SMAUG

Harbin China has been known, for decades, for it's ice sculptures.  While living there I knew it for negative temperatures and the sea voyage destination for which Joshua ended up with food poisoning . . . another time.  SEVEN millions died from dirty air recently.  30 days without water will cramp us.  3 days without water will parch us.  3 minutes without air will stop us dead in our tracks.  The number one health risk worldwide.  Have you even heard about it?  Think your air is clean?  Think it's someone else's risk?  Think again.  Much of CA smog (I readily recognized it last week on top of Half Dome looking northwest) is now derived from Asia.  Think Progress

Here's a 2 March update on China's smog.

How to Climb Half Dome

Some would spend lots of time with permits.  The Sheeple's Method








I climbed Half Dome last week without the 'training wheels'.  Years ago a climbing friend of Everest calibre said I'd be foolish to do it without the cables.  I held my 'judgement'.  I'd never seen the face in person.  When I reached the saddle last week I thought she correct.  I was a little pissed after rising at 2 and hiking for several hours to reach that point.  From that angle it looked sketchy.  I was alone and I seldom do exposure alone.  I hadn't seen a soul since rising so I was ALONE.

Two days prior a hiker on the approach informed me he'd done it in both Winter and Summer and I should do it now.  The difference?  In winter the stanchions and wood separating each are removed.  Only the cables and mounting hardware are left in place.  He also noted that as long as I had rubber gloves and good treaded shoes I'd be fine.  I've wanted to climb HD for years so this was GREAT to hear.  Especially since permits, he added, were not required off season!  This mean a LOT less hassle to deal with.  I took the next day off from any strenuous hikes and began preps.  In retro I should have cowboy camped at Little Yosemite Valley because I enjoy the journey more when not doing
hours slogging up and down in the same day.  To me it detracts from the whole experience.


















I did fine.  The views were spectacular.  I had the entire mountain to self.  I didn't see anyone until departing from the Little Dome.  I had lots of time to muse on the dome thing.  Ironic that people slide to their deaths in Summer.  Why doesn't the Park Service require harnesses/protection?  Culpability?  If that were the case why provide the cables/stanchions?  I found it much easier (sans crowds) just hand over hand (with a harness and pro) like Batman would.  AND, people have likely died from having others fall into them from above.  If I were in that long Summer line up the last 900' I would NOT enjoy watching a descender vapor
lock and having to wait for them to get their wits again.












Facts and Tips:
- It took me 14.5 hours at my slower than usual pace.

- Little Dome has some serious exposure.  I got off trail once as well.  Keep to the north as much as you can, I veered southward.

- The approach includes wind, waterfall spray, and significant steps and elevation so dress for success.  Work clockwise, using the Mist Trail up and the Muir down.  Muir has less steps and is much more gradual.









- I used a harness and carabiners for the cables alone (400').















- Yes, this is legal.  And easier and more enjoyable IMO.














- Peeps die with and without the Summer cable setup.
















- The cables seemingly drop off into space on the descent.  Best not to look down and that is easily accomplished but facing the rock on both ascent and descent.  I looked down twice and it did not improve things. Ha.






- I suppose the angle,
cables from end to end points is 45 degrees although it at least seems to be much steeper in portions of the 400' cable section.

- If you don't KNOW you're safe on this climb STAY AWAY.

Ocean Trash

Of course the oceans cover two thirds of the Earth but we've made a mess of a significant portion of one third so . . . What we've started with the rest?

When I shop I primarily use cloth bags.  I readily look for ways to reuse, recycle and repurpose in virtually all of my limited possessions.  I searched for a locally produced, artistic bag so to support 'local' but the town, Brownwood, doesn't really have a 'local' culture.  At least not a Bohemian one.  Most local venues are places where they eat meat.  Yes, mass raised, harvested and prepared animals.  Sentient ones at that.  And then they fry it up to kill you some day via your arteries.  hehehe  So I ended up buying a well built one as a second priority.  It's great to see biodegradable 6-pack packaging these days, in some stores and I would choose those over the kind that kill dolphins and such.  Slowly, ever so slowly, we are evolving.  We may survive a little longer!

