Half Dome Cables Going Down

[skinnypig74]

Oh my Lord - they'd have to come get me with a helicopter!

[learber]

Someone had just recently died hiking half dome.... i cant post links but just google this..

Hayley LaFlamme Dead: San Ramon Woman Dies After Yosemite Half Dome Fall  R.I.P

[forceinfinity]

@learber Yeah I heard about that. Part of the problem was that it had rained that day (and whenever it rains, you really shouldn't hike Half Dome's cable section). Problem is Yosemite put up that permit system which is all well and good to keep the number of hikers down, but then you run into problems where the permits are so rare, people might be more likely to gamble on that section for fear of not getting another easy shot at the cables again.

[Rep0007]

I hate when someone goes kaka from fear and then that whole part of the rock is... very, very slippery...

[erstehorniste]

I did this hike back in 1985 without any rope, harness, or carabiners. I think if I do it again (maybe later this year) I will clip in to the cable!

[owenh8]

You need to have a permit every day now.

[kotyayv]

@forceinfinity They now changed it to a permit for everyday and only 400 of them are given out per year. hey where can I get that hook to attach myself to the cable?

[ru0107]

I noticed that some of the climbers going up had a hook they attached to the cable. Is that necessary/required?

[forceinfinity]

@ru0107 Not necessary or required to my knowledge, but might be a good idea all the same for safety reasons. The footing can be treacherous on the steepest parts (which by my calculations reach 44 degrees in places) and a slip is a bad thing

[323REYNA]

OMG!!!! SCARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[capcrip420]

shit scary but worth every second. its bullshit they make you pay for a permit to hike the weekends. make sure you got one, otherwise the rangers won't let you make it to the top...so all the hiking and you don't get the best part

[janibrat]

OMG Im breaking out in a sweat...I have no problem with the thought of going up, it's coming down that's an issue. This just confirmed it. We shall see how I do in June, if you hear that a girl had to be rescued from the half dome it will be me LOL

[BeepimajeepBeep]

@janibrat Some guy actually fell through the cables and died. (if that makes you feel better)

[gopsu2011]

dude is it really that steep going down? 

[forceinfinity]

@gopsu2011 Yes, its actually that steep. I measured it around 40 to 44 degrees where I felt safe to do so.

[mikepace77]

@gopsu2011  and believe it or not its that steep going up :)

[ajatkinson2004]

My palms were sweating just watching this

[StarshipPoopers1]

@forceinfinity

Starting in 2011 you need a permit any day of the week. They are limiting it to 300 day-hikers per day.

[eeek77]

@forceinfinity for 2011 the quote will be 7 days a week and you need to get reservations in advance.

[ianMG1975]

@forceinfinity I went on a saturday. Im 16 and i walked on it lol. hopefully you dont have to have a permit

[japhat81]

@ianMG1975 On the weekends you do. at least in the summer. I was there in August

[heathcoat1]

I did that hike the first time when i was six years old.

[kingmike40]

If climbing the cables as a tourist is scary what must the people who originally put the cables up thought.

[ereslug]

i did that 2 days ago :] it was scary at first but dan it was fun!! sucks that now u need a permit to go up there

[itsbigrob]

I just made my 1st trip up half dome 8/16/10. Thank you for the inspiration:-) what a 1st timer should expect.

[pinapplemangobananna]

Are you strapped to anything?

[forceinfinity]

@pinapplemangobananna I wasn't strapped into anything. I was shooting this video using a Blackeye Helmet cam wired into a Canon Elura camcorder (which is the only way you can shoot video safely while traversing these cables).

[hallowedbe1]

EPIC! Great music and I love the ending. Well done! =)

[forceinfinity]

For those curious, the music accompanying this video is Bounty Hunter from the "Advent Rising" soundtrack.

[TheKatieMcauley]

what kind of hiking shoes would be good? where could i find some fast? I am leving monday morning

[forceinfinity]

@TheKatieMcauley .. A couple good places would be like an REI, Scheels (if you happen to have one) or any sporting goods store and they can get you fixed up. Half Dome is predominantly a class 1 hike save for the cable section. Just one thing to keep in mind... if it rains the day you're going up, do -NOT- hike it. Or if you must, bring a harness and clip into the cables like a couple of the climbers in the video. I've heard of too many accidents where weather was a factor

[forhummel]

went a few weeks back, tip: go on the outside of the cables...especially on the way down. will save 30+ minutes

[ladyany2003]

Its a lot easier going down backwards, easier on the arms too lol. Cool music though lol

[whitephatt]

This is the best video of the cables that I've come across. Good job.

[gwenducky]

i love the intense music lol!

[scorekeepn]

Exfoliation with a new meaning...LOL

I've been up and down twice...scary stuff when lightning is threatening.

[eeek77]

It's a lot easier if you go down backwards leaning back.

[thomas2biker]

Funnest experiance of my whole entire life

[insanegurl92]

i climbed this. its fricken scary but totally awesome. i want to do it again.

