ClimberJoe wrote:My advice would be to avoid this atrocious clusterfuck and climb something else.

I did the cables last fall and the summit of half dome is in no way worth having to deal with the morons, assholes (like me) and idiots that you will encounter on the trail and on the summit. Not to say anything about the disgusting damage done to the rock when they built this "trail" up the face. There are literally thousands of steps cut into the rock and the damage done is irreparable and disgusting.

We passed many people on the trail with little to NO equipment, including little things like water, food and proper clothing. Lots of Ipods and GPS's though. We had people (many) ask us for water and food and one dude even offered to buy my jacket as I came off the cables since he was wearing shorts and a t shirt and was freezing his ass off. I told him he should turn around and come back with proper clothing next time. He just sneered at me and looked up at the summit with those stupid doe eyes that people get when they are gripped by summit fever. Apparently he had told everyone at work he was gonna climb the cables and come hell or high water he was determined to make it up. I wished him luck and said maybe if it's too cold up there he could wrap himself in all those $100's he had flashed me in his wallet but I was not about to sell my jacket to him regardless of the price he offered. Which ended up being a good call since we awoke to 2-3 inches of fresh snow the next day and we had 12 miles to go yet with more falling. He was just one among HUNDREDS of idiots we encountered that day.

If you really do decide to do this ass fuck of a hike then I would suggest doing it in the middle of the night and base jumping off the summit at sunrise. If you need a locker and a swami for the cables you are a complete idiot who has no business being up there. If you can't handle the exposure while gripping a steel cable and stepping from 2x4 to 2x4 then you should realize that you are not cut out for this sort of thing and you should instead spend your time and money on something that suits your nerves a little better. Like chess or curling or something.

Water, food and an extra layer is all your going to need. A pair of leather gloves will save your hands on the cables if you have dainty little white collar hands that are sensitive to things like being outside but the cables have made what would be a very easy rock climb into nothing more than a stroll with a little exposure. The rock has been subjugated for you. Just get out there and walk up it but don't expect to be alone.

ClimberJoe wrote:

zcando wrote:Kind of funny but perhaps some anger issues???

Not angry at all...I have more fun than most people I know and I really enjoy my work and my hobbies. I just have a different way of communicating than most of the people on this website.

I think things like the cables route are atrocities against the natural world. It's subjugation of the rock instead of rising to the challenge. Yes I think the cables route should be torn out and anyone who stands on top of half dome should have to earn it. I feel bad that I did it and I feel a need to share that with anyone interested in doing this hike because I think It's a waste of time and energy. Not to mention how disgusting I find the building of that "trail"

Sorry to those of you that don't agree.