Page 2 of 4
Yosemite National Park, California
Every now and then I fall apart
I left my tent cabin at Curry Village at 6AM to begin the long hike up Half Dome, foolishly optimistic that I could easily handle an "extremely strenuous" hike in one day as opposed to the two days recommended. Eighteen miles and a four thousand foot elevation gain was not enough to get me to its top, a fact I can rationalize with at least ten different excuses (still getting over a cold, elevation sickness, poor water rationing due to a guidebook error, etc). I fell 500 feet short. Cold and unable to stop coughing I gave up, swearing one day to return and complete the hike, creating as legitimate a reason as I have ever had to travel again.
This picture is about halfway up the summit on the John Muir Trail, along side Nevada Falls and the ever present Merced River.
The last 400 feet to the summit of Half Dome require the fatigued hiker to grab cables to pull them up to the top.
For reference, the trail and falls are in a valley to the right of the summit, the summit trail then comes around the back and then up the back left side. The cables are on the back left side.
The "strenuous" Mist Trail below Vernal Falls, looking especially fake. It was taken with my telephoto lens after I broke my 22mm-55mm lens on the descent from Half Dome. It was not a good day for me.
