[3] Dozens of the most famous climbers in the world congregated at Camp 4 for years, learning from each other and trying out new ideas on Yosemite walls such as Half Dome and El Capitan.

Yvon Chouinard (today known as founder of the outdoor clothing retailer Patagonia, Inc.) prototyped new kinds of climbing equipment in Camp 4 using an old anvil, and sold them in the nearby parking lot.

The conflict came to a head in 1997, when flooding in Yosemite Valley destroyed many employee housing units and the Park Service proposed to build a three-story dormitory complex near Camp 4.

[6] With the support of other activists, rock climber and climbing equipment manufacturer Tom Frost initiated a lawsuit against the Park Service, arguing that the buildings would disturb the camp's natural setting.

[6] As part of their attempt to stop the construction project, Frost and his attorney Dick Duane also filed an application to have Camp 4 listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

[8] A 2012 rockfall hazard report concluded that several campsites on the northern side of Camp 4 needed to be relocated to achieve adequate safety for climbers.