Ayesha Khan: Yo!Basecamp

If you've ever met me you've probably heard me rant about the one and only Yo!Basecamp. It all started when Pilgrimage came out. The movie documenting Chris Sharma, Katie Brown and Nate Gold's bouldering trip to Hampi, India totally blew up the little box I knew as climbing and an obsession with the stronger climbers of the world was born.

I shortly after learned of Yo!Basecamp, a climbing camp out of the Sierra Nevada Mountains run by Andy Puhvel and Lisa Coleman, with guest counselor....(drum roll please) Chris Sharmaaaaa. Don't ask me how, but I somehow convinced my mother to send me to a climbing camp in California with perfect strangers. Having been to camp several years in a row, I decided I wanted to do something different with my summer this year, but as camp season drew closer I started to miss the anticipation of what had been the best week of my year for the past five years.

So, flights are booked and I'm very excited to announce that I'll be attending Yo!Basecamp once again this year. Andy and Lisa are beyond rad to say the least. They put their heart and soul into running this camp and sharing their love and knowledge with the youngins of the climbing community. The camps offer everything from bouldering to learning how to climb a crack traditional style to rappelling off your own anchors. And of course, what would camp be without the delicious food, chilling campfire stories of pioneer climbers up on El Cap, frisbee golf on the slabs, swimming in the reservoir and last but not least the talent show (might I add that I've been the champion of the talent show two years in a row.)

Some pictures to give you an idea of what it's like to spend a week at the happiest place on earth...