Half Dome – Yosemite Musing

What is with this NorCal Weather? 4 inches of snow in the Sierra down to 7500 feet and winter storm warnings. Folks this is a first for me. Usually by now it is getting toasty in the Valley and Half Dome is clear and beckoning. I feel sorry for those who planned the hike for this weekend. It’s a no-go. When the rock is wet, it’s like 10W40  motor oil. Really. Hike up to the saddle if you like, but stay off the cables if the granite is wet. Plus you’re going to have to bundle up with overnight low temps in the mid 30’s. Brrrr, I am doing the hike on the 12th and I just saw the long range forecast – 75 degrees and sunny – whew.

The final count is in from my REI Saratoga talk on Thurs night – 146 people. They told me this is the biggest crowd in the bay area ever for an evening talk. Sweet.  We had good time and I had to tap dance when my computer died. Something was wrong with the AC adaptor – luckily I had a spare battery and the show went on. 

A Teaser: When I return from Groveland this weekend I will be putting up a new “I made it to the top” T-Shirt I created for sale on the website. See the above picture. I got tired of the bland ones the park sells so I made this 2-sided 5-color one. The back has Josiah Whitney’s famous quote in 1870 that no one will get to the top of Half  Dome. On the front I have a skeleton sweating as he goes up the cables, with a Grateful Dead type grin. This is really what we all feel like – isn’t it? Please check back next week for more info on ordering.  I wore it at Saratoga.

Unrelated thought worth quoting: “Well, we were just another band out of Boston, on the road to try to make ends meet. Playin' all the bars, sleepin' in our cars and we practiced right on out in the street.” – Rock and Roll Band, Boston

*Mr. Half Dome -Rick Deutsch - www.HikeHalfDome.com*