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Shattered Air: A True Account of Catastrophe and Courage on Yosemite's Half Dome
The compelling account of recklessness, tragedy, courage and rescue, a book whose sobering depiction of Nature's danger is tempered by unforgettable portraits of the triumphant human spirit.
272 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
June 9, 2010
Since I have climbed Half Dome before, and I have had experiences with lightning on other sierra peaks, I couldn't help but pick up this book. Although I didn't care for the author's style in the first few chapters, and the people he wrote about are not people I would associate with, the actual account of the event on the Dome was intriguing. I couldn't put it down.
This is a story about the repercussions of complete stupidity. I understand that people make mistakes sometimes, but this was Russian roulette. This was arrogance and machismo. I can't help but picture a rescuer asking one of the victims, "Why did you do it? Why did you act so recklessly?" And he answered with a smug attitude, "We wanted to dance in the lightning." What an ass!
The survivors had to cope with guilt and thoughts of what they could have done different. The co-author, Adrian Esteban, kept saying he felt responsible because he and Rice were "the leaders". But that's ridiculous too. Anybody with half a brain knows that lightning can kill. Walking out onto a granite peak during a storm is suicide. Were these "followers" so enveloped in their leaders that they lost common sense? Could they not think for themselves? I won't even get started about how they pursued a wrongful death lawsuit against the National Park Service for "not closing Half Dome during the storm due to the danger". As if it is an amusement park ride and not "wilderness". Luckily, that was short lived.
Unfortunately, many people had to alter their plans, stay up all night, and attend to the survivors of the lightning strikes. Tons of money was spent on helicopter rescue flights, and people risked their lives flying to the Dome in the middle of the night. I admire all of these people. In the face of arrogance and even a lack of remorse in at least one person, they still helped these people that asked for their plight.
I probably sound like I am being harsh, but I believe that you hold your own when you are out in the wilderness. Your decisions are not just your own. They affect the world and the people around you. This should be considered before literally jumping into the fire.
This is a story about the repercussions of complete stupidity. I understand that people make mistakes sometimes, but this was Russian roulette. This was arrogance and machismo. I can't help but picture a rescuer asking one of the victims, "Why did you do it? Why did you act so recklessly?" And he answered with a smug attitude, "We wanted to dance in the lightning." What an ass!
The survivors had to cope with guilt and thoughts of what they could have done different. The co-author, Adrian Esteban, kept saying he felt responsible because he and Rice were "the leaders". But that's ridiculous too. Anybody with half a brain knows that lightning can kill. Walking out onto a granite peak during a storm is suicide. Were these "followers" so enveloped in their leaders that they lost common sense? Could they not think for themselves? I won't even get started about how they pursued a wrongful death lawsuit against the National Park Service for "not closing Half Dome during the storm due to the danger". As if it is an amusement park ride and not "wilderness". Luckily, that was short lived.
Unfortunately, many people had to alter their plans, stay up all night, and attend to the survivors of the lightning strikes. Tons of money was spent on helicopter rescue flights, and people risked their lives flying to the Dome in the middle of the night. I admire all of these people. In the face of arrogance and even a lack of remorse in at least one person, they still helped these people that asked for their plight.
I probably sound like I am being harsh, but I believe that you hold your own when you are out in the wilderness. Your decisions are not just your own. They affect the world and the people around you. This should be considered before literally jumping into the fire.
May 15, 2012
Another in the genre of "people doing stupid things in high places" -- my morbid fascination with stories of wilderness survival push me to indulge in such reads every once in a while and, having hiked up to the top of Half Dome myself (who hasn't), I was intrigued that someone actually went to the trouble to write a book about it. The story goes like this: In 1985, a party of arrogant idiots hiked to the top of Half Dome during the apex of a remarkably violent thunderstorm, despite common sense, park signage and other hikers' warnings not to do so. As a result, two died, three were severely injured, and a team of witnesses were pressed into service rescuing the morons from their own folly. That's about it. They story itself warrants a magazine article, at best. The only way Madgic managed to turn it into a book was by expounding at length on every possible tangent he could find, including, but not limited to the history of Yosemite and the US Park Service, geology, meteorology, the socio-political climate of the US during the 1960s, 70s and 80s, rock-climbing, and the development of emergency medical response technology over the past three decades. The book reads like a compilation of Wikipedia articles. If you do read it, skip to the last few chapters where the stupid hikers get fried and their rescuers come to their aid. That's the only worthwhile part.
May 14, 2016
3.0 STARS
Recognizing my penchant for hiking and exploration of the natural world, a co-worker highly recommended this account of tragedy and loss during an ascent of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park in July 1985.
Ansel Adams popularized Half Dome with his hauntingly beautiful black and white photographs of the sheer face of granite on one side and the rounded edges of the remainder of what looks like a dome cut in half.
Half Dome has become such a popular hiking destination that over 800 hikers ascend the cable trail each day. The Park Service has been forced to institute a permitting system, which was later switched to lottery system, when crowds became far too large to ensure hiker safety.
As irresistible as Half Dome is to hikers, the granite peak at 8,800 above sea level, is irresistible to lighting as well. Essentially Half Dome is a gigantic lightning rod.
In July 1985, five hikers ascended Half Dome, ignoring the warning signs at the foot of the cable trail about the danger of lightning strikes while also ignoring the steady accumulation of cumulus clouds that serve as the precursor to mountain thunderstorms.
As the storm grew in intensity and strength, the group sheltered in a small rock cave in the Half Dome visor. Two powerful lightning strikes slammed Half Dome peak and the cave, conducting thousands of volts of electricity through the granite and into the equipment and bodies of the hikers. Two hikers were killed, two were seriously injured.
In addition to the tragedy of death and struggle to survive atop Half Dome, the book provided some really interesting history of Yosemite, the National Park system, the science of thunderstorms and lightning and the backstory of the hikers involved in this event.
Adrian Esteban and Time Rice, young men in their twenties who were the key players in this ill-fated expedition, were so driven to conquer nature and satisfy their intense bravado that they ignored all the signs of peril and danger. Ego trumped rationality and realistic risk assessment. Both men struggled in high school with drugs and alcohol, family issues and self-esteem. Nature, the outdoors and the physical endurance and achievement of vigorous hiking turned out to be their comfortable places in the world. They felt in control of their lives while on the hiking trails. The mountains were their personal mecca. This sense of control and comfort combined with unbridled enthusiasm and male bravado, led them to consider the ascent of Half Dome under the threat of a thunderstorm as a physical and mental challenge they were convinced they would win.
In the end Mother Nature proved them tragically wrong.
