DATE:   September 21, 2002  
LOCATION: Half Dome, Yosemite National Park, California USA
WEATHER: cool, clear, sunny
HIKERS: Daryn Ohta, Grant Tokumi

Daryn at the High Sierra Loop Trail sign at the beginning of the trail.

The stairway up to Vernal Falls (via the alternate Mist Trail)

Vernal Falls Pond

Daryn at Vernal Falls

Grant climbing a rock stairway on the Mist Trail to the top of Nevada Falls

The top of Nevada Falls w/ Yosemite Valley in the background. Quote of the Day as seen on a warning sign seen at this rest stop:"Stay Back from Slippery Rock at the water's edge. If you go over the fall, you will die." Warnings don't get any clearer than that.

Thats the goal right there in front of us. Unfortunately, we have to go around it to the back side before going up. Grant in Little Yosemite Valley looking at Half Dome.

A small landing with a view of Half Dome about a mile from the peak

North Dome (left) and Basket Dome (right)


A view through the trees

Daryn at a plateau area before the final climb.
Daryn is faking his reaction to what he sees.

A last resting spot before the final climb up the cable stairway.
Grant is not faking it.

Here we go. The final ascent up the side of the mountain. Steeeeeppp!!!

Finally make it to the top!!!! It sure is spacious up there, WAY larger than I thought it would be. There was people wandering all over the place.

Part of the Half Dome Peak.

Yosemite Valley looking from the peak.


Daryn on the sheer face of Half Dome. People like to hang out close to the edge to catch all the awesome views.


The popular shot taken at the tip of the overhang of doom. Grant is faking it.


Daryn is not faking it.


Group shot before the descent.

From the top looking down the cable ladder. Don't fall or you'll be a human bowling ball with 100% chance of rolling a strike. Things seen rolling down included Gatorade bottle, empty Diet Pepsi can, and a wooden 2x4 used as one of the foot holds.


Daryn taking a break at the top of Nevada Falls. By the way, "Stay Back from Slippery Rock at the water's edge. If you go over the fall, you will die."


This is how Grant absorbs the beauty of mother nature. Or as Daryn puts it, "the death of a hiker". Liberty Cap in background.


Grant on the main trail back to Yosemite Village


Liberty Cap and Half Dome

Notes
Location: Yosemite National Park (Northern California)
Elev: 8,842
Trail Length: 18-20 miles

As you can tell in some of the pictures, this is a very popular hike. Fortunately, the summit is very spacious so the mass crowd can spread out. Some people brought gloves for the final ascent up to the top. I would not say its a must, but it is something to consider.

This hike beat me up pretty good. I think its the longest I've ever done. Took us 12 hours to complete. While eating dinner in a restaurant afterwards, the waiter asks me "soup or all you can eat salad?". Salad sounds good, but I look over at the salad bar 20-ft away. I have to walk there to make it. "Soup please".

Email me at: grant@tokumi.net

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