Comments for hikehalfdome.com/ http://hikehalfdome.com One Best Hike: Yosemite's Half Dome Mon, 20 Feb 2012 11:26:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 Comment on BASE jumping at Yosemite – one more by Sönke http://hikehalfdome.com/base-jumping-at-yoseemite-one-more/comment-page-1/#comment-8968 Sönke Mon, 20 Feb 2012 11:26:27 +0000 http://hikehalfdome.com/?p=4834#comment-8968 Here they take a closer look what went wrong: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09jL-v0IFlo There's more footage to be found on the web that might be disturbing for some so I leave that to your imagination. Here they take a closer look what went wrong:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09jL-v0IFlo

There’s more footage to be found on the web that might be disturbing for some so I leave that to your imagination.

]]> Comment on BASE jumping at Yosemite – one more by Sönke http://hikehalfdome.com/base-jumping-at-yoseemite-one-more/comment-page-1/#comment-8967 Sönke Mon, 20 Feb 2012 11:23:13 +0000 http://hikehalfdome.com/?p=4834#comment-8967 I think that has been posted before but just in case: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdxU2tDbL54&feature=related I think that has been posted before but just in case:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....re=related

]]> Comment on BASE jumping at Yosemite – one more by Sönke http://hikehalfdome.com/base-jumping-at-yoseemite-one-more/comment-page-1/#comment-8966 Sönke Mon, 20 Feb 2012 11:22:44 +0000 http://hikehalfdome.com/?p=4834#comment-8966 More 80s El Cap Youtube-fun for your entertainment: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jZJDmRsQyI More 80s El Cap Youtube-fun for your entertainment:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jZJDmRsQyI

]]> Comment on BASE jumping at Yosemite – one more by Mr Half Dome - Rick Deutsch http://hikehalfdome.com/base-jumping-at-yoseemite-one-more/comment-page-1/#comment-8963 Mr Half Dome - Rick Deutsch Mon, 20 Feb 2012 05:59:32 +0000 http://hikehalfdome.com/?p=4834#comment-8963 Looks like one camera was on the Ansel Adams Diving Board . . . a good way to drill a hole in the meadow. Funny - Football helmets on! Looks like one camera was on the Ansel Adams Diving Board . . . a good way to drill a hole in the meadow. Funny – Football helmets on!

]]> Comment on BASE jumping at Yosemite – one more by Sönke http://hikehalfdome.com/base-jumping-at-yoseemite-one-more/comment-page-1/#comment-8962 Sönke Mon, 20 Feb 2012 05:37:13 +0000 http://hikehalfdome.com/?p=4834#comment-8962 Some grainy El Cap footage from 1980: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VwU42FUnLc&feature=youtube_gdata_player Some grainy El Cap footage from 1980:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....ata_player

]]> Comment on BASE jumping at Yosemite – one more by Mr Half Dome - Rick Deutsch http://hikehalfdome.com/base-jumping-at-yoseemite-one-more/comment-page-1/#comment-8961 Mr Half Dome - Rick Deutsch Mon, 20 Feb 2012 05:29:30 +0000 http://hikehalfdome.com/?p=4834#comment-8961 The Gambalie death preceded the Davis one. It was his death they were protesting...that the park chased him and caused him to drown ... when, afterall, BASE jumping is safe and should be allowed ... I think this put the Kybosh on any futher attempts. The Gambalie death preceded the Davis one. It was his death they were protesting…that the park chased him and caused him to drown … when, afterall, BASE jumping is safe and should be allowed … I think this put the Kybosh on any futher attempts.

]]> Comment on BASE jumping at Yosemite – one more by Sönke http://hikehalfdome.com/base-jumping-at-yoseemite-one-more/comment-page-1/#comment-8960 Sönke Mon, 20 Feb 2012 05:24:57 +0000 http://hikehalfdome.com/?p=4834#comment-8960 Unfortunately the Outside feature doesn't give any names or details about those 7. "Off The Wall: Death In Yosemite" has a total of six. In addition to the four names you've already mentioned their "list" includes: Jeff. D. Christman, 1996, slammed into the cliffs of El Capitan Frank Peter Gambalie, III, 1999, made a successfull jump of El Capitan but drowned in the Merced while fleeing rangers). While the authors mentioned his death under "Fatal Base Jumps in Yosemite), in terms of statistic they counted his death in drownings). From a brief graphic it is my understanding that Outside included base jump-related drownings in their list. Well, that still leaves us one short if Frank Peter Gambalie is included in the counting. Then again my book is from 2006 and I have found that the book is "missing" some casualties anyway. However I haven't heard off any base jump related casualties in Yosemite in the last five years. Someone else got info?! Unfortunately the Outside feature doesn’t give any names or details about those 7.