October 27, 2010
I've learned many things from this book, but mainly, do not go on top of a peak or in a cave during a lightning storm. This book was very informative while still keeping me on the edge of my seat. A truly great read...
November 29, 2008
This, to me, was another example of putting the lives of experts at risk to save nincompoops. Five "experienced" climbers decided to climb Yosemite's Half-Dome. Despite warnings along the trail they continued in the face of an oncoming storm. Two died from lightning strikes and three others were severely injured. Med-Evac helicopters made heroic flights at extreme risk to get two of the injured down and safely off to hospitals. The pilot was forced to use only slivers of moonlight and he had no reference points in the blackness.
This is a fascinating biographical account of the participants and a hair-raising (pun-intended) story of how the lightning was conducted all around and ultimately through them.
This is a fascinating biographical account of the participants and a hair-raising (pun-intended) story of how the lightning was conducted all around and ultimately through them.
July 1, 2008
The author did a great job in recounting this story. The main characters are unlikable and arrogant but I enjoyed the way it was written. I imagine it's difficult to take unlikeable characters and make the reader want to invest their time and energy into a story and yet that is exactly what happened with me. I highly recommned this book to the outoorsy set!
June 2, 2009
I thought this was such an amazing book! It is a really amazing and eerie non-fictional tale of backpackers who hike half dome during a terrible storm.
The author gives the reader a lot of background knowledge then eventually building up to this life changing event.
I regularly visit Yosemite and half participated in this hike so I think that made me enjoy it even more.
The author gives the reader a lot of background knowledge then eventually building up to this life changing event.
I regularly visit Yosemite and half participated in this hike so I think that made me enjoy it even more.
August 1, 2018
Perfect road trip read while we were cruising through Yosemite. True, heartbreaking story of human stupidity and bravery. Well done.
February 28, 2015
“Shattered Air” by Bob Madgic, published by Burford Books.
Category – Sport/Mountaineering Publication Date – January 01, 2011
This book is subtitled, “A True Account of Catastrophe and Courage on Yosemite’s Half Dome”.
The first part of the book gives a background of the people who will be caught in a horrific day on a mountain that will see both stupidity and courage come to the forefront.
Yosemite’s Half Dome does not provide a real challenge to get to the top, but it does take conditioning and stamina. The challenge has been taken from the mountain due to the building of steps and steel cables to assist one in the climbing. The biggest fear seems to be the possibility of getting caught on the Dome during a thunderstorm with lightning. In fact, at the beginning of the steel cables there is a sign that warns to not go any further if there are thunderstorms in the area.
The second part of the book is a wonderful tutorial about thunderstorms, how they develop and the terrible consequences that can be the result of getting hit by lightning. The day in question has several groups attempting to summit Half Dome and being warned that a thunderstorm was in the area and not to proceed any further. Several ignored the warning and found themselves in dire straits. The result was several deaths and injuries, but the toll could have been worse if not for some heroic efforts by other climbers and park personnel, including a daring helicopter pilot.
The ending of the book details the effect this day had on all the participants.
An excellent read for those looking for a book that combines adventure and heroic effort.
Category – Sport/Mountaineering Publication Date – January 01, 2011
This book is subtitled, “A True Account of Catastrophe and Courage on Yosemite’s Half Dome”.
The first part of the book gives a background of the people who will be caught in a horrific day on a mountain that will see both stupidity and courage come to the forefront.
Yosemite’s Half Dome does not provide a real challenge to get to the top, but it does take conditioning and stamina. The challenge has been taken from the mountain due to the building of steps and steel cables to assist one in the climbing. The biggest fear seems to be the possibility of getting caught on the Dome during a thunderstorm with lightning. In fact, at the beginning of the steel cables there is a sign that warns to not go any further if there are thunderstorms in the area.
The second part of the book is a wonderful tutorial about thunderstorms, how they develop and the terrible consequences that can be the result of getting hit by lightning. The day in question has several groups attempting to summit Half Dome and being warned that a thunderstorm was in the area and not to proceed any further. Several ignored the warning and found themselves in dire straits. The result was several deaths and injuries, but the toll could have been worse if not for some heroic efforts by other climbers and park personnel, including a daring helicopter pilot.
The ending of the book details the effect this day had on all the participants.
An excellent read for those looking for a book that combines adventure and heroic effort.
March 16, 2019
Important reading for adventurers, mountain hikers, or people who are in lightning prone areas. A thorough history of an extreme lightning incident and the rescuers efforts. I hope to never meet any of the persons involved in the incident.
I didn’t care for the writing style in the first part of the book. Too much rambling, back and forth, “character development “. We all have to do character development though, right?
I spend a lot of time in the Sierra, and especially Yosemite. I’m always surprised at the naivety of visitors in regards to personal safety. It’s 20 + degrees out at night, posted signs warn of the dangers of ice, but will people tred cautiously around waterfalls, on paved trails or granite that are slick with ice? No they won’t. I have a walking stick and it’s a curiosity. I know that the Yosemite medical clinic is very competent with orthopedic injuries. They will continue to receive clients.
I haven’t been in the park during lightning storms, but I do know a family who live ten miles away, who had three lightning strikes in one day, on their property.
I’m going to give the book to my friends who have a B&B near Yosemite. Maybe some of their guests might pick it up.
I didn’t care for the writing style in the first part of the book. Too much rambling, back and forth, “character development “. We all have to do character development though, right?
I spend a lot of time in the Sierra, and especially Yosemite. I’m always surprised at the naivety of visitors in regards to personal safety. It’s 20 + degrees out at night, posted signs warn of the dangers of ice, but will people tred cautiously around waterfalls, on paved trails or granite that are slick with ice? No they won’t. I have a walking stick and it’s a curiosity. I know that the Yosemite medical clinic is very competent with orthopedic injuries. They will continue to receive clients.
I haven’t been in the park during lightning storms, but I do know a family who live ten miles away, who had three lightning strikes in one day, on their property.
I’m going to give the book to my friends who have a B&B near Yosemite. Maybe some of their guests might pick it up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 24, 2012
Good book on famous event that occurred on Half-Dome. It also includes some excellent background information on lightning, a brief history of Yosemite and Half-Dome, and climbing.
While reading you can sense that disaster was coming even if you did not know the eventual outcome. You think, “How can people be this reckless?” Clearly in this case thrill-seeking and ego took over their better judgment, and it cost people their lives. The courage and quick action of the would-be rescuers in an overwhelming situation also helps you better understand the challenges these everyday heroes face and you are grateful for such people who overcome the odds to save others.
