I just did this hike, here's some photos http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?1,12787,12787#msg-12787 We parked at the 4MT trailhead and hiked up to GP, then around and down the JMT, then walked back to the trailhead, it was about 18 miles. It was actually not that hard, though it's about 4,400 feet of total climbing. The views are spectacular from all vantage points, and you see Half Domby cthenn - General Discussion
Or, go up the switchbacks, then off-trail to the top of Wapama Falls, much better view...by cthenn - General Discussion
Eeek, this is totally not a blast at you, but why are there so many Yellowstone topics on this board?by cthenn - General Discussion
http://www.calparks.org/press/2009/california-state-parks-foundation-supports-conference-committee-action-to-enact-state-park-access-pass.html Looks like it could be a form of "pay to play", except that everyone is going to be "forced" to play. Yet another fee added to the vehicle licensing fee, seemingly the catch-all place to add fees and generate revenue for the state.by cthenn - General Discussion
QuoteFrank Furter Special Shoes for Climbing Half Dome: http://blog.modernmechanix.com/issue/?magname=ModernMechanix&magdate=1-1932 Dude, I give you credit. The stuff you find....hahaha, good show!by cthenn - General Discussion
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/state&id=6866582 Not much of an article, but the story is conveyed.by cthenn - General Discussion
Quotey_p_w Anyone have thoughts on whether or not something like super-grippy climbing shoes would help? I too have seen the gamut of different footwear being used for the ascent/descent. However - the climb up doesn't seem to require ankle-support and climbing shoes are usually lightweight deals that typically weigh about 1 lb for the pair. Even with climbing shoes, I would still have a heaby cthenn - General Discussion
QuoteFrank Furter http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_12589788 San Ramon man falls to death from Half Dome in Yosemite By Laura Dudnick Bay City News Service Posted: 06/14/2009 02:16:18 PM PDT Updated: 06/14/2009 02:16:19 PM PDT A hiker who fell possibly hundreds of feet to his death from Yosemite National Park's Half Dome on Saturday has been identified as 40-year-old Manoj Kumarby cthenn - General Discussion
The only thing I would possibly agree with in changing the Half Dome hike is making the language stronger in the standard park guide everyone gets at the entrance. Straight up saying PEOPLE HAVE DIED ON THE CABLE ROUTE in bold letters should get people's attention. Tell them EXACTLY how dangerous the route can be, and then leave it up to the individual. Choices have to be made by the individuaby cthenn - General Discussion
Quoteszalkowski So, I take it that you are too lazy to learn how to properly rock climb? I have no desire to learn how to rock climb, nor do I have any desire to hike up Half Dome again. But then again I'm not a person foolish enough to hike up HD's cables when it's cold and wet. Darwin takes those who are. However, I also have no desire to turn America into the land of the pussies where uby cthenn - General Discussion
Wow, I can't believe some of these responses. I see the pussification of America continues unabated. Here's a solution on par with some proposed within this thread. I suggest the Park Service install escalators to the top of Half Dome with soothing Kenny G music accompanying the slow and SAFE ride up to the top. But just in case any silly silly person decides to leave the safety of the escalaby cthenn - General Discussion
QuoteKenS http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/06/13/state/n192648D13.DTL&tsp=1 Why can't the park service modify the cables enough to give anyone who lost his grip and fell a chance to self arrest? Maybe add two more long cables stretched along and attached to the bottom of the poles with shorter vertical cables spaced at one foot intervals. With the additional cables,by cthenn - General Discussion
I'm no journalist, but that's the easiest article to write. A list with a flowery 2-sentence blurb about local parks? Wow, I think I moved past that kind of writing in middle school... Regarding Mt. Diablo, I don't care...I either hike it or ride it. Gate closures won't affect meby cthenn - General Discussion
I just don't understand, when it's common knowledge how insanely crowded Yosemite can be on a Memorial Day weekend, why people still come in droves? I understand it's a 3-day weekend, but come on, I'm sure most people could get one Friday or Monday off work to come some other weekend...that's what I do! And it's only a few weeks until summer vacation for kids, so it's not like it's the onlyby cthenn - General Discussion
