Tragic incident at Half Dome cables

Hats off to YOSaR (Yosemite Search and Rescue www.friendsofyosar.org) for saving Gina's life who fell off of cables on Half Dome, Yosemite on June 6, 2009. Fortunately and miraculously, her 100+ ft vertical fall was stopped by a 12" ledge and YOSaR folks were able to air-lift her.

A detailed account of this accident and successful rescue mission is at:
http://www.friendsofyosar.org/rescues/2009/6-4-09_HalfDomeFall_FirstHand.html
http://www.friendsofyosar.org/rescues/2009/2009pictures/PathOfFall.jpg

I was at the bottom of the cables and witnessed the entire horrible incident.

PLEASE DO NOT start climbing up on cables if its overcast weather or if its too late. Being all granite, thunderstorms at half dome are life threatening. If it start raining or gets moistly, you loose the grip not just on the cables but on the rock.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• hike
• yosemite
• half dome
• helicopter
• search and rescue
• SAR
• cables
• rescue helicopter
• climbing
• thunderstorm
• fall
• accident
• quater dome
• YOSAR

[halfdomedrick]

Hello, I am here with Gina, and we just watched your video for the first time. Thanks for posting it. We have never seen these images of us up there during the rescue. These are the only images that we know of showing us up there. Gina is aghast at seeing this. She has no memory of this, or the following 2 weeks of her life, but now she is doing great. Thanks so much. Rick (halfdomedrick@yahoo.com), the one in the orange pancho.

[pathanasif]

@halfdomedrick Hi Rick, so nice to hear from you and Gina! So glad to know that Gina is doing great !!!

I may have more pictures, will send them to you at your email id soon.

[lucycatism]

I lived and worked at the Ahwahnee Hotel for three years. So many times I have watched the helicopter take off. Yosemite is not Disneyland folks. It is a dangerous place. People need to bring their brains along with them when they visit.

I am happy for Gina. I wish her well and the best in recovery.

Gina was one of the lucky ones. Haley LaFlamme was not. Walking up the Mist Trail is dangerous enuf. Walking up to Half Dome, insane.

[lucabbbbb]

I'm sure Gina has been appropriately charged for the rescue, which I think is silly.

[jonanjello]

Lucky Gina! Nice work all involved

[BigShot43210]

Sure looks like crappy weather to be going up Half Dome. Happy all is well, but these rescuers are putting their lives in danger because folks aren't as safe as they should be. You owe them your life. I hope you never forget that.

[louietheiceaxe]

I used to climb the cables without any equipment or gloves. I wouldn't do it ever again without a Via Ferrata harness with carabiners. I might be a fair climber but if someone falls on you it doesn't matter how good you are, you can't stop it. Also, if the weather is not looking perfect it doesn't pay to try and go up. you may be stuck up there in a storm and it is dangerous to try and go down.

[clintonearlwalker]

@halfdomedrick Great comment, I'm on this vid cuz I just read a female climber named Haley LaFlamme fell to her death there yesterday. I had a college room mate that was a very good climber, I would go with him and belay and occasionally rappel down, but I didn't even try the faces like he did. He had a friend fall to her death when we were in college. I'm glad to hear you all are doing well, be careful on the rocks.

[1AceDeuce]

That was weird