Overall I liked the storytelling and the background, and you develop empathy for everyone involved. My only negative was that it included significant foul language, and this distracted from the enjoyment of the narrative. It was the reason I gave it a lower rating.
While reading you can sense that disaster was coming even if you did not know the eventual outcome. You think, “How can people be this reckless?” Clearly in this case thrill-seeking and ego took over their better judgment, and it cost people their lives. The courage and quick action of the would-be rescuers in an overwhelming situation also helps you better understand the challenges these everyday heroes face and you are grateful for such people who overcome the odds to save others.
Overall I liked the storytelling and the background, and you develop empathy for everyone involved. My only negative was that it included significant foul language, and this distracted from the enjoyment of the narrative. It was the reason I gave it a lower rating.
November 20, 2011
Just read this pretty much in one sitting (the things I get up to when home alone! ). What a powerful story. I knew someone involved - Steve White from my early days at IBM. I always remembered his story, and he was interviewed for the book and quoted in there. A few years later we turned back at the cables because a storm was threatening. I did get there eventually - 1998 I think, the only time I've been to the top of half dome.
February 4, 2022
I suspect my penchant for reading books about wilderness survival/accidents/catastrophes is the fact that I am not brave enough to attempt any of the extreme endeavors these men and women feel compelled to engage in, so its admiration of their skills and their bravery mixed in with morbid curiosity that draws me to these books. I enjoyed this one and learned a lot about Yosemite and about lightening, the knowledge about lightening is valuable in Florida.
October 3, 2012
This is quite an interesting account of the tragedy that occurred on the summit of Half Dome in 1985. I've read many stories of dangerous mountain climbing adventures; however, the fact that the careless behavior of several young men led to the deaths of two and severe injury to two others seems such a waste. What can be taken from Madgic's retelling is that Mother Nature deserves complete respect. Lightning is not something to be challenged. It will always win. This is a great read for anyone who enjoys hiking/climbing or is just morbidly fascinated by the manic desires of those who seek to conquer peaks.
February 25, 2014
I picked this book up when I was deployed to Iraq.
As a person that enjoys learning about a great many subjects this book covered a lot of ground in general education. He did his research well. He followed a true story and in the process gave a informed understanding of everything that tied into the story. If you want a quick fast action book that you forget weeks after reading it this book is not for you.
If you read to learn and understand this is a great book.
As a person that enjoys learning about a great many subjects this book covered a lot of ground in general education. He did his research well. He followed a true story and in the process gave a informed understanding of everything that tied into the story. If you want a quick fast action book that you forget weeks after reading it this book is not for you.
If you read to learn and understand this is a great book.
June 17, 2008
Fascinating book!
Great treatment of what happens when struck by lightening.
Very interesting account of those that were killed and injured in this devestating tragedy.
I just was in Yosemite in early June, and his description of the park and it's beautiful sites was wonderful. Highly recommended!
Great treatment of what happens when struck by lightening.
Very interesting account of those that were killed and injured in this devestating tragedy.
I just was in Yosemite in early June, and his description of the park and it's beautiful sites was wonderful. Highly recommended!
May 24, 2009
Bad decisions can sometimes have fatal consequences. This story details what happened when five young men chanced fate and hiked to the top of Half Dome in Yosemite during a thunderstorm. Lightening struck the summit twice and two of the five were killed and two others were left with horrible injuries. An interesting read detailing the lives of the hikers involved that day in 1995.
March 14, 2008
This was a good, but scary book involving poor decision-making and the power of nature. More frightening since it was based on a real story, but also interesting info about the medical effects of being struck by lightening.
November 3, 2012
I LOVED this book! It had Yosemite history, packed with good information and told the story of the Half Dome tragedy well. I have a greater respect for storms and lightening after reading this. I also have a greater admiration for my family members that have climbed Half Dome.
November 15, 2020
A story of 5 hormone driven reckless individuals who were up there on top of Yosemite’s Half Dome during a manic thunderstorm, with 2 of them dying gruesome deaths and another 2 gravely injured. Completely by utter chance, a team of EMTs who were hiking / camping that day reached the peak shortly after the thunderstorm had passed and found the group dealing with the tragedy, half of whom stayed with the lightning victims treating their injuries with whatever limited amount of resources they had and half of them running down to the valley to inform the rangers asking for help. Double digit number of rangers / pilots / climbers / nurses / EMTs were involved in the rescue operation which went on until the following morning.
I found the actions of the victim group utterly idiotic, as the author paid no amount of effort to mask as well. At the same time, I feel slightly sad for not knowing about the rock cave at the top of Half dome before I went there earlier this year, as I’d have surely loved to check that out!
The story telling of the actual tragedy day was excellent, however, the book could thrive without the detailed introductions of literally everyone involved in this. The book consequently doubled in size because of those uninteresting stories hence a 3/5.
Last but not the least, I’ll definitely take thunderstorms very seriously from now on.
I found the actions of the victim group utterly idiotic, as the author paid no amount of effort to mask as well. At the same time, I feel slightly sad for not knowing about the rock cave at the top of Half dome before I went there earlier this year, as I’d have surely loved to check that out!
The story telling of the actual tragedy day was excellent, however, the book could thrive without the detailed introductions of literally everyone involved in this. The book consequently doubled in size because of those uninteresting stories hence a 3/5.
Last but not the least, I’ll definitely take thunderstorms very seriously from now on.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 7, 2019
An outstanding account of a tragic tale. A bunch of hot dogging, arrogant and druggie drunks put their rescuers at risk because of their egotistical needs.
This is more than an adventure story - it makes very clear the danger of lightning and how to avoid its fury. It includes a little California history and the importance of our National Parks.
Thanks to John Muir and Teddy Roosevelt, if we obey the rules of the parks we can all experience the joy of nature. These buffoons disregarded all rules and safety measures and caused their own demise.
PS -I enhanced my reading by watching a couple of YouTube videos along with the book. They gave me terrific visual of the climb.
This is more than an adventure story - it makes very clear the danger of lightning and how to avoid its fury. It includes a little California history and the importance of our National Parks.
Thanks to John Muir and Teddy Roosevelt, if we obey the rules of the parks we can all experience the joy of nature. These buffoons disregarded all rules and safety measures and caused their own demise.
PS -I enhanced my reading by watching a couple of YouTube videos along with the book. They gave me terrific visual of the climb.
