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Half Dome cables update 2/17/2012

The webinar summary by NPS from last week is not completed yet, but there were over 60 people on-line. They will be answering the remaining questions in writing and sending a complete report to all registered participants as well as posting the webinar Q and A on the Half Dome EA page. I’ll provide it here.

The head ranger managing the cables is the Wilderness Manager, Ranger Ed Dunlavey.

Ed’s a great guy and has been a big help in interpreting the new procedure. He was on the webinar and will be contributing to the Q&A. Only 3 months until the first group can go up in 2012. Time to get serious about getting back in shape if you gorged on Oreos all winter.

Unrelated thought worth quoting: “Hooray I awake from yesterday; alive but the war is here to stay. So my love, Catherina and me decide to take our last walk, through the noise to the sea. Not to die but to be re-born. Away from a life so battered and torn.” – 1983 (A Merman I Should Turn To Be) – Jimi Hendrix 

*MrHalfDome™ – Rick Deutsch – www.HikeHalfDome.com

One Best Hike: Yosemite’s Half …

Cables lottery article

http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2012/01/25/2205883/half-dome-hikers-need-to-win-permit.html

JOSHUA EMERSON SMITH is the reporter. I’ve talked with him and he is picking up the Half Dome cables as a focus. This is good. Other papers are picking up his article. Also look for an AP article coming out by Monday on the cables, 2012 process and the Stewardship Plan.

Unrelated thought worth quoting: “Who wants yesterday’s papers? Who wants yesterday’s girl? Who wants yesterday’s papers? Nobody in the world.” - Rolling Stones

*MrHalfDome™ – Rick Deutsch – www.HikeHalfDome.com

One Best Hike: Yosemite’s Half Dome…

Half Dome bungee jump

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VAupx-9jRU

And don’t throw Frisbees off it either.

Unrelated thought worth quoting: “I fought the law and the law won.” – Bobby Fuller Four  and “It ain’t me babe.” – Sonny & Cher 

*MrHalfDome™ – Rick Deutsch – www.HikeHalfDome.com

One Best Hike: Yosemite’s Half Dome…

Snowback is grim

The California Department of Water Resources snowpack survey showed the average Sierra mountains are at 19 percent of average for this date. Good time to drive over to Tioga Pass. After the morning chill it should be decent hiking. No precip sighted for many moons. Gosh, Global Warming? Say it isn’t so!

Does this remind you of the splotch on the face of Half Dome from yesterday? This was NOT taken at Yosemite. BASE jumping is not permitted. But since when did rules stop anyone? The valley walls are only 3,000 ft up – not a whole like to air to sail down. Seems most of this “sport” is done in Scandinavia where laws are a lot looser.

I’ll be out for 2 weeks – getting a free cruise to Caribb/Canal by giving talks. Entries may be spotty as Internet is $$$$. If I hear anything about the cables permits I’ll post it.

Unrelated thought worth quoting: “If you ever plan to motor west, travel my way, take the highway that is best. Get your kicks on route 66.” – Nat King Cole 

*MrHalfDome™ – Rick Deutsch – www.HikeHalfDome.com

One Best Hike: Yosemite’s Half Dome

 …

Last Half Dome blog for 2011

Hello America!

Here I sit waiting for the ball to drop. A really silly thing to do – watching what happened 3 hours ago in New York City.  I actually went to Times Square when I was in college at the U. of Maryland. (Last Century) 3 of us had no dates (a common occurrence) and we drove the 3+ hours with no plans. We got on the subway and headed north. I knew I’d get mugged, so I hid my money in my socks.

We arrived at the Sq at about 10:30 pm and no one was there, so we found a bar and waited. It was not until about 11:20 that the place filled up – people came out of the cracks in the pavement.  At midnight we all looked for ladies to kiss. By 12:30 the place was empty. Really. A LOT difference today.

So what did we do? No room, so we started to walk back heading to eventually get our car at the Staten Island Ferry and head home. But about 6 blocks later we passed a hotel and heard college kids yelling. We counted what room it might be and headed up. A real …

Electrolytes

Since we’re talking about water – let’s discuss what you should put in your water. It takes about four to six hours for your body to deplete its reserves of minerals and electrolytes, so this is one hike for which you should ingest some sort of energy product. Your body needs things like sodium, calcium, potassium, chlorine and magnesium to keep the furnace burning. You get all these from your normal diet, but on an extended endurance event, you may use up your stores. Dehydration will ruin your day. You may “hit the wall,” have poor judgment and be unable to continue the hike.  A good tasting fluid will encourage you to drink more often. Dehydration impairs human performance whenever your body fluid level falls below 98% of normal.

The main cause of dehydration is fluid loss through sweating. Sweating is a good process, since it releases heat generated by working muscles to the air. It is the body’s cooling mechanism.  It’s been known for decades that the performance of athletes is hampered by a loss of fluids, electrolytes and carbohydrates. Dehydration strains the cardiovascular system by reducing blood volume. For every liter of fluid lost during prolonged exercise, body …

Hydrate or die

Water is the most important factor on a Half Dome hike. You do not want to skimp on drinking. Dehydration will sap your energy and cause you to think irrationally. It can also have severe medical consequences. You will see unprepared hikers with one or two 12-ounce bottles of water. When I ask why, they reply “I don’t drink much.” Why? Your choices are two: (1) bring all the water you’ll need or (2) treat the water along the trail.

With alternative (1), you’ll need to haul up a LOT of water. How much should you bring? I weigh about two hundred pounds, and I drink seven quarts all day.

I don’t like alternative (1), because water is heavy—about two pounds per quart. Why carry this extra weight for all those miles? And how do you carry it? In a backpack, this weight would really cut into your shoulders, and your back will be soaked with sweat. Water weighs 2 pounds per quart. The bladder-type backpack systems are popular, but I don’t like them because you’ll have a lot of weight on your back. You are limited as to how much water you can carry. The biggest bladder I’ve seen …

Happy Half Dome Christmas

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

Mr & Mrs Half Dome stylin'

Unrelated thought worth quoting: “I want an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle with a compass in the stock, and this thing which tells time.” – Ralphie, A Christmas Story

*MrHalfDome™ – Rick Deutsch – www.HikeHalfDome.com

One Best Hike: Yosemite’s Half Dome…

Gas Wars at Yosemite

I hope yall know that there is no gas in the Yosemite Valley. If you are coming via Hwy 120, you best get gas in Oakdale. Via Hwy 41 get gas in Oakhurst. Via Hwy 120 from the east – Lee Vining. And via Hwy 140, Mariposa.

When you exit on Hwy 120 east/west or 41 you can always scoot up to Crane Flat and fill. But if you exit via 140, you can get gas at the automated Shell station in El Portal, right? Well, not any more. When I was there in August, the station was closed. Last week it was STILL closed. Yellow tape around the pumps. Why?

Turns out there is an issue with the vendor who ran it. Lots of squabbling as to who will get the approval from the powers that be to run the place. And no end in sight. So gas up often.
Unrelated thought worth quoting: “I come home in the mornin’ light; my mother says, “When you gonna live your life right?” “Oh Mommy dear, we’re not the fortunate ones and girls, they wanna have fun. Girls, just wanna have fun” – Cindy Lauper
*MrHalfDome™ – Rick Deutsch – www.HikeHalfDome.com…

Body found under Vernal Fall

On Tuesday a park ranger discovered the body of a person in the Merced River beneath Vernal Fall. It’s unknown who it might be as an autopsy is being performed by the Mariposa County coroner. In July, 3 people went over Vernal Fall and only one was found.…