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Hiking to Half Dome in Yosemite National Park
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Dad taking a break.
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The Monday after Chris and Lesley's wedding, Steve, Dad, and I decided to hike to the top of Half Dome. This strenuous hike is close to fifteen miles round trip starting from the Happy Isles Trailhead. We hiked at a brisk pace and made good time. Mom met up with us at the bottom of Vernal Falls after having done about ten miles of walking on her own that day.
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Although the views are tremendous, fires in the area created a lot of smoke which precluded great photography. Also, Vernal and Nevada Falls have minimal water this time of year (Yosemite Falls was bone dry), so no stellar pictures there, either. We were able, however, to climb the Mist Trail without getting wet.
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Steve waiting to climb up the cables.
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Ena sitting near the top.
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The cables to the top of Half Dome proper are taken down at the end of the season (which is now), but with a little determination, one can still climb up in relative safety. Steve and I decided to embark on the climb, and were about a third of the way up the cables when we were held up by a fearful woman and her grown children who were trying to encourage her on. When we realized that (a) this woman might fall, and we didn't want to see THAT, and (b) if she didn't fall, it was going to take a LONG time for her to get off the cables, we decided to call it a day and head back down. Better luck next time.
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