June 29, 2024
The author truly provided all the information possible to help one understand this tragedy. The research was complete, and the events told in a compelling way. From the many quotes, he spent much time interviewing the subjects voluntarily. I especially liked reading about how the events impacted the lives. I also was very educated about lightning. I thought shelter was best too. I learned much about the park and how rangers rescue people. I have seen how tragedy bonds people together to help others and that was true in this case too. I liked hearing that part of the story. I read this book after visiting Yosemite for the first time and buying this book at the visitor center.
November 13, 2019
This is a wonderful nonfiction adventure! I looked forward daily to reading it! I recommend the audiobook so you can relax and easily visualize the scenes.
June 6, 2021
A great story about this catastrophe. I read this right before I climbed Half Dome and this made me extra cautious. Yosemite and the meaning of life.
-Karah Jones, Journaling June 5th, 2021 during a 4 hour plane ride home.
Day 1:
This story starts on Saturday, May 29th at 5:52pm. I was riding passenger seat in Drew’s jeep as he drove us to dinner. I opened my email for the 10th time that hour, obsessively checking to see if we had won the lottery to climb half dome. Our odds were around 7% every day, so we had 5 chances in total. The email was there! My excitement quickly dwindled when I saw the word, “unfortunately”. Drew checked his email for the first time and to my surprise, he had won! My legs started kicking uncontrollably, similar to a small toddler eating yummy cake. I couldn’t contain my excitement! We won the Half Dome lottery on our first try!!! (We did attempt the pre season lottery and did not win that). Now to finish packing and get to bed soon for our early flight to San Francisco. We left our house at 3am packed with the necessities, boots, hiking poles, hiking snacks, books, and our special leather gripper gloves to climb the cables of Half Dome. We drove to Matthew’s house to pick him up and then off to MCI. We had a short layover in Denver and then arrived in San Francisco by 10am. We picked up our Jeep Wranger rental and headed to Fishman’s Wharf for a fresh seafood lunch. It did not disappoint. We walked around the shops for a bit and saw hundreds of sea lions living their best life. Knowing we could check in to our cabin at 4pm, we started our 4 hour drive to Yosemite at noon. We stopped by the grocery store about an hour away from our stay and stocked up on eggs, sausage, steak, ice cream, and dinner ingredients for Chef Matthew Lee to create for us. By the time we made it to our cabin, we were ready to eat and go to bed to prepare for our 18 mile adventure the next day. Because we won the lottery to climb Half Dome on day 1 of our adventure, we did not have a chance to warm up or acclimate to the location. It was our 1 chance to hike it and I was determined. We started the hike around 7am. I was in the middle of reading the book, Shattered Air, which is about a catastrophe with 2 deaths due to a lighting storm on Half Dome. This made me extra cautious to look for any signs of impending weather. Fortunately, the skies were clear and rain was not in the forecast. Even though the high was 90 degrees, I brought my mittens, just in case. The hike was a lot of stairs and elevation gain. We passed some breathtaking scenes like Vernal Falls. I didn’t want to stop for too long because the average hiker will take 12 hours to summit Half Dome and come back down. I took stops to catch my breath, dry scoop pre workout, and do a few sun salutations on the ginormous rocks. Around noon we had finally made it to a park ranger set up with a table that was checking our permits to ensure we could proceed to the cables. The mile before the cables was very steep and there really wasn’t a trail so we were basically scrambling around the boulders creating our own path. Along the path to sub dome (the area right before the cables) we met a nice man with a Minnesota accent and a cross necklace. We exchanged a few words and pep talks and he went ahead of us. (More to come about this mystery man). We had finally made it to sub dome! We only had the cables left, which was physically and mentally the hardest part of the climb. I asked Drew if I could go first with the rationalization that if Drew slipped and fell on me we would both go sliding down the mountain, but if I slipped and fell on Drew, maybe he could catch me and save us both. Before getting on the cables, we secured everything tightly to our packs and put on our climbing gloves. “Onward and upward!” The cables were unlike anything else I have ever experienced. Right arm reach and grab, left arm follow, then right leg push, and then left. Do this around 200 times and I am at the top I thought. There were points that the slope leveled to closer to a 45 degree angle where I could rest and repeat the mantra, “Get comfortable with the uncomfortable”, or “I can do hard things”. There were some points of the cables were if I let go, slipped, or missed the cable, I would go sliding down the mountain, similar to the time that Luna fell down our staircase as a puppy. Except in this case, I would not pop back up, wag my tail, and run back up. In this case, it would be fatal. That thought kept me completely in a blissful flow state. Nothing mattered in life except climbing the cables. It was cathartic, exhilarating, and enlightening. Despite this stage of extreme physical and mental stress my body was going through, I remained in a state of euphoric equanimity. The only thing that matters right now is my body and breath. After around 25 minutes on the cables, I was at the top. Once I was able to take my gloves off and put my pack down I started running to the top. In retrospect, I probably should have cautiously approached the summit, but my adrenaline was through the roof! I saw my new Minnesota friend and he exclaimed, “You made it! Where’s your hubby at?” At this point I ran back to the end of the cables and saw Drew sitting at the point that I had taken off running. “Drew, you’re on the summit, it’s 100 feet more and you’re here!” I yelled while jumping up and down in excitement. Drew gave me a wave and didn’t move. Still on my adrenaline high, a little oblivious of what was going on, I continued to celebrate with the other people on top of Half Dome. There’s something unfathomable and for lack of a better term, magical, about climbing a feat not many people can. The camaraderie on top of the mountain could be felt down to your soul. Gratitude for my healthy body, appreciation for my strong mind, and blue raspberry pre workout pulsed through my blood stream. Acknowledgement and the utmost tribute and thanks to Mother Nature for letting us climb her glorious mountain today. Drew joined me on top and we took our victory photos, did some celebratory handstands, and savored the present moment. The best part about accomplishing this adventure, was doing it with my best friend, and the love of my life. Although, I did beat Drew up, I could not have accomplished it without him! I am so fortunate to be married to this affectionate, adventurous, and attentive man. (He is lucky to be married to my impeccable ability of alliteration). After around 20 minutes of celebrating and recovering for the uphill climb, we were ready to descend. In the words of Ed Viesturs, “Getting to the top is optional. Getting down is mandatory”. There are several ways to descend down the cables; go forward, go backwards, or shuffle down. I chose the backwards way and had Drew notify me if I was going to run into any climbers coming up. Drew was very helpful, there were many times I was about to run into someone and he saved me from this. The thought of going down forward scared me, I much preferred to not have to look down. Thanks Drew! Once at sub dome, I packed away my gloves, found my hiking poles and started the long trek down. A familiar Minnesota accent greeted me along the trail. He introduced himself as Zachariah and we chatted about all of our previous adventures, future climbs, and our love for show tunes, especially Broadway’s Mean Girls soundtrack. Zachariah was chatting about how he had been camping out of his car for a few days and I offered him to stay at our cabin, because we had 4 extra beds in our attic loft. He gratefully accepted my invitation and our trio of 3 because a quartet! The hike down was long. I ran out of water and luckily found 2 nice men to let me borrow their life straw to refill my bladder. Drew was ahead of me at this point so I texted him to tell him that I had the miraculous molecule of two hydrogen atoms and 1 oxygen atom!!! Drew waiter for me to meet him with my gold. We made it down the mountain and to the Jeep a little dehydrated, sore, hungry, but with new memories of triumph, defeat, and weird intra muscular twitches. Once home, we all quickly showered and made our way to Jackolopes restaurant where Zachariah was waiting at a booth for us. Cambria, our server, brought us our victory meal of burgers, nachos, and tasty drinks. Cheers to accomplishing this amazing feat of nature. Once home I got out my travel journal, had a very tiny sweet snack, and started musing with my philosophic thoughts. There is something intangible that brings my body and spirit to the top of mountains.