Impacts of Outdoor Activities

I've often wondered how impactful I am in the woods.  Last week while descending from Half Dome I discovered a chilly, hillside spring that bubbled air (?) every few moments.  The Forest Service attempted to hide it but failed to see the temptation of their cover material.  While resting I was very careful to leave the area as undisturbed as possible save for the Mora knife that dropped from my pack unbeknownst to moi.  This article describes our impact and some hints at change: Outdoor Impacts

Dispersed Camping and Noise Map

Anyone who has camped non-dispersed can attest to how annoying a generator, undisciplined minors, or adults for that matter and autos can be while trying to zen outside.  Here's a map to illustrate the issue:  http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/national-park-service-map-shows-loudest-quietest-places-us-180954372/?no-ist

Many seasoned full timers habitually disperse camp for very good reason.

The Wave

After five days, count'em FIVE, of showing up and listening to Ron share his finest quips, anecdotes, warnings to tenderfeet and various ways to demonstrate the lottery is a losing game . . . I won! I embarked on a short trek I waited months to tackle. It's not the hiking, I learned, but how much trouble it takes to get a permit. I may never again whine about Mount Saint Helens permitting. The Wave is said to be the current top billing for folks in Europe. I saw my share of Swiss, Chinese, Japanese, locals and passers through like myself. One South Korean was said to have tried 11 days before returning home only to return a second year and try unsuccessfully for another 5, to win a permit. I felt very lucky, and that is all it is given most permits go to at least 2 and many to 4~6 peeps in each group. When a larger group won a permit there was always a collective sigh from the room. When Ron asked to see hands of those who'd already visited the wave a collective hiss followed. After two days of this routine I began to show at the last moment since I knew the ropes.

Learnings:

The basics, as of today, are . . .

- 10 'walk up' permits are awarded by lottery each weekday (at least in off season).

- Up to 6 persons are allowed in each group.  This means as few as two groups may be awarded permits in a given day.

- Permits for the weekend (at least in off season) are drawn on Friday.  This means there are 30+ awarded on Friday, not the usual 10+.  The reason for the '+' is because the office doesn't recommend hiking alone and when there are applications for groups larger in number than permits left for that day's drawing the official has the option of increasing the total day's award to 11 permits.

What all this means:

Assuming some of those 'walking up' for a permit aren't aware of the weekend awards on Friday, the crowds should be smaller on Fridays.  NOT.  At least of the five days I applied Friday had 38 applications.  Monday had the least, about 10.  The applications seemed to increase as the week wore on but that's possibly just chance.  It is a lottery in fact.  I suspect your odds for winning are much better than an actual state lottery but they're not great in any respect.  BLM Link

Caveats: 

What I've heard is . . .

- One bloke, hiking at night, presumably lost, moseyed right off a cliff.

- Two summers ago 3 died, two of dehydration after wandering in the desert, lost.  Two had ample water with them but after heat stroke set in they couldn't think to drink.

I've done a dozen miles around the North Coyote Buttes and there are plenty of hazards even for a conservative outdoor trekker.  The sandstone is slick even when dry.  I slipped once on sandstone which had lichens on top.  The sandstone is NOT stable.  One may think it is because of the size of a given boulder you use for a step only to realize they flake, they crumble, and they shift of course.  The terrain CAN be confusing, similar slabs, ridges and sand all around, IF one doesn't keep their bearings, literally.  I took bearings for all four cardinal directions, noting terrain features for each and so was never confused which direction to move.  As in any outdoor travel it is vital to keep the goal in sight, if possible, while watching the immediate path beneath one's feet.  In Coyote Buttes that is all the more important because the terrain can vary every few feet from sand to stone to something between.