Half Dome

This post is going to have A LOT of pictures, but i'm darn proud of this accomplishment. Pride aside, we saw some amazingly beautiful stuff that needs to be shared.

This is the view we had of Half Dome while driving to Yosemite Valley. Made me wonder, again, what I had gotten us into.


We started on the trail at 6am and this was the first mile marker. I must have been tired because I'm displaying Glacier Point and not Half Dome.


We decided to take the Mist Trail up because I'd heard about the beautiful waterfalls you would get to see and we were not disappointed. Behind us is Vernal Falls. All the rock steps are wet becuase of the mist from the falls and it actually feels like it's raining. A welcome change from the heat. This part of the trail was my favorite. Words like beautiful and amazing don't quite describe it. It was nice to walk past it so early in the morning when it was still and quiet. On the way back those steps were swarming with tourists in flip flops who didn't hold on to their screaming children. Not a good idea.
The next waterfall on the trail is Nevada Falls. This one is also amazing, but not as close to the trail. The rock steps on this section of the trail were a only a little sampling of what was to come. Note: all these waterfalls are fed by the Merced River which basically runs through the valley. During the hike we filled up our water bottles from the river and went rafting on it later in the week.
This is at the top of Nevada Falls where the Mist Trail ends and joins the Muir Trail. My tired little smile showing we only have 4.5 miles left to go.

We were lucky enough to see some deer along the way. They were eating in the brush next to us and decided to cross the trail in front of us.

This is the sign at the base of Sub-Dome, which leads to Half Dome (ignore my totally tired mug). In all my research on Half Dome, not once did anyone mention the evil that is Sub-Dome. Well, I'm going to mention it here. It was unbelievably difficult. Some serious switchback steps carved into the granite at a really high altitude, after hiking 7 miles, do not make for a good time.
This picture is at an angle so look sideways until the tree is straight. See the steps next to it? That's what we went up on Sub-Dome. Apparently whoever carved the steps grew tired of doing so because about 3/4 of the way up Sub-Dome the steps stop and you have to make your own way up the steep granite.
Ah, the cables. This view is from the top of Sub-Dome. See the little lines and tiny people in the middle of the rock? Those are the cables you pull yourself up to get to the top of Half Dome. I didn't want to stop at the top of Sub-Dome, but rather just hit the cables right away because I knew I would get freaked out. After Sub-Dome I could barely walk and knew I had to rest before I could pull myself up a mountain. Of course, by the time I rested I was properly freaked out. I would have been so mad at myself if I had gotten that far and not finished, so I said a prayer, instructed Aaron to not talk to me unless he was in mortal danger, and started the climb. It was not fun, but we made it.

So tired at the top.

This was my favorite view from the top. The mountains seem to go on forever.

Not sure why I struck that pose, but I guess I deserve to do whatever the heck I want at that point.
I wanted to get down the cables ASAP, but Aaron decided to get out his camera and snap some shots. I was a little mad that he decided to be Ansel Adams at that point, but I'm glad to have the pictures now. I basically did some controlled granite surfing on the way down, but we made it.

The 7 mile hike back is agony on your muscles. We both decided we have no need to do that hike again. We were glad we did it, but once was enough. After two days of soreness, Aaron changed his mind and thinks he would do it again. I stand firm with my decision.