I am fascinated with the contemplation of the difference between what I view as worth and what is deemed valuable in the eyes of society. Pondering the arbitrary values that society places on material things versus real value that can only be found in nature and deep in your consciousness. What is true value? Why is our culture so quick to incur as many material objects and flaunt them to the world to see? Why do we enjoy viewing others highlight reels only to make us feel less worthy? Ruminating thoughts of institutionalized religion, over capitalist monopolies, extrinsic motivation, egocentric personalities, and people mindlessly following the status quo of society without much thought to how they spend the most valuable currency: time. Why is one judged for spending over a thousand dollars on a hypoallergenic dog that will love them unconditionally for years, but then one glorified for spending over a thousand dollars on a MacBook? Why is it taboo to spend hours participating in meditating and self study, but one glorified for participating in a Netflix binge? My skepticism toward American consumer culture remains present despite being the CEO of an e-commerce business. From the outside, it may seem like I am being a hypocrite while pondering thoughts of materialistic value versus intrinsic spiritual value. However, there is something deep and meaningful to the products my company creates. The products we sell are those made by a team of extremely hardworking and talented women. We create an experience for the customer. Something money can’t possibly buy. Ask anyone who has stepped on a bodybuilding stage: the feeling of accomplishment of proving to yourself that you have the confidence, strength, discipline, and faith in yourself is incomprehensible. My evening of philosophical thoughts ends with a thought provoking and life altering question: What do I truly value in life?
Day 2:
We did not make any plans on Tuesday. Today was our day of rest, recovery, and relaxation. (Again with the alliterations!) We started with a short 4 mile hike to see some of the giant sequoia trees that Yosemite is famous for. We ended the day early and made it home in time for Chef ML to prepare our dinner. Matthew made shrimp fajitas with grilled peppers and onions. It was delicious! After dinner, we created a game with the very catchy title, “The 1 minute game”. The four of us would take turns putting a song in the Spotify queue. The other 3 would cast a vote after 1 minute to decide to keep listening to the song or to skip to the next song. Some winning songs included: Pennies From Heaven, Wellerman, Iron Lion Zion, Turn it off, and to my pleasure: Cabaret! (Only due to convincing Matthew it was about Chelsea, which was true, except I meant the burrow, not the rambunctious toddler we all love dearly). Some of the skipped songs were: American Wedding, Past the Point of no return, and Texas country music our guest liked. (Sorry Zachy!) After a few hours of this, we took the game inside and started an intense game. Think Heads Up! meets Charades. This quickly turned into a performance of the famous duet, Apex Predator. I sang Janis and Zachariah sang Kadie. The audience, Drew and Matthew, were very impressed. At this point, it was past midnight and I was ready for bed. One thing I know for sure: I value deep human connections. Whether it be a stranger I just met on a mountain, my brother I’ve know my whole life, or Drew; my favorite person in the whole world. I value you.
Day 3:
We awoke to the sound of sizzling bacon and a tidyed up kitchen from our new Minnesotian friend. He made us a meal of local bread topped with almond butter, eggs, bacon, and peppers. It was interesting and delicious! As Drew said, “All good things must come to an end”, and we said good bye to our new friend. We will never forget the way he said, “Let’s GOOOO!” Or as we heard, “SKOLLLLL”. We were back to our original trio. 🎵We're the Three Best Friends That Anyone Could Have And We'll Never ever ever ever
Leave Each other. 🎶 Matthew had the idea to rent bikes in Yosemite Valley so we headed north. Biking around the valley was spectacular! It was a great rest for our tired calves and feet and we got to see all of the valley quickly! Lauren had told me that the valley reminded her from The Land Before Time, and I agreed. The huge waterfalls, vivid greenery, and massive rocks, was truly like a scene from the dinosaur ages. We had the famous YouTube videographer, @adventureproject (aka, Matthew) create a video of our biking adventure. He captured the amazing moments of frolicking in the meadow, singing Pocahontas music, and blissfully cycling around. After 4 hours on bikes, we were ready to go back to our cabin. Chef Matthew Lee was ready to prepare us a feast of filet mignon with a red wine reduction, roasted carrots with a demi glaze, and petite sweet potato strings. Just like the Salt Bae, he prepared our steak perfect! It was exactly like we were in NYC with a handsome Turkish man creating amazing food in front of us. Matthew and Nusret both share a passion for meat. Thanks Chef ML! To my disappointment, no one wanted to play the music game again, BUT Drew and Matthew agreed to tell ghost stories. It was an evening of memories, bonding, and a hidden hot dog. Another thing I value in life: laughter, playfulness, and bringing out my inner child. Off to bed.
