Recent deaths on Half Dome

[Burnin' oil]

Three people have died in the last year while climbing the cables on Half Dome. Prior to that, no one had fallen. Like the attached article says, the wilderness is dangerous. I do the trip once a year and there is risk involved. One year, I had an overweight, middle-aged woman (three strikes) ahead of me a-slippin' and a-scratchin' her way up. I passed her at the first opportunity so she wouldn't take me with her when she fell (she didn't fall). I just hope that access isn't limited to "protect the public."

http://yosemiteexplorer.com/yosemite-news/070619-half-dome-deaths

[scottmandue]

I live near the beautiful S. Calif. cliffs where you have to climb over a four foot high cement wall to fall off the cliff. In the last year three drunks have climbed over the wall and two have fallen to there death... most notably the USC football kicker... the dork who survived the fall had climbed over the wall to view the body of a previous victim

This wall has been like this for probably over seventy years... so of course we now need to build a fence behind the wall to save us from ourselfs.

[nostatic]

Interesting style choice in your contract hits Burnin'. No muss, no fuss. Only downside is getting your mark to Yosemite. Or do you only take local work?

[Gogar]

Originally posted by scottmandue
I live near the beautiful S. Calif. cliffs where you have to climb over a four foot high cement wall to fall off the cliff. In the last year three drunks have climbed over the wall and two have fallen to there death... most notably the USC football kicker... the dork who survived the fall had climbed over the wall to view the body of a previous victim

NATURAL SELECTION, BABY!

[Burnin' oil]

Which reminds me Todd, are you, by any chance, interested in a Half Dome trip?

[einreb]

Originally posted by Burnin' oil
Three people have died in the last year while climbing the cables on Half Dome. Prior to that, no one had fallen. Like the attached article says, the wilderness is dangerous. I do the trip once a year and there is risk involved. One year, I had an overweight, middle-aged woman (three strikes) ahead of me a-slippin' and a-scratchin' her way up. I passed her at the first opportunity so she wouldn't take me with her when she fell (she didn't fall). I just hope that access isn't limited to "protect the public."

I got hit by some batteries (somebody changing camera batteries?) going up halfdome. It was not pleasant.

It is a pretty impressive little hike for the casual day tripper. I'm a bit suprised that more havent fallen.

[Burnin' oil]

"Hey Todd, come look at this . . ."

[nostatic]

who are you working for?

WHO ARE YOU WORKING FOR?!?!?!?!?

[Evans, Marv]

Two years ago, my best friend & I hiked from Tuolome (sp?) Meadows back to Yosemite Valley. From that trail we could see the back side of Half Dome when we got into the vicinity. We had thought we would like to go up when we passed that way. From the trail, we could see what looked like a solid trail of ants going up. That soured our idea of doing it.

[TimothyFarrar]

+1 to natural selection

Kevorkian got it all wrong, he should have just lead hikes on the Half Dome during lightning storms...

[Burnin' oil]

http://www.hikehalfdome.com/Accidents.html

The pics of the dude that stopped sliding just before the abyss makes my hands sweat.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Been up half dome a few times. Every time I wonder how half the idiots on the cables don't plummet to their deaths.

Last time I was up there, I was caught (frustrated) in the "deer-in-headlights" slow-moving/shocked/scared line of goofballs waiting to move forward when a girl a couple of people in front of me went to retrieve a water bottle from the backpack of the guy she was with (in front of her, probably not where he should have been anyway, but I digress). She dropped it and instinctively wheeled around to snag it (by this time it was rocketing down the slope), letting go of the cables in the process and starting to slip herself. The guy behind her (not in her party) physically had to grab her and shove her into the cable to keep her from rocketing down the incline herself.

You see all manner of stupidity in the wilderness. Like I said before, it's a wonder to me how more people don't succeed in killing themselves - people just don't think out there and as time moves on, fewer and fewer have any capacity whatsoever for critical thinking, analysis and execution.

Hoping to get back there (and to Mt. Whitney) this summer sometime.

[Jim Richards]

I have a hard enough time climbing out of bed.

[island911]

Half Dome. .. That's in California ...and it killing people?

Crush it.