The Half Dome Quest
The icy cold of yesterday's snowfall and the smell of burning wood from the lodge fireplace mixed with holiday air filled my senses as I stepped out of the car at Yosemite National Park. From the first moment I saw Half Dome I was magnetized. I knew right then that I would come back the following year and hike it to the top.
This was my first trip to Yosemite. Michelle, Keisha and I chose Yosemite that year to spend Thanksgiving together. The massive rock structures were a bit overwhelming for Michelle and I, so much so that we both had difficulty sleeping the first night. The three of us hiked Nevada Falls the next day and I thought, how hard can it be to go just 4 more miles to Half Dome? This will be easy. I went home inspired and excited.
At the beginning of May, I started preparing for the September trek. I talked my dear friend Glo into training with me and into the trip itself. Week after week we met at 6am on Saturday mornings to conquer a local mountain in the San Luis Obispo area. On Wednesday we would go to Pismo and climb up and down the steep wooden stairs leading to the beach. Being overly ambitious the first time, we made 10 round trips totaling 2,500 steps; neither of us could walk for 2 days but it made for a funny story, especially when we demonstrated the sideways crab walk. I dropped 20 pounds, researched everything on the internet I could find and bought all the appropriate hiking gear. I was prepared...well, except for the heat, altitude, exhaustion, hours it would take, lack of sleep the night before, dehydration and hiking the last 3 hours in pitch black because my friend injured her leg on the way down. Even after all of this, it was magnificent and I loved it! I stopped at one point and just stood there in the absolute quiet and blackness of night, aware that the only sound was my heart beat and breath.
I had one fixed goal and that was to make it up the famous cables to the very top. Glo and Michelle hugged me goodbye and wished me luck on this last part as they waited at the base of the giant rock. They had never planned on the cables so their assent was complete.
When I got to the cables, there was a young girl crying. She said it was her 3rd time to make it this far only to turn back in fear. I wish I could have helped her but the day was getting late. Because of the time of year and the time of day, there were few people on the cables, I was fortunate that I could go at my own pace. Nothing, absolutely nothing, could have stopped me from going up except rain or lightening. I had waited over a year for this moment. I must have been altered in the altitude or the experience because I just sailed up and over that rock almost effortlessly. I say almost, because there was a split second about 3 feet from the top edge that I realized how much arm strength this was taking and wondered where I was going to get the last burst of energy. I did it! Once at the top I sat at the ledge overlooking the 8,800 ft view where I had seen so many photos of others before me. Coming off the rock I collapsed in Michelle's arms sobbing. I was high and tired and happy. Over 7 miles back to the cabin and 4 hours to go, but I didn't know that in the moment. I had done it. I had conquered Half Dome for my sixty-first birthday.
Mark would like to do it with me next time. Next time? I will think about it.
Please enjoy the video, especially if you are considering hiking Half Dome
and this is your first time.
Did You Know? Giant sequoias are a fire adapted species. Their bark is fire resistant and fire helps open the sequoia cone and scatter the tiny seeds. Fire also clears forest debris from the mineral soil and provides a nutrient rich seed bed as well as clearing competing species. Wow.
This was my first trip to Yosemite. Michelle, Keisha and I chose Yosemite that year to spend Thanksgiving together. The massive rock structures were a bit overwhelming for Michelle and I, so much so that we both had difficulty sleeping the first night. The three of us hiked Nevada Falls the next day and I thought, how hard can it be to go just 4 more miles to Half Dome? This will be easy. I went home inspired and excited.
At the beginning of May, I started preparing for the September trek. I talked my dear friend Glo into training with me and into the trip itself. Week after week we met at 6am on Saturday mornings to conquer a local mountain in the San Luis Obispo area. On Wednesday we would go to Pismo and climb up and down the steep wooden stairs leading to the beach. Being overly ambitious the first time, we made 10 round trips totaling 2,500 steps; neither of us could walk for 2 days but it made for a funny story, especially when we demonstrated the sideways crab walk. I dropped 20 pounds, researched everything on the internet I could find and bought all the appropriate hiking gear. I was prepared...well, except for the heat, altitude, exhaustion, hours it would take, lack of sleep the night before, dehydration and hiking the last 3 hours in pitch black because my friend injured her leg on the way down. Even after all of this, it was magnificent and I loved it! I stopped at one point and just stood there in the absolute quiet and blackness of night, aware that the only sound was my heart beat and breath.
I had one fixed goal and that was to make it up the famous cables to the very top. Glo and Michelle hugged me goodbye and wished me luck on this last part as they waited at the base of the giant rock. They had never planned on the cables so their assent was complete.
When I got to the cables, there was a young girl crying. She said it was her 3rd time to make it this far only to turn back in fear. I wish I could have helped her but the day was getting late. Because of the time of year and the time of day, there were few people on the cables, I was fortunate that I could go at my own pace. Nothing, absolutely nothing, could have stopped me from going up except rain or lightening. I had waited over a year for this moment. I must have been altered in the altitude or the experience because I just sailed up and over that rock almost effortlessly. I say almost, because there was a split second about 3 feet from the top edge that I realized how much arm strength this was taking and wondered where I was going to get the last burst of energy. I did it! Once at the top I sat at the ledge overlooking the 8,800 ft view where I had seen so many photos of others before me. Coming off the rock I collapsed in Michelle's arms sobbing. I was high and tired and happy. Over 7 miles back to the cabin and 4 hours to go, but I didn't know that in the moment. I had done it. I had conquered Half Dome for my sixty-first birthday.
Mark would like to do it with me next time. Next time? I will think about it.
Please enjoy the video, especially if you are considering hiking Half Dome
and this is your first time.
Did You Know? Giant sequoias are a fire adapted species. Their bark is fire resistant and fire helps open the sequoia cone and scatter the tiny seeds. Fire also clears forest debris from the mineral soil and provides a nutrient rich seed bed as well as clearing competing species. Wow.
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