Yosemite Spring 2026: Reporting From the Valley

This spring, Climbing Associate Editor Sam MacIlwaine is reporting from Yosemite National Park to break news, share tales from Camp 4, and research several longer stories that we’ll be publishing in the coming months. MacIlwaine is no stranger to the Yosemite Valley—she is a former Yosemite Climber Steward and is attempting her fifth El Capitan ascent this month.

Look out for reporting from MacIlwaine through June on Climbing.com. If you want more straight from the Valley, sign up for  Climbing’s Yosemite Dispatch. In this free newsletter, MacIlwaine will be sharing behind-the-scenes moments from breaking news, honest thoughts on dirtbag life in 2026, personal stories from the wall, and more, two to three times a week, starting next week.

In the meantime, listen to some of Climbing‘s greatest Yosemite stories below, from MacIlwaine’s reporting on the first female Yosemite Triple Crown last year, to the story of a legendary late member of Yosemite Search and Rescue. We’ll be adding to this narrative playlist throughout the season.

Note that the listen option is only available for Outside+ members.

Listen to the Yosemite Stories Playlist

[tts_playlist project_id=53464 playlist_id=157395]

Want more stories from Yosemite? See our Yosemite archives here.

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