Yosemite getaway and (nearly) doing Half Dome
After my first week at work (I got the job in project management for the translation company), we headed to Yosemite National Park, approx. 170 miles east, for the weekend. On Friday night we were together with some chums from Jon’s work in a cabin a few miles outside the park. The next day, we got up early and headed into the valley itself with the intention of doing possibly the most strenuous of the available hikes, the 17 mile round-trip – ascending some 5,000 feet –to the top of the glacier-formed granite monolith known as Half Dome. We made good progress at the start of the hike, passing by stunning Nevada Falls on the way up. The day started to heat up, though, which made walking more difficult, especially the climb up the steep shoulder of the dome towards the end of the outward trek. The final leg of the hike, covering an ascent of some 400 feet, involves hauling yourself up steel cables suspended over the 45 degree angle cliff face to the summit. We reached the cables just after 1 p.m., only to find that we were far from alone, with a line of stationary people ahead of us clinging to them for dear life. We dutifully waited in line for about an hour, donning the last odd gloves left by previous hikers to aid our grip, only managing to get a quarter of the way up the incline during this time. We were fast dehydrating, standing on the bare rock face in the searing heat, and had to make a judgement call: it would take at least an hour to get to the top at the rate the people were moving (about one step every couple of minutes), which, in addition to the time spent at the summit and the many minutes needed to get down, would increase the duration of the hike considerably, meaning that we may not reach the valley before nightfall. With the line being so bad, people were taking the dangerous chance of scrambling up the outside of the cable. It was a difficult decision to make, not to mention highly frustrating, but we decided to abandon the exercise and embark upon the return journey. The views from the shoulder were, in any case, superb and the hike as a whole, passing two amazing waterfalls and a beautiful, emerald-coloured lake, was rewarding enough. We also came across a rattle-snake slinking along at the side of the path (although no bears, to Jon’s disappointment)! The last three miles or so were incredibly tough, though, and we were more than ready for the beer and pizza we gorged on at the end!
About an hour after we turned back from the cables, we heard a helicopter overhead and were confronted with an out-of-breath ranger on his way up, who asked us if we had seen anything in relation to an accident near the summit. We found out today that a mere half an hour after we decided to descend, a man had slipped and fallen from three quarters of the way up the cables to his death (http://www.sanluisobispo.com/348/story/70854.html). Judging from the time this happened, he was probably quite near us in the line. It’s not clear exactly what happened – perhaps he was trying to bypass the queue or was maybe overcome with the heat, but it’s a horrific tragedy.
Our second night was spent in a motel, also outside the park, as it’s impossible to get anything near the valley on a weekend (apart from camping, which we hadn’t prepared for) unless you book something approaching a year in advance. After an all-American breakfast of gammon, eggs, pancakes and maple syrup at nearby café, we headed back to the park and drove along the Tioga Pass road (only open about three months of the year because of snow) to do another hike to North Dome, on the northern rim of the valley. This was a much easier trek, in spite of the unforgiving heat and sun, being a mere (!) nine miles long with less ascent/descent, but it still afforded amazing views. We had lunch on the granite dome, looking towards the towering cliff of Half Dome on one side and down into the deep valley on the other, all the while being entertained by a curious chipmunk.
Our journey back was long and tedious, as we got stuck in a major traffic jam shortly after indulging in a dinner at Denny’s, a diner chain, about half way along the route. There’s not that much freeway on the way to Yosemite, which means that you pass through a lot of run-down, quite soulless little places largely dependent upon agriculture. After this dose of small-town America, it was a relief to see the garland of lights marking the Bay Bridge and the glittering skyscrapers of SF beyond. Driving up through North Beach at that late hour, with people still out and about enjoying themselves, felt very much like coming home. Could it be that I’m turning into a city girl after all?!
About an hour after we turned back from the cables, we heard a helicopter overhead and were confronted with an out-of-breath ranger on his way up, who asked us if we had seen anything in relation to an accident near the summit. We found out today that a mere half an hour after we decided to descend, a man had slipped and fallen from three quarters of the way up the cables to his death (http://www.sanluisobispo.com/348/story/70854.html). Judging from the time this happened, he was probably quite near us in the line. It’s not clear exactly what happened – perhaps he was trying to bypass the queue or was maybe overcome with the heat, but it’s a horrific tragedy.
Our second night was spent in a motel, also outside the park, as it’s impossible to get anything near the valley on a weekend (apart from camping, which we hadn’t prepared for) unless you book something approaching a year in advance. After an all-American breakfast of gammon, eggs, pancakes and maple syrup at nearby café, we headed back to the park and drove along the Tioga Pass road (only open about three months of the year because of snow) to do another hike to North Dome, on the northern rim of the valley. This was a much easier trek, in spite of the unforgiving heat and sun, being a mere (!) nine miles long with less ascent/descent, but it still afforded amazing views. We had lunch on the granite dome, looking towards the towering cliff of Half Dome on one side and down into the deep valley on the other, all the while being entertained by a curious chipmunk.
Our journey back was long and tedious, as we got stuck in a major traffic jam shortly after indulging in a dinner at Denny’s, a diner chain, about half way along the route. There’s not that much freeway on the way to Yosemite, which means that you pass through a lot of run-down, quite soulless little places largely dependent upon agriculture. After this dose of small-town America, it was a relief to see the garland of lights marking the Bay Bridge and the glittering skyscrapers of SF beyond. Driving up through North Beach at that late hour, with people still out and about enjoying themselves, felt very much like coming home. Could it be that I’m turning into a city girl after all?!
Pictures are available on the Fotki website: http://public.fotki.com/EllenHardwick/ (Password: moocow)
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