Half Dome - 2017

"Will you still like me,
Will you still hike me,
When I'm 64?"
My paraphrase of the Beatles in celebration of my 64th birthday hike.

​

I've got the photos!
I've got the videos!
I even got the bear!

​How ya gonna beat that?

A black bear on the right and a brown bear behind the bush on the left.

PLUS, oh so much more!

OK, let me get this out of the way first...
Doug didn't show up.
I couldn't reach him for two whole days before leaving.
​Phone calls, texts, nothing.

<SIGH>
It happens.
So I was on my own.

The plan was to hike in to camp on Friday.
Do Half Dome or Clouds Rest on Saturday.
Do the other one on Sunday.
Come home on Monday.

"Plans never meet first contact with the enemy."
(*Sun Tsu.)

1- Doug doesn't show up, and
2- Clouds Rest is covered with 2' of snow.

OK.
What's left?

So I hike in to Little Yosemite Valley with a 50-lb backpack.
(Yeah, yeah, I've got the pics if you insist.)
It takes me all day!
I set up camp and next day do like people tell me - I take a "Day of Rest".
(You mean sit around here in the wilderness and do "nothing" all day?
I like that idea!

So, on Saturday morning, my Day of Rest, I just wander around within a quarter mile of camp and rest.
I'm about 1/4 mile from camp from, on the main trail when I stumble across a mama bear and her cub.
They notice me but don't seem threatened.
I'm about 50 yards away, so I figure I'll get some pics!
I'm not going any closer!
That's why I've got zoom, right?

Then, on Saturday afternoon I went looking for someone to use Doug's permit.
I ran across this one cool woman, Jan.
It's her ninth try!
She's been up here 8 times before and always quit at the cables, so we agree to go together. 

Saturday we start out.
This is the reason for camping here:
-No weight - Hydration pack and lunch only.
-Very early start - we were at the cables by 7:30 am.

Along the way we were also looking for anyone to share permits with, since I had one and she had three.
We found one buddy, and the three of us went for it.
(I'm sorry. I forget his name right now. If you're out there, contact me and say hi.)

I warned everybody I was the slowest of the group, don't wait for me.
But they did,,, how sweet.

As you come up this one rise you suddenly see the sub-dome and Half Dome ahead of you.
The sub-dome has all these little ant-like people doing switchbacks up it and the Half Dome rises above that!
It's gigantic.

(I measured 45 - 50 degree angles on the sub-dome.
​I didn't even try on Half Dome itself.)

​This would be a BIG hike, waaayyy back there at the beginning of the trail.
Out here it's stupendous.

We got to the cables about 7:30 am.
It was awesome!
They appear to go straight up the side of a cliff.
And, it gets steeper as you go higher.

There was only about 15 people there when we got there, and only about 4 of them on the cables, (see pic.)
It makes the cables real fast... unless you're the slow guy, like me.

Here's the catch to make it work for you.
Go one-board at a time!
Just 10' or so.
And stay there until the next board is ready for you.
That's all.

I recorded my trip up the cables.
Unfortunately, it took me 29 minutes to do that last 600' so I know you don't want to watch the uncut version.
​I'll update in a couple of weeks when the video is ready.

Oh, and I swore I was going to sit with my legs dangling off the edge, so here I am!

Anyway, you're not too old or decrepit unless you have injuries or medical reasons.
You might need a friend to help with your load.
But, go do Half Dome if you can.
Before it IS too late.

​Jou Baur

*​Video soon, with links and tips to do your hike.