The cables on Half Dome

[lambertiana]

The thread about the most dangerous trail made me think of the only trail around here that sees a huge amount of traffic that has any fatalities (none this last year, but two years ago three people died on the cables).

First, the cables from the saddle:

Looking up:

Looking down:

And the nose; see if you think you would sit in the King's Seat (the opening below the slabs out on the Nose). For scale, the road visible below is four lanes wide:

The kid in the red shirt is the son of some friends who went with me. His mother freaked when she saw the pictures, especially of the one with him laying out at the end of the nose.

 

[carter13]

where is that place? i need to visit

 

[sasha]

Hey if a little kid with a wet nose can do it so can i..... I think

 

[C Bryant]

Holy crap, that is awesome. I have never been that close to half dome, I had no idea the cables were that steep. I might need to check that one out next time I am up there.

 

[offroadcmpr]

That is one of my favorite places. That nose I always called the "diving board". I don't know if that is the correct name, but that is what I usually call it.

I think the scariest part of the cables is when you start to come down. At the top looking down the cables just get steeper and steeper until they go out of view. You don't see where they go until you start going farther down.

 

[DWK2]

I haven't done that climb in decades but last year I finished a 9-day backpack on the bottom part of the trail. Always amused me to see people heading up from the Valley at mid-day with inadequate clothing, food, water, lights, and conditioning---and then being surprised that they didn't make the top!

I guess they thought the guide books and signs were just kidding.

DancesWithKnives

 

[Bushman5]

I will long line rappel that one day!

just out of curiosity, but why are these people not wearing a harness and clipped into the cables with a shock absorbing lanyard? (like they do in other cable climbs int he rest of the world) that looks almost vertical......

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa110/lambertiana/Half Dome/HalfDome2006020.jpg

 

[Idaho Jarhead]

I just about got vertigo just looking at your pictures!! :barf:

Great photos, by the way. I would do it if given the opportunity. Don't know if I would enjoy it, but I would do it.

 

[jds1]

Nice photos. My wife and I did that hike a few years ago and it remains my all time favorite. :thumbup:

Jeff

 

[tknife]

Man I haven't been to Yosemite since I was about 12 or 13. Really awesome up there, the views are some of the best in the world.

 

[mtnfolk mike]

man.. great pics Lambertiana... i haven't climbed the cables on half dome in years... back in the day, when i was climbing a lot, i wanted to try one of the climbs up the face.... i have a bunch of friends that have done various routes...

 

[RoyalM]

That looks an excellent climb, reminds me very much of the cable up Ayers Rock and it scared the hell out of me when I went up it.

 

[555]

Great Pictures.

I had to safety tie myself to the Office chair while looking at them.

 

[91xlt]

how you say en englise...
holy flipping sheet!

thats awesome!
i have never heard of nor seen this before...can you give any more info?

THANKS!!!! for the pics dude!:thumbup:

 

[DWK2]

There's plenty of info on the net about the history and details of the Half Dome trail---you could read for hours. If you try to do it in one day from Yosemite Valley, you need to leave before dawn and you'll be covering a lot of miles and a big elevation gain. An alternative is to backpack up to Little Yosemite Valley and set a base camp. Your climb to the summit is much shorter and you cut off a couple thousand vertical feet. That's my preference.

DancesWithKnives

 

[jds1]

i have never heard of nor seen this before...can you give any more info?

It's 17 miles round trip, from the Valley, with about 4800 feet of elevation gain. Plan on about 10 hours or so. And as DWK2 pointed out, there is a TON of info on the Web. It's a most excellent way to spend the day.

Jeff

 

[Rick Marchand]

If that were my son... under your care, and you showed me a picture of him out on that ledge... I would have to kill you with your own shoes. (note no smiley)

Nice pics


Rick

 

[moonwilson]

No way. No way I'm ever climbing up anything like that. No way I'm ever letting my kid anywhere near anything like that. That's crazy.

A big +1 to what Magnussen said. Did you at least mention to that kid's parents what you planned on doing before they let him come with you?

 

[DWK2]

In late Fall around '98 a couple of my buddies climbed that thing and the cables were down. I don't know whether it was part of an after-season maintenance program or if they drop them at the beginning of each winter. However, I would have turned back for sure! But they were experienced climber/triathlete/etc. types.

DancesWithKnives

 

[tknife]

It's far safer than it looks. A kid riding his bike down his own street probabaly has a much better chance of getting hurt.