“Off The Wall: Death In Yosemite” has a total of six. In addition to the four names you’ve already mentioned their “list” includes:

Jeff. D. Christman, 1996, slammed into the cliffs of El Capitan
Frank Peter Gambalie, III, 1999, made a successfull jump of El Capitan but drowned in the Merced while fleeing rangers).

While the authors mentioned his death under “Fatal Base Jumps in Yosemite), in terms of statistic they counted his death in drownings).

From a brief graphic it is my understanding that Outside included base jump-related drownings in their list.

Well, that still leaves us one short if Frank Peter Gambalie is included in the counting. Then again my book is from 2006 and I have found that the book is “missing” some casualties anyway. However I haven’t heard off any base jump related casualties in Yosemite in the last five years.

Someone else got info?!

]]> Comment on Half Dome cables Webinar recap by Mr Half Dome - Rick Deutsch http://hikehalfdome.com/half-dome-cables-webinar-recap/comment-page-1/#comment-8957 Mr Half Dome - Rick Deutsch Sun, 19 Feb 2012 22:39:41 +0000 http://hikehalfdome.com/?p=4797#comment-8957 Most of the delays on the cables are by novices who have no clue how hard and scary it is. Panic attacks are common and understandable. Don't do it if you can't handle it. Go to the mall instead. Or get educated on it, prepare for it and be motivated to do it. The park is managing the cables hairball with no extra budget. A 3rd cable would degenerate into a free for all - who decides who uses the other lane? And when people come down, who decides? Clouds Rest - the NEW Half Dome. It's also a long hike and scary up top. No lines and no cables. Most of the delays on the cables are by novices who have no clue how hard and scary it is. Panic attacks are common and understandable. Don’t do it if you can’t handle it. Go to the mall instead. Or get educated on it, prepare for it and be motivated to do it.

The park is managing the cables hairball with no extra budget. A 3rd cable would degenerate into a free for all – who decides who uses the other lane? And when people come down, who decides?

Clouds Rest – the NEW Half Dome. It’s also a long hike and scary up top. No lines and no cables.

]]> Comment on BASE jumping at Yosemite; a slight return by Sönke http://hikehalfdome.com/base-jumping-at-yosemite-a-slight-return/comment-page-1/#comment-8954 Sönke Sun, 19 Feb 2012 17:33:49 +0000 http://hikehalfdome.com/?p=4831#comment-8954 The latest issue of Outside magazine has an interesting one page feature about the dangers of BASE jumping (the issue also has a nice three page story about the dangers of hiking Tenaya Canyon). According to Outside magazine YNP is the 3rd most dangerous place for base jumpers with 7 recorded deaths (No. 1 is in Suisse with 28 casualties). The latest issue of Outside magazine has an interesting one page feature about the dangers of BASE jumping (the issue also has a nice three page story about the dangers of hiking Tenaya Canyon).

According to Outside magazine YNP is the 3rd most dangerous place for base jumpers with 7 recorded deaths (No. 1 is in Suisse with 28 casualties).

]]> Comment on Half Dome cables Webinar recap by Don meadows http://hikehalfdome.com/half-dome-cables-webinar-recap/comment-page-1/#comment-8953 Don meadows Sun, 19 Feb 2012 17:13:17 +0000 http://hikehalfdome.com/?p=4797#comment-8953 Bummer... I see the third cable option is out even before the public comment window is closed? Here's a note I submitted to the Stewardship public comment: Topic Question 3: I've been to the top of HD four times. Prior to the permits, the backlog at the base was typically caused by scared, slow hikers ( those that probably shouldn't have been there in the first place.) My recommendation is a third cable... A passing lane of sorts. It would not be very invasive to the environment, by widening the current cable path by only a foot or two. A third cable would allow ALL who want to experience HD the ability to do so. Slow hikers can still have access, but not hinder others. Additionally, cost saving could be had by eliminating the rangers checking permits, the costly permit system, and more savings that I'm not aware of. Bummer… I see the third cable option is out even before the public comment window is closed?

Here’s a note I submitted to the Stewardship public comment:

Topic Question 3: I’ve been to the top of HD four times. Prior to the permits, the backlog at the base was typically caused by scared, slow hikers ( those that probably shouldn’t have been there in the first place.) My recommendation is a third cable… A passing lane of sorts. It would not be very invasive to the environment, by widening the current cable path by only a foot or two. A third cable would allow ALL who want to experience HD the ability to do so. Slow hikers can still have access, but not hinder others. Additionally, cost saving could be had by eliminating the rangers checking permits, the costly permit system, and more savings that I’m not aware of.

]]>