3000 Feet

Day: 289

First things first, we had three small bears running all over at dinnertime last night. Didn’t really bother us, mostly just pestered the car campers with ice chests.

Our first real day on the trail and our goal wasn’t mileage, but elevation. A 3000 foot gain past a bunch of waterfalls, and two primary reasons to get so high; The valley floor has been running Gobi-hot @ 95 and, two; we have to get past the back side of Half Dome before our permit allows us to camp. Our morning started out at 5:30am and we made it out of the site and headed towards the trailhead by 6:45, as it took that long for Mom to repackage her bag for the eighth time.

“Should I put the bear canister at the top or bottom?”

“Sleeping bag…hmmm…” followed by stares at her pack like its a foreign creature.

“Maybe if I….?”

I tried to subtly remind her that this might have been a good thing to figure out at home, but all she said was she had to be “up here” before she was ready to figure it our. She may be my mother, but that doesn’t stop her from being strange.

Fortunately, I am a man of infinite patience…

The days other tragedy was the weak GPS signal that was lost in the granite valley walls, leaving us lost via satellite. Aside from GPS’ing fun and sunrise bag packing , we did manage to make our seven miles past Nevada and Vernal falls, around the back side of Half Dome and settled into camp by 3:30pm.  With the rest of the afternoon I formulated a plan to solo-climb half dome with the setting sun.  Mom and Mike were beat so I was on my own to see one of the worlds great rocks at sunset.  After a few hours bumming around our site, blogging (i.e. writing in my journal) and reading, I packed my bag with water, my fleece and my camera/tripod and set out.

Pouring sweat by the time I reached the “cables” up the last 300 feet to get me up to 8836ft. I took and break and looked around… hmmm.. oddly I was completely alone. Surprising.

Now, if you had one of the worlds most spectacular rocks all to yourself, what would you do?

Of course! Thats exactly what I thought too! Find a ledge over a 5000ft sheer drop and take naked pictures of yourself!

After a while of complete solitude, the skies began to darken.  With only my (moms) headlamp to lead the way I set off down the 60 degree incline, sliding more than walking holding the aircrafts cables for dear life.  By the time I made it back to the trail proper the skies were black and only a sliver of moon lit the way.  My lamp offered no comfort from the ominous black, with two mile to go in bear country.

Within minutes, everytime I’d glance into the woods I’d see beady green eyes staring back at me.  Every noise made me glance around in fear and I nearly shat my self when I came across a garder snake lying on the trail. Every horror story of the woods I have ever heard came back with a vengeance. Felt like the Half Dome Witch Project.

I was scared.

I found a bear beating stick. About as big around as my wrist and a couple of feet long. Flimsy as it was, it was all I had.  Every noise had me checking behind me to make sure a I wasn’t being stalked by a puma (i.e. mountain lion).  I just imagined myself in a pitched battle with a vicious North American apex predator, me and my stick vs claws, teeth and speed.  I was sure I’d never make it back to my tent.

I carried my weapon all the way back to the protection of my paper thin tent…