Day 4:
After our restful bike ride on Wednesday, we were ready for another challenge: Taft Point and Sentinal Dome. Drew and Matthew made eggs, sausage, and biscuits. I really had the best life on this trip - I didn’t partake in any cooking, driving, or navigating. I did offer my talents of: comic relief, vocal entertainment, smart phone police, and laughs! We first did Taft point. The hike wasn’t nearly as hard as Monday, but still brought a little challenge. I felt a little nauseous after seeing some people get way to close to the edge. I love a good thrill, but I don’t confuse scary activities that aren’t really that dangerous and inherently dangerous actives. Knowing that people have fallen off of Taft Point due to the unpredictability of nature is something that I do not want to test. In the words of Rene Dubos, “Human destiny is bound to remain a gamble, because at some unpredictable time and in some unforeseeable manner nature will strike back.” I took some deep diaphragmatic breaths to calm my nervous system down and then took some photos at this monumental point. We then started our trek to Sentinal Dome. The trail was magnificent! Every turn provided a new angle to view the beautiful national park. There is something miraculous, thrilling and paradoxically demoralizing about being in the mountains that forces you to contemplate The Uncomfortable Truth in life. “One day, you and everyone you love will die. And beyond a small group of people for an extremely brief period of time, little of what you say or do will ever matter. This is the Uncomfortable Truth of life. And everything you think or do is but an elaborate avoidance of it. We are inconsequential cosmic dust, bumping and milling about on a tiny blue speck. We imagine our own importance. We invent our purpose—we are nothing.” On one hand, this is very refreshing knowing that nothing really matters: live life to the fullest, be unapologetically you!, don’t sweat the small stuff, be kind to others, and leave the world a better place. But on the other hand, nothing really matters? I am just an itty bitty piece of cosmic dust? None of us really know what “matters” but I suspect most of us can agree that the universe doesn’t care about the mind blowing spreadsheet you made or your deep speculations on whether there is a plump man that gives free toys to every single child on December 25th. (There isn’t). Regardless, being a tiny speck of cells on top of the result of tectonic plates grinding against each other for 25 million years cultivates introspective thoughts to the meaning of life. And to the bigger quandaries of my existence: what do I truly value in life if I deem time as the ultimate currently? Why do I lose sleep over “Instagram Trolls”, place undeserved value and worth on my body image, and have obtrusive thoughts over made up scenarios in my head? 400 years from now, everything we think, do, speak, or value will be “wrong” in the minds of our future off springs. Or the earth won’t survive another 400 years so why do I waste this precious one life worrying about the mundane, materialistic, and shallow thoughts that can consume the ultimate currency: time. Anyways... we were almost to Sentinal Dome and Drew was about 20 feet ahead of me. I surreptitiously began to increase my pace to a slight run. To my dismay, Drew noticed this and took off running to the summit. Yes, he beat me, but barely! As competitive as we are on the mountain, it’s all in good playfulness. Sentinal Dome was astonishing. We had a pristine view of Half Dome and reminisced on the struggles, triumphs, and muscle spasms from Monday. I was delighted to find a yoga mat rolled under a rock without an owner so I rolled it out to do a few handstands and sun salutations. Doing yoga on a mountain truly brings me into the present moment and makes me feel as though I have an iv drip pumping straight gratitude into my veins. I am so grateful and appreciative for Mother Nature, my breath, my body, and spirit. I am one with nature. We are all one. Although I cannot begin to understand the complexities of our universe I value the hope for the future. I value nature. I value living life to the fullest regardless if I’m only cosmic dust blowing in the wind. I value my beating heart.
Day 5:
We woke up late on our final full day in Yosemite. I spent the morning finishing the book, Shattered Air (5/5 stars!) and started my next read, I Know Why the Cage Bird Sings. After our swim, we drove to Bass Lake and had dinner at a restaurant on the water. We all consumed way to much food and left with overstuffed stomachs, happy hearts, and the knowledge that sometimes a $28 burger is 100% worth it. We took the night easy and reminisced on our favorite parts of the trip and started planning our next adventure. This ends my travel blog with the existential question: What do I value in life? For that I have an answer. My values: family, friends, dogs, deep conversations, nature, adventure, memories, gaining wisdom, gaining physical and mental strength, inspiring others, empowering others to feel confident, and overall to spread love, laughter, and a feeling of oneness to anyone I come in contact with. To the materialistic culture that artificially places value on things with no practical value and to the society that pushes us to maximize our perceived value on things and status know this: Value is not inherently monetary. If anything it is far from that. Value is what gives your life meaning. Value is what makes your highest self and deepest consciousness feel invigorated. Value is not a status, a car, a house, or a follower count. It can’t be owned, traveled to, or consumed. Value and the meaning of life is living every moment with love, laughter, and gratitude. In the end, the love you take, is equal to the love you make.
-Karah Jones, Journaling June 5th, 2021 during a 4 hour plane ride home.
Day 1:
This story starts on Saturday, May 29th at 5:52pm. I was riding passenger seat in Drew’s jeep as he drove us to dinner. I opened my email for the 10th time that hour, obsessively checking to see if we had won the lottery to climb half dome. Our odds were around 7% every day, so we had 5 chances in total. The email was there! My excitement quickly dwindled when I saw the word, “unfortunately”. Drew checked his email for the first time and to my surprise, he had won! My legs started kicking uncontrollably, similar to a small toddler eating yummy cake. I couldn’t contain my excitement! We won the Half Dome lottery on our first try!!! (We did attempt the pre season lottery and did not win that). Now to finish packing and get to bed soon for our early flight to San Francisco. We left our house at 3am packed with the necessities, boots, hiking poles, hiking snacks, books, and our special leather gripper gloves to climb the cables of Half Dome. We drove to Matthew’s house to pick him up and then off to MCI. We had a short layover in Denver and then arrived in San Francisco by 10am. We picked up our Jeep Wranger rental and headed to Fishman’s Wharf for a fresh seafood lunch. It did not disappoint. We walked around the shops for a bit and saw hundreds of sea lions living their best life. Knowing we could check in to our cabin at 4pm, we started our 4 hour drive to Yosemite at noon. We stopped by the grocery store about an hour away from our stay and stocked up on eggs, sausage, steak, ice cream, and dinner ingredients for Chef Matthew Lee to create for us. By the time we made it to our cabin, we were ready to eat and go to bed to prepare for our 18 mile adventure the next day. Because we won the lottery to climb Half Dome on day 1 of our adventure, we did not have a chance to warm up or acclimate to the location. It was our 1 chance to hike it and I was determined. We started the hike around 7am. I was in the middle of reading the book, Shattered Air, which is about a catastrophe with 2 deaths due to a lighting storm on Half Dome. This made me extra cautious to look for any signs of impending weather. Fortunately, the skies were clear and rain was not in the forecast. Even though the high was 90 degrees, I brought my mittens, just in case. The hike was a lot of stairs and elevation gain. We passed some breathtaking scenes like Vernal Falls. I didn’t want to stop for too long because the average hiker will take 12 hours to summit Half Dome and come back down. I took stops to catch my breath, dry scoop pre workout, and do a few sun salutations on the ginormous rocks. Around noon we had finally made it to a park ranger set up with a table that was checking our permits to ensure we could proceed to the cables. The mile before the cables was very steep and there really wasn’t a trail so we were basically scrambling around the boulders creating our own path. Along the path to sub dome (the area right before the cables) we met a nice man with