Half Dome

When I was very young, my childhood best friend would say that Yosemite was her favorite place in the world. I was more of a beach child than a mountain child (though the mountains now have my heart), so I figured she was a hippie and dismissed her preference. Now that I am old and wise, I know 2 things for sure: first, she definitely was a hippie; and second, she was dead on about Yosemite.

This past weekend, I + 5 good friends ventured to Yosemite to hike the infamous Half Dome (the landmark from which The North Face logo is derived).

Half Dome is a unique hike for several reasons:

1-      Total mileage is about 16 miles, with an elevation gain of 4,800 feet, meaning about 12 hours roundtrip.

2-      The final 400 feet to the top of the granite dome is so steep that you must climb using two steel cables as handholds.

3-      People die because it is actually pretty dangerous. An estimated 12-15 people per year slip while climbing up or down the dome, making it one of the deadliest hikes around.

To sum it up, one hiker/blogger who has hiked the trail 35 times said this: “Difficulty: On the traditional 1 to 10 scale, this one rates an 11. Insanity Factor: 9 out of 10. Wait ‘til you get to the cables, and you’ll see.”

It should come as no surprise that this information only compelled me further to take on this beastly rock. Wanting to test my strength, endurance, and courage, I secured the permit for our group and we started making preparations. The necessities were light clothes to accommodate the 95 degree high, 4 liters of water per person, and a pair of gloves so the cables didn’t shred our hands. Add in some variations of trail mix, beef jerky, and enough clif bars to feed an army, and we were ready to slay the dragon.

Because everybody and their dog wants to camp at Yosemite in the summer (and now I can’t blame them – it is breathtaking), we had to get a little creative. Friday after work, we each tried to sleep a few hours. I was the winner with a grand total of 3 hours, and K came in last with 0 hours. We met up for a midnight departure, arrived at the trailhead around 4:15 AM, and headed out to meet our fate by the light of our headlamps.

My very favorite moment of the hike came pretty early. Just as the sun was starting to light up the sky, we arrived at Vernal Falls. The falls are so powerful that they send a mist up the mountain, enabling the surrounding rocky cliffs to grow an assortment of grasses and mosses. The bright green cliffs + the beautiful grey stone + the powerful falls + the rising sun really took the cake.

My photo of the falls

Not my photo, but I had to show the grass. I was obsessed. The rainbow is a little much.

The remainder of the ascent to the base of the dome was smooth sailing. We trekked to the beautiful Nevada falls, got a few bites in the mosquito-laden forest, and climbed the steep granite steps to the perilous cables. I must admit that despite the warnings, the photos, and the deaths, I didn’t expect what I found at the base. The journey to the top appeared much steeper (and much more terrifying) than I had anticipated, but there was no turning back.

Doesn't look TOO steep from here.

But wait until you get to the bottom and look up.

In a nutshell, the cables went like this: we climbed up, and it was pretty scary; we climbed down, and it was really scary. I learned the hard way that my Nike Frees are no match for slippery rock. We held on to the cables very, very tightly. K even tore through his gloves and got a nasty blister. We got to the bottom and, legs shaking, kissed the ground.

Don't know the guy in the hat, but the view from the top was beautiful.

Mission accomplished, we descended back down to the Yosemite Valley. After a few hiccups (losing one of our hikers temporarily, K’s IT bands seizing up, and polishing off our collective 816 oz of water), we reached the safety of our cars and drove home, straight to our showers and beds.

The journey was unforgettable, and at the end of the day, I learned 2 very important lessons: 1- shoes with traction are worth the $35 they would have cost me, and 2 – a good adventure is always worth the sacrifice you make for it, whether you give up sleep, sweat, or security. As long as you don’t slip off the rock and die.