[HowU4ADumbass]

i'm going here on saturday

and i'm just getting nervous from just looking at the video

good video by the way very clear

[bryanttttttta]

I'm gettin a harness for sure. cheers. Memorial day weekend. carpe diem!

[dirkdigler21]

I walked down backwards for two reasons, im a chicken and gravity isnt your friend with your head arch forward.

[DOJDiva]

I love the music and the whole video. I went down backwards, so I don't have to trigger my fear of heights and falling. Thank you for sharing this beautiful adventure!

[McDaidUSA]

If you slip, it could be the last step you take. This is one heck of a hike, the camera of course makes it look easy. When you get there, its unbelievable, an experience of a lifetime!

[eeek77]

A woman slipped last Saturday.

[bquick]

sadly i saw it. Still don't know what happened to her. Last I heard the helicopter couldn't get to her.

[BestOf90sCCM]

I want to see Tony Hawk skate down that bad boy!

[impish09]

when my Dad climbed half dome he slid down the cables backwards and he said it was much easier I don't understand why people go down that way it seems much more dangerous

[forceinfinity]

I think its mostly to do with people not wanting to look down than anything else. I know of a couple people where if they look down, they'll panic and freeze. If they look the other way its easier for them. If they're more comfortable and they stay calm going backwards, I'd argue that it's probably safer for them that way. It all depends on the person really.

[seizetheweakened]

insane

[x06Dufferz06x]

Fair play to the guys who put them their! LOL

[dryder1000]

Have a look at our descent on the cables @ 5:00 min. here:

watch?v=JxW0kxdrAWk&feature=ch­annel_page Bring gloves, sturdy shoes. We did it in a day. Dawn til dusk. Valley floor and back to the valley floor.

[the1spen]

Cool video, my family and i were in yosemite yesturday. The half dome hike and assent is something ive been wanting to challenge myself with for some time now.I cant seem to get it out of my head , and live in the bay area fairly close, so hopefully this upcoming season i can go for it if i can talk someone into doing it with me !

[arizona0j0]

I did Half Dome last year... the cables were pretty scary... here are good tips:

1-) Good friction shoes

2-) Good pair of gloves

3-) Plenty of water & good conditioning

4-) Pay attention (be very careful) on the cables

5-) Try cables when is less crowded

[neiluk2006]

I'm from the UK and remember doing that this year. I was scared!! and kept swearing! lol.

[rubberduc146]

my dad wants 2 take me 2 do this but im pretty scared 2 do it. any tips/advice? and also is it really that scary or is it ok

[forceinfinity]

Depending on time of year, brings lots of water, and go slow and steady before cables. Dont want to blow out all your energy only to have none left for the cables. Once on cables, just mind your foot placement and the others around you.

Going down is probably scarier than going up because you are looking down. If heights are intimidating, I've seen people going down facing Half dome. It can be intimidating to be sure if you're not used to it. Experience over time helps though

[HANS19777]

I just was on half dome 2 days ago. It is pretty crowded at the cables. One important thing would be, wear the right hiking shoes. I saw a lot people climbing up in just usual street shoes, and the slipped all the time. The woman behind me returned because she slipped with her shoes all the time.

[forceinfinity]

HANS brings up an excellent point. Half Dome is definitely on the very steep side. I actually took a picture and measured the grade at around 98% (44 degrees). Even at that pitch, it doesn't take much for shoes to slide.

To his point, if you want to avoid the rush, try to make the cables around 11am cuz too much longer after that...well HANS said it all. It gets crowded for sure

[cholopavo]

if it really freaks you out to go down, you can clip in to the cable and clip out when you come to a pole, clip in, clip out... guys @ 1:26 are doing that, and i think thats what ill do when i climb it

[seitznyc]

All good advice here. try not to do it on a weekend. i believe the cables are down now, but it's crazy how crowded it gets on the weekend. get your arm strength up before you do it, you'll need it. heights don't bother me so i was happy to be coming down and losing altitude. i'm from NYC and the altitude bothered me since we didn't take a day to acclimate.

[BookofDisquiet]

awesome-what is that music? who is the artist?

[forceinfinity]

For those curious, the sound track comes from an Xbox/PC game called "Advent Rising". You can actually purchase the sound track on ITunes or Amazon. I think the tune was called "Bounty Hunter" but I could be wrong

[robertmartinez]

You guys have wayyyyy more gonads that I ever had. Wow. Scary.

[elmarko99]

wow this is scary!

[WinkieDuck]

i think going down is easier than up

[Deegher]

going down is very easy...and fun! Just a little bit more dangerous...

[azgamer2289]

going down is way worse

[philjsnow]

Crikey, looks steeper than I remember it. The music is scarry.

[matthewelync]

I have heard going DOWN is the difficult part people freak out and freeze.

[Deegher]

yea because the only thing your looking at...is the ground...

[chchainsaw20]

wow no one ever shows going down is scaryier then going up

[obsessong]

Good dramatic music. Thanks for filming this adventure so I can experience it from the comfort and safety of my La-Z-Boy!

[didoban22]

Nice music... very dramatic lol