get kicked out and have to walk back to our tent in two to three feet of sierra cement.
What was your first FA?
I put a route to the right of Jam Crack called Ice Capades, a 5.10 face route. It is all equipped with new hardware and something more people should get on it.
When did you start working as a Guide for the Mountain School?
I started working for the Mountain School in ’94 as a guide and I quickly became one of the program’s main Big Wall Guides. I guided El Cap about 13 times including guiding Zenyatta Mondatta, a notorious A5 route at the time. I also took clients up Half Dome and Washington Column.
I also taught a lot of alpine seminars from my experience on the ice routes around the Valley such as Widows Tears.
Who was a significant mentor for you in your climbing?
Werner Braun took me under his wing and showed me how to crack climb. I started honing my skills and soon I was heading up the test pieces of the time with him like Astroman. We all looked up to Werner and it was huge to have someone like that help me out. He is a great person who mentored a lot of newer climbers.
How do you think that mentorship works into being a Climber Steward?
To me it is important to help out people who are just getting into climbing. People can develop bad habits that can one day become dangerous. When I was putting up the Voyager, a new six pitch 5.11 route, a young guy that I had just met, Robbie Pitzz, helped out a bunch. I would get Robbie up there drilling anchor bolts, his first bolts he ever drilled. He and I actually established the extension that went to the top. It was great being out there with Robbie, I got to see the experience through his eyes. Being able to see this area through fresh eyes helps to remind me of why I come out here.
It was great being out there with Robbie, I got to see the experience through his eyes. Being able to see this area through fresh eyes helps to remind me of why I come out here.
When I meet people from out of town I try to help them with route and gear beta so that they get the most out of their experience here. If they need gear I try to loan it to them and help them. Stewardship is about helping others to love and enjoy this place as much as you do.
You do a lot of bolt replacement throughout the Sierra Nevada; Why do you find it important to replace hardware in these places?
I think it is important because I want people to be safe and have fun. There are plenty of routes in the area that are scary and test your mental strength which is great, but testing that should not be about whether or not this bolt is going to fail! I see a lot of young kids fresh out of the gym coming here climb and I want them to be safe and have a great experience. My daughter Makayla is getting to the age where she will begin climbing on her own and I want to protect her, I want to make all the bolts in the world safe for her.
What do you like about new routing?
I enjoy the puzzle, trying to see what lines will go. I will look at a new line for a long time until one day the light will hit it just right and I can see that it will go. New routing gives me an opportunity to spend a lot of time in a place connecting with the landscape, establishing new trails to the route and helping to create a safe space for people to enjoy themselves.
I will look at a new line for a long time until one day the light will hit it just right and I can see that it will go.
Do you think the relationship between National Park Service and the climbing community has shifted?
Since the early 2000’s I have noticed a shift in the way the the park service looks at climbers. With events like Facelift the park is seeing that the climbing community can have a positive presence. When I was first on the SAR site I felt like I had to stay out of the way and try to not be noticed unless I was needed for a rescue. Now it seems like the rangers and the climbers are working together more often. It has been great seeing competent people moving into the Climbing Ranger positions, people you meet at the crags and go climbing with you. It seems to me that there is a lot more respect given to climbers by Rangers, climbing is just becoming more main stream and less of a fringe activity.
