Re: Fatal Fall From Half Dome Cables

At 3 p.m. on Thursday, April 19th, Yosemite dispatch received a cell phone report from witnesses who reported that about two hours earlier a solo hiker had slipped off the Half Dome cables and slid out of sight. The cables are laid down on the rock this time of year and the stanchions which hold the cables up are removed to prevent damage by avalanches. Rescue personnel began hiking up the nine trail miles toward Half Dome because weather made flying impossible. The team was turned around above the shoulder of the dome several hours later by heavy snow, wind, and icy conditions that made travel on the exposed ridge too dangerous even before they reached the bottom of the cables. The bad weather continued throughout the following day and the dome was never out of the clouds. The weather broke the following morning and a spotter posted across Tenaya Canyon from Half Dome picked out what he believed was a body in the gully to the north of and below the cables. The location of the body, about 1,000 feet below the base of the cables, was confirmed from a helicopter. A recovery team was flown to the shoulder of Half Dome and was able to descend to the victim utilizing crampons, ice axes and roped climbing. The body was flown out by long line under a helicopter. She was eventually identified as Jennie Bettles, a 43-years old marketing executive and marathon runner from Oakland, California. [

Condolences all around

I would not go up Half Dome batman-style, especially just after a storm. Just not worth it.

Thanks for the info eeek

A google search revealed this:

http://trailgirl.blogspot.com/2007/04/todays-blog-is-in-memory-of-jennie.html