well then that makes it pretty limited. Bike trails which are wide and flat, ok, but no one on a trike is riding up the Mist Trail, or any "real" hiking trail... Still, cool idea and I give Google credit for attempting this.by cthenn - General Discussion
I'm sure there are plenty of photos out there in the ether...whether or not they will (or should) surface is another thing...by cthenn - General Discussion
Quotebill-e-g Quotemrcondron I've PMed all uncontaminated forum members and told them to stay away. Excuse me! But that is called "ballot-stuffing" or "un-ballot-stuffing" and is not allowed! This is a scientific study. Yeah............................ I'm sort of "undecided" on this one, and that's ok. It's not like the people who were "undecided&quby cthenn - General Discussion
So I was looking to see if the Tioga Cam has been updated, which it has not. However, when you click on it, it does a pretty cool time lapse from Jan 1 - Apr 17. Interesting to watch the snow accumulate. http://www.yosemite.org/129/Web-Cam-View.htm?expandable=1by cthenn - General Discussion
Speaking of HD accidents, I saw this pic on the web and thought it was pretty crazy. I have nothing else to add to this topic other than, for me, HD was a once-in-a-lifetime hike. Too many people (stupid people doing stupid things), and like others have said, not a real "wilderness" experience. It's a circus, but something you have to do, at least once, if you visit Yosemite regularlby cthenn - General Discussion
Yeah, it did suck, but we did get to see 2 people clipping in. Guy #1 took longer because he doubled up. The second guy was faster, and it didn't look too bad. I'll admit when I did HD, I did use a sling/quickdraw setup around my waist just in case, but I never felt I had to use it.by cthenn - General Discussion
Quotetomdisco cthenn, I also think some people just are not very good at interpreting and working the map to the correct spot. It requires a bit of playing around with different zoom levels once you have the general area and you first have to get the colored tear drop marker reasonably close before zooming in for fine tuning. I too am frustrated with misplaced photos, particularly Mt. Dana aby cthenn - General Discussion
The shots of the falls from Pywiack Dome are awesome! Looks like it would be a sweet hike up to the base of those falls.by cthenn - General Discussion
I agree with Dale and others about this. I like seeing the little blue squares, and then viewing a really nice photo, but man...8 or 9 times out of 10, they are either in the wrong place, or they are terrible photos! I'm no Ansel Adams but by anyone's opinion, a lot of these photos are just not good. And so many are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay off on location. The big problem I see is that people seemby cthenn - General Discussion
Well that didn't take long...I wish they'd keep that Tioga cam updated more.by cthenn - General Discussion
If anyone is interested, here are some photos from this past weekend's trip. Interesting weather, to say the least. I was told by Mr. Goat that this was a good flow for Illouette, though I have nothing to compare to...by cthenn - General Discussion
I live in the Bay Area and these weather guys down here are making these storms out to be a one-in-a-million occurance...by cthenn - General Discussion
QuoteVince Global warming. Does anyone ever take you seriously, about anything? BTW, how do you like that idea that's being floated out regarding the lack of gas taxes we are taking in? Apparently we just aren't buying enough gas anymore, and there is going to be a huge shortfall in gas tax revenue to pay for our roads and such. So, to make it "fair", you would pay for how muby cthenn - General Discussion
Re: Tam Flat, don't know how you are travelling, but not recommended for RV's and you have to boil water, no taps.by cthenn - General Discussion
Nuts! June 5th! Anyone up there? How much is falling?by cthenn - General Discussion
QuoteSierrafan Why bother having a government then? Just make everything into a private business...schools, highways, state and national parks, forests. You want to walk to the store, you pay the sidewalk owner a toll as he sees fit. Government does have a purpose; there are things that we all need in common, and fortunately some had the foresight to realize that if we didn't keep governmeby cthenn - General Discussion