a Minnesota accent and a cross necklace. We exchanged a few words and pep talks and he went ahead of us. (More to come about this mystery man). We had finally made it to sub dome! We only had the cables left, which was physically and mentally the hardest part of the climb. I asked Drew if I could go first with the rationalization that if Drew slipped and fell on me we would both go sliding down the mountain, but if I slipped and fell on Drew, maybe he could catch me and save us both. Before getting on the cables, we secured everything tightly to our packs and put on our climbing gloves. “Onward and upward!” The cables were unlike anything else I have ever experienced. Right arm reach and grab, left arm follow, then right leg push, and then left. Do this around 200 times and I am at the top I thought. There were points that the slope leveled to closer to a 45 degree angle where I could rest and repeat the mantra, “Get comfortable with the uncomfortable”, or “I can do hard things”. There were some points of the cables were if I let go, slipped, or missed the cable, I would go sliding down the mountain, similar to the time that Luna fell down our staircase as a puppy. Except in this case, I would not pop back up, wag my tail, and run back up. In this case, it would be fatal. That thought kept me completely in a blissful flow state. Nothing mattered in life except climbing the cables. It was cathartic, exhilarating, and enlightening. Despite this stage of extreme physical and mental stress my body was going through, I remained in a state of euphoric equanimity. The only thing that matters right now is my body and breath. After around 25 minutes on the cables, I was at the top. Once I was able to take my gloves off and put my pack down I started running to the top. In retrospect, I probably should have cautiously approached the summit, but my adrenaline was through the roof! I saw my new Minnesota friend and he exclaimed, “You made it! Where’s your hubby at?” At this point I ran back to the end of the cables and saw Drew sitting at the point that I had taken off running. “Drew, you’re on the summit, it’s 100 feet more and you’re here!” I yelled while jumping up and down in excitement. Drew gave me a wave and didn’t move. Still on my adrenaline high, a little oblivious of what was going on, I continued to celebrate with the other people on top of Half Dome. There’s something unfathomable and for lack of a better term, magical, about climbing a feat not many people can. The camaraderie on top of the mountain could be felt down to your soul. Gratitude for my healthy body, appreciation for my strong mind, and blue raspberry pre workout pulsed through my blood stream. Acknowledgement and the utmost tribute and thanks to Mother Nature for letting us climb her glorious mountain today. Drew joined me on top and we took our victory photos, did some celebratory handstands, and savored the present moment. The best part about accomplishing this adventure, was doing it with my best friend, and the love of my life. Although, I did beat Drew up, I could not have accomplished it without him! I am so fortunate to be married to this affectionate, adventurous, and attentive man. (He is lucky to be married to my impeccable ability of alliteration). After around 20 minutes of celebrating and recovering for the uphill climb, we were ready to descend. In the words of Ed Viesturs, “Getting to the top is optional. Getting down is mandatory”. There are several ways to descend down the cables; go forward, go backwards, or shuffle down. I chose the backwards way and had Drew notify me if I was going to run into any climbers coming up. Drew was very helpful, there were many times I was about to run into someone and he saved me from this. The thought of going down forward scared me, I much preferred to not have to look down. Thanks Drew! Once at sub dome, I packed away my gloves, found my hiking poles and started the long trek down. A familiar Minnesota accent greeted me along the trail. He introduced himself as Zachariah and we chatted about all of our previous adventures, future climbs, and our love for show tunes, especially Broadway’s Mean Girls soundtrack. Zachariah was chatting about how he had been camping out of his car for a few days and I offered him to stay at our cabin, because we had 4 extra beds in our attic loft. He gratefully accepted my invitation and our trio of 3 because a quartet! The hike down was long. I ran out of water and luckily found 2 nice men to let me borrow their life straw to refill my bladder. Drew was ahead of me at this point so I texted him to tell him that I had the miraculous molecule of two hydrogen atoms and 1 oxygen atom!!! Drew waiter for me to meet him with my gold. We made it down the mountain and to the Jeep a little dehydrated, sore, hungry, but with new memories of triumph, defeat, and weird intra muscular twitches. Once home, we all quickly showered and made our way to Jackolopes restaurant where Zachariah was waiting at a booth for us. Cambria, our server, brought us our victory meal of burgers, nachos, and tasty drinks. Cheers to accomplishing this amazing feat of nature. Once home I got out my travel journal, had a very tiny sweet snack, and started musing with my philosophic thoughts. There is something intangible that brings my body and spirit to the top of mountains.
I am fascinated with the contemplation of the difference between what I view as worth and what is deemed valuable in the eyes of society. Pondering the arbitrary values that society places on material things versus real value that can only be found in nature and deep in your consciousness. What is true value? Why is our culture so quick to incur as many material objects and flaunt them to the world to see? Why do we enjoy viewing others highlight reels only to make us feel less worthy? Ruminating thoughts of institutionalized religion, over capitalist monopolies, extrinsic motivation, egocentric personalities, and people mindlessly following the status quo of society without much thought to how they spend the most valuable currency: time. Why is one judged for spending over a thousand dollars on a hypoallergenic dog that will love them unconditionally for years, but then one glorified for spending over a thousand dollars on a MacBook? Why is it taboo to spend hours participating in meditating and self study, but one glorified for participating in a Netflix binge? My skepticism toward American consumer culture remains present despite being the CEO of an e-commerce business. From the outside, it may seem like I am being a hypocrite while pondering thoughts of materialistic value versus intrinsic spiritual value. However, there is something deep and meaningful to the products my company creates. The products we sell are those made by a team of extremely hardworking and talented women. We create an experience for the customer. Something money can’t possibly buy. Ask anyone who has stepped on a bodybuilding stage: the feeling of accomplishment of proving to yourself that you have the confidence, strength, discipline, and faith in yourself is incomprehensible. My evening of philosophical thoughts ends with a thought provoking and life altering question: What do I truly value in life?
Day 2:
We did not make any plans on Tuesday. Today was our day of rest, recovery, and relaxation. (Again with the alliterations!) We started with a short 4 mile hike to see some of the giant sequoia trees that Yosemite is famous for. We ended the day early and made it home in time for Chef ML to prepare our dinner. Matthew made shrimp fajitas with grilled peppers and onions. It was delicious! After dinner, we created a game with the very catchy title, “The 1 minute game”. The four of us would take turns putting a song in the Spotify queue. The other 3 would cast a vote after 1 minute to decide to keep listening to the song or to skip to the next song. Some winning songs included: Pennies From Heaven, Wellerman, Iron Lion Zion, Turn it off, and to my pleasure: Cabaret! (Only due to convincing Matthew it was about Chelsea, which was true, except I meant the burrow, not the rambunctious toddler we all love dearly). Some of the skipped songs were: American Wedding, Past the Point of no return, and Texas country music our guest liked. (Sorry Zachy!) After a few hours of this, we took the game inside and started an intense game. Think Heads Up! meets Charades. This quickly turned into a performance of the famous duet, Apex Predator. I sang Janis and Zachariah sang Kadie. The audience, Drew and Matthew, were very impressed. At this point, it was past midnight and I was ready for bed. One thing I know for sure: I value deep human connections. Whether it be a stranger I just met on a mountain, my brother I’ve know my whole life, or Drew; my favorite person in the whole world. I value you.
