Why not Clipping to Half-Dome Cables
Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2011 4:40 pm
Why don't people clip themselves to the cable?
Reading about all those attempting the hike with tennis shoes and a single 8 oz bottle of water I understand that the majority do not even know it is feasible...
Early July we (my wife and our three teenagers boys 14, 15 and 17) did our first trip to California and it included Half-Dome. The original plan was to make it in a three-day backpacking (camping near Cloud Rest trail) but I was not able to get the permits for our timeframe, so our teens made it as a day hike from the Valley. (too long and tough for me and my wife in those circumstances)
In my planning I've read a lot of advice on Half-Dome, I've look at the ranger's video on Yosemite site, etc.. It was clear to me that having a safety rope and a clip was a must to be safe, facing rain and slippy surface and also in case of other hikers slipping or dropping things from their backpack, etc.
Our teens love to hike and they also have their licence as interior climber (required here in Montreal, Canada, to do interior climbing). We decided they would bring their harness and I just had to buy a 2m length of climbing rope and a self-locking clip. Two would have been safer as in a Via Ferrata, but as a safety measure we felt it was sufficient. They agreed without any argument. On that morning they left with 2 liter of water each, their harness with clip in their backpack, along with a filter for additionnal water, good lunch, sweater, headlamp and good gloves with rubbery palm and fingers.
We were not sure however, being possibly the only one clipping, if they would really wear their harness/clip.
They did and were 100% happy to have it, even if it was dry and sunny, including the oldest and fittest of them! It allowed them to really relax, their hands and mind. They were back less than 10 hours later. Even if ones do not have a climbing harness, having a good belt to his pants would be OK to attach the rope. Climbing rope and clip (many models) can be bought at outdoor stores (REI) for 15-20$. Why take a chance??
On getting down they had a really crazy guy behind them that was sliding on his hand and stopping himself at each post with his grip, many time with difficulty, his feet loosing ground forward!! Could you imagine what could have happened if had lost his grip and missed a 'stop' tumbling into people below him?!?
Reading about all those attempting the hike with tennis shoes and a single 8 oz bottle of water I understand that the majority do not even know it is feasible...
Early July we (my wife and our three teenagers boys 14, 15 and 17) did our first trip to California and it included Half-Dome. The original plan was to make it in a three-day backpacking (camping near Cloud Rest trail) but I was not able to get the permits for our timeframe, so our teens made it as a day hike from the Valley. (too long and tough for me and my wife in those circumstances)
In my planning I've read a lot of advice on Half-Dome, I've look at the ranger's video on Yosemite site, etc.. It was clear to me that having a safety rope and a clip was a must to be safe, facing rain and slippy surface and also in case of other hikers slipping or dropping things from their backpack, etc.
Our teens love to hike and they also have their licence as interior climber (required here in Montreal, Canada, to do interior climbing). We decided they would bring their harness and I just had to buy a 2m length of climbing rope and a self-locking clip. Two would have been safer as in a Via Ferrata, but as a safety measure we felt it was sufficient. They agreed without any argument. On that morning they left with 2 liter of water each, their harness with clip in their backpack, along with a filter for additionnal water, good lunch, sweater, headlamp and good gloves with rubbery palm and fingers.
We were not sure however, being possibly the only one clipping, if they would really wear their harness/clip.
They did and were 100% happy to have it, even if it was dry and sunny, including the oldest and fittest of them! It allowed them to really relax, their hands and mind. They were back less than 10 hours later. Even if ones do not have a climbing harness, having a good belt to his pants would be OK to attach the rope. Climbing rope and clip (many models) can be bought at outdoor stores (REI) for 15-20$. Why take a chance??
On getting down they had a really crazy guy behind them that was sliding on his hand and stopping himself at each post with his grip, many time with difficulty, his feet loosing ground forward!! Could you imagine what could have happened if had lost his grip and missed a 'stop' tumbling into people below him?!?