Kazali10's Blog

NW Regular Route on Half Dome

What a route! Check out the following links for more photos! http://lamountaineers.org/NAC/browserf/climbs/halfdome/i01.htm        http://www.supertopo.com/rock-climbing/Yosemite-Valley-Half-Dome-Regular-Northwest-Face

Description ( courtesy of Nathan Furman on Jan 25, 2007)

Wanna feel like a hero? Here’s how.

Get your gear and partner in order. Do an excruciating approach up thousands of feet, passing hundreds of knackered tourists from all over the world. Although a few will recognize you as a climber, most will look at you like you’re a bit off in the head for shlepping an enormous, orange plastic backpack up the several million steps. And in many ways they’re right, for you’re about to pull off one of the most spectacular climbs on the face of our fair planet.

After you get your ropes and anodized knick-knacks settled at the base and take your last pee, cast off! A sea of rock; steep corners and blank faces; evening light and morning shadow; torn hands and no water to spare. Ledges that are just a little too small; gravity-defying rodents scamper about your face/head/neck and chest in the dark hours of the night looking for a wee delicacy.

At some point you’re near the top. They probably see you first, because They are always there, looking down, looking out. They exclaim in surprise and are honestly stunned. They cheer, and jeer, and all of a sudden you realize you’re the center of attention like rarely ever in your life. You’re a hero.

Then you top out. Your partner jugs. You haul a bag that is, finally, light. And the questions come. Food and water are offered, and goddamn it, it tastes GOOD. The light is amazing. The view incredible…the elation is darn near making you float, and the reality of the brutal descent isn’t even enough to dampen it a bit. Congratulations!–wasn’t it worth it?