Convoluted Bliss is currently the longest completed alpine ridge traverse by distance in the United States (longer than WURL in Utah). It traverses around the entire Merced Lake Drainage in southeastern Yosemite, climbing a total of 51 peaks. It was first climbed over 8 days in August 2017. While small sections of the route require low 5th class scrambling, most of it involves class 2 boulder hopping. The entire 40-mile ridge portion of the route involves cross country travel. The total distance stats including approaching and deproaching the ridge is around 69 miles and 27,000 ft of gain. Detailed route information can be found here: http://peaksforfreaks.blogspot.com/2017/08/convoluted-bliss.html
As of October 2019, over 2 years after the first ascent, only 3 people of the first ascent team have completed the route.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tc7OKcAspsE&t=549s
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Myself, Vitaliy Musiyenko, and Ryan Tetz will make an attempt on this route.
We will do self-supported style [1 cached resupply] and will attempt to take the time frame from the 8 days of the FA team, down to <4.5 days. We will track via COROS Vertix 2 and will take geo-tagged photos [cell phone] at each summit. If cell service is present, I will try to post to my IG stories during the effort. We will attempt to take amateur video of the experience to be posted afterwards.
51 peaks - under 5 days? I guess we will see - 6/29/2022
We did it! Second ascent and FKT.
3days, 12hrs, 47min, 07sec for 51 peaks car-to-car.
Vitaliy and Ryan were incredible partners 💪 👊
Trip report, photos, and video forthcoming after we recompose ourselves.
With stoke and gratitude,
Jason
Vitaliy Musiyenko finished his edit of our Convoluted Bliss Youtube Video here (admin: please add to the route and TR)
For future attempters:
Matt and I chat about "Convoluted Bliss" in this episode of "Off The Couch" <- should open to exact timestamp