A 93-year-old climbed Yosemite’s Half Dome. Here’s how you can take on the monolith
Yosemite’s Half Dome shouldn’t need any PR help.
It got a good boost of it though when 93-year-old Everett Kalin ascended the 4,800-foot rock in the national park in central California with his son and granddaughter earlier this month.
The journey was chronicled on social medal and got national media coverage after being picked up by SF Gate.
Yosemite National Park told SF Gate that it doesn’t keep records on the age of climbers, so there’s no way to officially state Kalin’s status as the oldest to make the day-long hike, but the retired theology professor certainly ranks high on the list.
Half Dome is one of Yosemite’s most popular and iconic destinations.
From its summit, one has panoramic views of the Yosemite Valley and the High Sierra. Vernal and Nevada Falls and Liberty Cap can also be seen along the way.
It can be an arduous hike: a 10- to 12-hour trek, there and back, that includes a 400-feet ascent to the peak, done with the assistance of two guide cables.
Deaths on the trail are rare (less than a dozen people have died in 100-plus years), but each year park rangers are sent to assist hundreds who find the hike to be more than they bargained for, the park service says.
According to SF Gate, Kalin trained for months by walking up the stairs in his 17-story apartment building in Oakland and taking walks around a local lake.
“I didn’t fully realize how tricky it would be, especially at my age,” he told the news outlet.
@sidneykalin July 18th, Everett Kalin became the oldest known person to climb Yosemite’s Half Dome at 93 years old. Words cannot describe how proud I am. Opa, it was an honor to take on this trip with you. I hope this stands as a lesson to everyone that you are never too young or old to achieve your dreams.
♬ M83 Outro Versaille Intro - yaten82
Tips for hiking Half Dome
The park service says those taking the trek should be in good physical condition, should probably leave before sunrise and have a non-negotiable turn-around time regardless if they make the summit. Checking the sunrise and sunset times will save you from having to descend the mountain in darkness, though a flashlight or headlamp with fresh batteries is a must-have from the trek, the park service says.
You should also be prepared with a map and compass.
Try to get to the summit before noon, he wrote, “and don’t linger on the summit if you spot incoming clouds.”
Other tips: “Wear shoes with grippy soles, bring plenty of water and a pair of gloves, be patient with fellow hikers who may be slower than you and don’t pass people by venturing outside the cables.”
Permits are required to climb Half Dome
Access to the Half Dome cables leading to the summit is available from spring to fall, typically starting around Memorial Day, though installation of the cables was delayed this year because of a heavy snow pack from winter storms.
In 2012, the park service began limiting the number of people allowed to hike Half Dome each day by requiring day-hike permits. Only 225 people are allowed on the trail beyond the base of the subdome each day. Most of the permits were awarded via a lottery in March. The remaining permits are available via lottery that runs two days in advance of any desired date.
The lottery for Sunday’s permits opens online Friday morning.
Permits are $10, with a $10 non-refundable application fee for the lottery and guests can choose up to seven different request dates. The National Park Service has a full list of statistics to help decide which days are best.
