RESTLESSNESS

Last year I set an intention to hike Half Dome. I am an avid hiker however, I have a great fear of heights; this hike scared me. On Thursday, 9/7/17 we hit the Mist Trail at 5:15 AM and hiked the 7.5 miles to Half Dome. It was the most incredible experience I’ve ever had: hiking in the darkness with just the light from our headlamps as we snaked our way up to Vernal Falls. Gazing at the full moon that gave light to Yosemite Valley and then enjoying the sun rise at the top of Nevada Falls. The granite steps – over 2,000 of them from the base of the trail until we reached the Sub-Dome – and then another 600 that I needed to tackle to reach the saddle of Half Dome.

At the saddle of Half Dome I freaked out. I looked at Half Dome: it looks steep and scary and it looked unsafe. I waivered back and forth: stay or go? Stay or go? My husband and friends looked at me. It wasn’t until my girlfriends asked me a simple question: “Why did you come to Yosemite?”. That immediate answer to that simple question was “To hike Half Dome!” – and let to the use of the “F” word (yes, the bad word F word). After screaming the “F” word several times, I walked up to those cables and began pulling myself the 400-foot vertical gain (on a 45-degree slope!) up while yelling “I’m a 51-year-old bad ass!” until I reached the top.

At the top of the dome, I broke down in tears and cried. The view, the experience, the journey – were too hard to put into words – seeing the beauty of Mother Nature in all her glory. It is akin to giving birth and being blessed with the innate ability to forget the fear and pain of labor and delivery – I forgot about the strain of my muscles making the hike through Little Yosemite Valley and the subsequent ascent up the Sub-Dome; and then being completely terrified of climbing the cables.

At the top of Half Dome I slowly turned around and took it all in. This. This is what life was about: the beauty of nature; the power of overcoming fear; and the desire to fulfill and intention.