Half Dome Cable Route Stress

On August 1st of this year I am scheduled to do the Yosemite Half Dome Cable Route, which some of you know is a 50 degree three hundred yard route up a solid granite slab. Physically there is no problem, but when I look at pictures of the cable route I get nervous. I've done high peaks before, such as Freel Peak, the highest peak in the Lake Tahoe area, but that is like a big sand dune compared to the cable route. The problem is that I have a little bit of the fear of heights, but not full blown acrophobia. I really want to do it though, but I just don't want to turn into a girlie man at the base of the cables in front of my girlfriend, who is going with me. I need moral support. Any spiritual advice on how to get started up the cables, and not crap my pants on the way up--speaking figuratively of course. And don't say Depends! I would imagine coming down is even more nerve wracking.

Hi Bigsac,

I have gone up the cables several times. I used to work as a backpacking guide in the Yosemite area for several summers quite a few years back.

It is a walk that has got some exposure so many folks do have a slightly queezy feeling going up and back down. There are definitely some things you can do that will help.

The cables are steel cables about one half to three quarters inch thick. When I used to go up there were occasional spots that had slight fraying.

This was not a safety issue, but you probably won't feel like letting go of the cable along the steep part to avoid any frays. A good solution is some sturdy and tight fitting gloves. That will allow you to keep a good grip as you go which should help you feel more secure.

It also helps to have shoes with a good fit and reasonably grippy soles. Your normal hiking shoes should be fine. I have seen folks go up in thongs and slick bottomed boating shoes, but I don't recommend it.

Take your time and look where you are going. If you want to look at the scenery (which is great) stop for a moment to do so.

Finally if there is rain, forecast of rain or the appearance of thunder clouds then do not go up. The greatest number of accidents and deaths that I have heard about there have been all lightening related.

You will likely find it a great experience if you take your time and don't hesitate to make good use of the cable.

Have a great time.

Thank you for posting this - it has been added to the list of things to do before I die (afterwards being possibly difficult for me.)

Heather

If you really have to do this, focus on one step at a time, and be present in that moment.

If you don't have to do, climb Cloud's Rest, which is a better hike, with fewer people, better views...and you end up looking DOWN on Half Dome

I'm pretty darn skeerd of heights. I brought a tether (climbing strap into improvised harness and 2 carabiners) in prep to clip myself to the cables. I figured this would give me the reassurance to do the climb...however when I got to the base and looked up - I knew I really didn't want to do it. It looks like going up isn't that big of a deal, but those last few rungs at the top would be hell for me coming down.

If you do do it, i recommend getting up there as early in the day as you can. That thing gets crowded closer to noon-ish. We camped below the base and woke up early. Friends who went up had a good 30 min on the top before the mass of people showed. Just go early so you have pleny of alone time on the way up/down. I can't imagine doing it with 60 people on the cables along with you.

Oh and some nice gloves would be cool. Theres usually a pile of loaner gloves at the bottom, but would rather bring your own leather/rawhide work gloves.

I skipped it altogether

I don't know how you would react, so I'd say that that's the not best location to work out your fear of heights. If you freeze up partway up, you'd be in a bad place, and could be a danger to yourself and others.

Work on your fear of heights first. Maybe try some rock climbing, so you learn to get a better feel of your body in space.

If you are talking just nylon webbing and carabiners attached to an improvised harness, be glad you didn't trust it. You can easily overload static (non-stretching) webbing to the breaking point in a fall. Even if you used dynamic rope, you can easily exceed a fall factor of 2 in a situation where you clip into a cable. Fall factor is length of fall divided by the length of rope available to absorb the impact of the fall. Much higher than a fall factor of 2 (very easy to happen clipping into a cable), and you could be breaking dynamic rope too.

You need an energy absorber to deal with this kind of situaltion.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_factor

http://www.petzl.com/files/all/en/activities/sport/tech-tips-via-ferrata.pdf

I absolutley agree. The girlfriend is the least of the problems. Being scared and stuck with a crowd of people waiting behind you may make you move faster than you can safely. The exposure is significant. And if you grip the cables to hard you will burn out your arms to the point of lossing control. Get used to exposure in a safer place and then if you feel ready to go, I strongly suggest renting some rock climbing shoes for the cables. It is not that everyone needs them, but they certainly will add to your feeling of stability.

Man, those cables are probably one of the most memorable experiences of my hiking life. I was 11 and on my first backpacking trip. I loved going up and down. Hopefully I will get a chance to take my kids to let them experience the same thing. But, if you are having a hard time with the cables, don't lean over the side on the top and look down the cliff.

I just climbed it a couple days ago with my 14 yr old daughter - this was her main goal this summer. I am not comfortable with heights but wanted to support her. I knew we were physically capable but thinking about it too much got me very nervous. As I was getting closer to the cables, I stopped looking at the view or over the edge at all. I focused on looking only where I was going. We arrived at 10:15a - no crowds so that was good. Just focused on moving from board to board, breathing steady, no thinking. I was not comfortable at the top but felt glad we'd made it! Going down was easier for me, went backwards. It was an exercise in focus for me. I have a great feeling of sharing this experience with my daughter but personally I'd use a harness next time. There's risk of other people - just too many random out of shape people or their panic attacks. Another option is its an incredible hike and accomplishment without climbing the cables.

I did it 5 yrs ago for the first time. Sometimes I get a fear of heights but this didn't bother me at all. When we went up there wasn't many folks climbing to the top. Different story when we came down. The cables were packed with people. One guy walked down on the outside of the cables while holding on to them. No way I would do that. If you want to go at your own pace I would get there as early as possible.

I sure hope I can go back and do it again.

If you have only a "little bit of fear of heights" but have gone up some peaks, I think you can probably be OK on Half Dome. I would describe myself that way as well. My first trip up Half Dome I really didn't have a clue how steep the final part was till I got there and saw the little ants (or so it looked) going up the cables and realized how steep it looked. At that point my stomach dropped out and I thought "no &@(#&@#ing way!!) but I'd come all that way with my friend, so we started up the cables. I was wondering "how am I gonna do this" when I heard my friend behind me say in a quavery voice, "Debbie, I don't know if I can do this." Suddenly I got much braver, told her to just concentrate on her feet and the next step, and not to look down or way up ahead, and we both made it to the top just fine. She brought her boyfriend up later that summer, and I came up a couple more times after that.

My advice, other than to not look down below you or too far up ahead during the cable portion, would be to bring some of those lightweight gardening gloves with the rubber grip (either dots or solid, I've always used the dots but the solid rubber palms look like they'd be great). Also be prepared that when you are going up and others are coming down, you will only be able to hang on to one side, not both cables. And when you come down, you may want to go down backwards. I'd thought I'd have to do that, but found I was fine looking down (not too far ahead, again), and that it had been the climb up that was mostly the problem for me. Once I'd done that, I felt MUCH better.

I second the idea not to do the cable portion if it's raining or threatening a lightning storm.

I hope you will get to enjoy the thrill of standing atop Half Dome and feeling on top of the world. It's definitely worth the pre-cable nervousness!