Half Dome (big pics inside...)

scott a · Ladies Man Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 9810

so on sunday myself and some friends from school decided to head up to Yosemite and hike up the back of Half Dome. for those that dont know the hike, here's some stats:
16 miles of hiking round trip, covering 4,000 feet in elevation change. you park at 4,000ish feet and hike to 8,000ish feet, so breathing can be tough for some. the last 1200 feet is covered in a 1/4 mile climb up the side of half dome. it's intense to say the least.

sooo yeah. i took some pics. enjoy.

we parked here at 7:21am. half dome is just to the right of the two trees in the middle of the picture.

4 hours into the hike we reach the top of Nevada Falls. after hiking from the valley floor up to here, its time for a break and a photo op...

and we continue walking for another 3 hours along a trail that circles behind and around Half Dome. it approaches from the side, and you end up hiking up a rock that has a series of steps cut into it. this is the first time that the "you fall=you die" mentality comes into play. there's no safety net. just you and some steps and at the top we find ourself looking at the side of Half Dome...
yeah, it looks kind of weird from that angle, but whatever. the important thing is the little trail of people going up Half Dome in the middle of the picture. yup. that's how you get up there. no fansy climbing gear or anything like that. just you and some cables. hope you brought some nice gloves! and remember- you fall=you die. and the farther up you climb, the longer you get to think about how you wish you hadn't slipped.

so i guess now would be a good time to remind you that the last 1,200 vertical feet of climbing is done in the last 1/4 mile of the trip. the picture is as it looks- the rock is at a 50 degree angle.

ahhh....yes. reached the top. and there's quite a view- if you can stomach it. stuff like this really puts things into perspective especially considering the fact that it was frozen water that created this place. just entirely insane.

and the view from the back of Half Dome

on our way back we decide to take a different path down the hill. here, again, is the Nevada Falls

intotheflats · Posted: Aug 29, 2006 11:10 pm Post subject:

those are some great pics. Looks like a blast!

chriscut · Outlaw Joined: 15 Aug 2004 Posts: 200

wow dude. thats Bubb Rubb awesome...dope pics.

DRAGON88 · Posted: Aug 29, 2006 11:18 pm Post subject:

Damn, that's an awesome view, 1200ft in a 1/4mile is absolutely ridiculous.

J_DOGG · Posted: Aug 30, 2006 3:47 am Post subject:

Nice hike....crazy cable system, I wouldn't like being up there with other people.
I trust my life to no one but ME....

I'd love to hike out west!

That gain is like NH hikes, in the Whites everything is 4000 feet in less than 2 miles or so....If you hike in NH you are going up from the minute you leave the parking lot.

Dpierce37 · Ladies Man Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 7659 City: Austin

Base jumpers paradise!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's freaking amazing scott!! Nice pics man!

jt09 · Ladies Man Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 22083 City: Austin

Sweet pics Scott! Looks like a blast.

Wakebrad · Ladies Man Joined: 11 Dec 2003 Posts: 12257 City: Dallas

Sweet man. Those are some nice pics. I have a friend that climbs high-points and has about half of the US covered.

Sounds fun and challenging with a dab of adrenaline.

J-Ro · Posted: Aug 30, 2006 6:18 am Post subject:

No matter how many times you climb it, it's still amazing. I grew up 2hours from Yosemite and for 2 years, I lived about 20 miles away. It's an amazing place. If they ever drained Hetch Hetchy, we would have 2 Yosemites.

BTW Scott, contrary to popular belief, ice did not create Yosemite valley, God did.

Bwahahahahaha!!!!!! Laughing

Corporate · Posted: Aug 30, 2006 7:09 am Post subject:

Great pics Scott, I've lived in CA for 3 years now and still haven't been to Yosemite yet this may just give me the motivation.

That's a solid hike, you must have had a big breakfast.

Swass · Guest

What pics? Is it just me?

Dpierce37 · Ladies Man Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 7659 City: Austin

Swass, Yea it's you...now drink your prune juice and eat some fiber! Mr. Green

jt09 · Ladies Man Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 22083 City: Austin

Jolson, BIG ASS STAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

jryoung · Ladies Man Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 7664 City: Man Jose

8824 · Posted: Aug 30, 2006 8:53 am Post subject:

scott a,
May I call you Ansel?

Did you go to camp IV?

Swass · Guest

Dpierce37, I'm regular like clockwork!

But, but...I see Jolson's pic.

J-Ro · Posted: Aug 30, 2006 9:03 am Post subject:

jryoung, Except people would go to Hetch Hetchy and all the reservoir is used for is to steal water for SF. Drain Powell and you screw every wakeboarder and 3 states worth of people and no one would visit.

scott a · Ladies Man Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 9810

BurkeViper · Posted: Aug 30, 2006 12:49 pm Post subject:

scott a, made it up before the rush of this weekend eh? Very Happy

Sportster4Tec · Posted: Aug 30, 2006 4:10 pm Post subject:

Two summers ago I hiked to the summit of Mt. Elbert, the tallest mountain in the rockies at 14,440ft. The base starts at something like 8,500ft so it's a pretty good hike. We hiked about 6 hours with 45 pound packs on up to high camp which was probably at about 11,000ft. Tree line stopped at 11,500ft I think. On summit day we left at daybreak and took about a 6 hour hike up to the summit for the last 3,000ft. I forget how many total miles the hike was, something like 8 miles one way. It wasn't a super tough climb, but it was fun. It was pretty amazing being up on top with snow still around you in the middle of July.

watsoc · Addict Joined: 23 Feb 2004 Posts: 574 City: Anthem

I see that the hike has not changed much in the 15 years since I was last up there. When I was there it was really crowded and people were running up the outside of the cables passing people on the way up and down. I even had a falling water bottle almost hit me on the way up and that really scared the crap out of me. I did this hike in a weekend with some camping in between so I am impressed with your one day trip. The hikes in Yosemite are nothing compared to the 14000 ft. peaks in Colorado though as far as oxygen is concerned. Thanks for the great pics and it looks like you had a great time. Do they still have all the stone houses up on top of the dome? Those were pretty cool especially when it got real windy at the top.

RUSSIAN · Posted: Aug 30, 2006 8:52 pm Post subject:

Very nice Scott. I really like the fishy view from the top. It's amazing, but I have never been there Rolling Eyes

I'm hoping to go soon though

khill12 · Outlaw Joined: 29 Jul 2006 Posts: 109 City: Madison

Wow, that must have been a heck of a climb, awesome pics!!!!

wakerider07 · Posted: Sep 02, 2006 4:14 pm Post subject:

scott_a, wow man those pics are wasome and that climb looks sick. what was your total time to get back down?

doubtful but has anyone here ever hiked Mt. Scenery on Saba in the Carribbean?

Nor*Cal · Ladies Man Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 9479 City: Sac

That's an awesome hike. I wanted to do it this year but can't get a weekend until October. I think they pull the cables in october...

pyrocasto · Posted: Sep 03, 2006 1:28 pm Post subject:

Nor*Cal, pull the cables? They dont want people going up there when it's icey or something?

spinnintowin · Guest

WOWIE WOW, someone get Scott A. a cookie. I am impressed

oshensurfer · Posted: Sep 04, 2006 8:37 am Post subject:

pyrocasto,
Yes.
Nor*Cal,
I thought they pulled them sooner.

Commodore · Ladies Man Joined: 20 Jun 2005 Posts: 11636

That looks beautiful. Very bad ass!! Great pics man, thanks. Another place I need to see.