Day 3:
We awoke to the sound of sizzling bacon and a tidyed up kitchen from our new Minnesotian friend. He made us a meal of local bread topped with almond butter, eggs, bacon, and peppers. It was interesting and delicious! As Drew said, “All good things must come to an end”, and we said good bye to our new friend. We will never forget the way he said, “Let’s GOOOO!” Or as we heard, “SKOLLLLL”. We were back to our original trio. 🎵We're the Three Best Friends That Anyone Could Have And We'll Never ever ever ever
Leave Each other. 🎶 Matthew had the idea to rent bikes in Yosemite Valley so we headed north. Biking around the valley was spectacular! It was a great rest for our tired calves and feet and we got to see all of the valley quickly! Lauren had told me that the valley reminded her from The Land Before Time, and I agreed. The huge waterfalls, vivid greenery, and massive rocks, was truly like a scene from the dinosaur ages. We had the famous YouTube videographer, @adventureproject (aka, Matthew) create a video of our biking adventure. He captured the amazing moments of frolicking in the meadow, singing Pocahontas music, and blissfully cycling around. After 4 hours on bikes, we were ready to go back to our cabin. Chef Matthew Lee was ready to prepare us a feast of filet mignon with a red wine reduction, roasted carrots with a demi glaze, and petite sweet potato strings. Just like the Salt Bae, he prepared our steak perfect! It was exactly like we were in NYC with a handsome Turkish man creating amazing food in front of us. Matthew and Nusret both share a passion for meat. Thanks Chef ML! To my disappointment, no one wanted to play the music game again, BUT Drew and Matthew agreed to tell ghost stories. It was an evening of memories, bonding, and a hidden hot dog. Another thing I value in life: laughter, playfulness, and bringing out my inner child. Off to bed.
Day 4:
After our restful bike ride on Wednesday, we were ready for another challenge: Taft Point and Sentinal Dome. Drew and Matthew made eggs, sausage, and biscuits. I really had the best life on this trip - I didn’t partake in any cooking, driving, or navigating. I did offer my talents of: comic relief, vocal entertainment, smart phone police, and laughs! We first did Taft point. The hike wasn’t nearly as hard as Monday, but still brought a little challenge. I felt a little nauseous after seeing some people get way to close to the edge. I love a good thrill, but I don’t confuse scary activities that aren’t really that dangerous and inherently dangerous actives. Knowing that people have fallen off of Taft Point due to the unpredictability of nature is something that I do not want to test. In the words of Rene Dubos, “Human destiny is bound to remain a gamble, because at some unpredictable time and in some unforeseeable manner nature will strike back.” I took some deep diaphragmatic breaths to calm my nervous system down and then took some photos at this monumental point. We then started our trek to Sentinal Dome. The trail was magnificent! Every turn provided a new angle to view the beautiful national park. There is something miraculous, thrilling and paradoxically demoralizing about being in the mountains that forces you to contemplate The Uncomfortable Truth in life. “One day, you and everyone you love will die. And beyond a small group of people for an extremely brief period of time, little of what you say or do will ever matter. This is the Uncomfortable Truth of life. And everything you think or do is but an elaborate avoidance of it. We are inconsequential cosmic dust, bumping and milling about on a tiny blue speck. We imagine our own importance. We invent our purpose—we are nothing.” On one hand, this is very refreshing knowing that nothing really matters: live life to the fullest, be unapologetically you!, don’t sweat the small stuff, be kind to others, and leave the world a better place. But on the other hand, nothing really matters? I am just an itty bitty piece of cosmic dust? None of us really know what “matters” but I suspect most of us can agree that the universe doesn’t care about the mind blowing spreadsheet you made or your deep speculations on whether there is a plump man that gives free toys to every single child on December 25th. (There isn’t). Regardless, being a tiny speck of cells on top of the result of tectonic plates grinding against each other for 25 million years cultivates introspective thoughts to the meaning of life. And to the bigger quandaries of my existence: what do I truly value in life if I deem time as the ultimate currently? Why do I lose sleep over “Instagram Trolls”, place undeserved value and worth on my body image, and have obtrusive thoughts over made up scenarios in my head? 400 years from now, everything we think, do, speak, or value will be “wrong” in the minds of our future off springs. Or the earth won’t survive another 400 years so why do I waste this precious one life worrying about the mundane, materialistic, and shallow thoughts that can consume the ultimate currency: time. Anyways... we were almost to Sentinal Dome and Drew was about 20 feet ahead of me. I surreptitiously began to increase my pace to a slight run. To my dismay, Drew noticed this and took off running to the summit. Yes, he beat me, but barely! As competitive as we are on the mountain, it’s all in good playfulness. Sentinal Dome was astonishing. We had a pristine view of Half Dome and reminisced on the struggles, triumphs, and muscle spasms from Monday. I was delighted to find a yoga mat rolled under a rock without an owner so I rolled it out to do a few handstands and sun salutations. Doing yoga on a mountain truly brings me into the present moment and makes me feel as though I have an iv drip pumping straight gratitude into my veins. I am so grateful and appreciative for Mother Nature, my breath, my body, and spirit. I am one with nature. We are all one. Although I cannot begin to understand the complexities of our universe I value the hope for the future. I value nature. I value living life to the fullest regardless if I’m only cosmic dust blowing in the wind. I value my beating heart.
Day 5:
We woke up late on our final full day in Yosemite. I spent the morning finishing the book, Shattered Air (5/5 stars!) and started my next read, I Know Why the Cage Bird Sings. After our swim, we drove to Bass Lake and had dinner at a restaurant on the water. We all consumed way to much food and left with overstuffed stomachs, happy hearts, and the knowledge that sometimes a $28 burger is 100% worth it. We took the night easy and reminisced on our favorite parts of the trip and started planning our next adventure. This ends my travel blog with the existential question: What do I value in life? For that I have an answer. My values: family, friends, dogs, deep conversations, nature, adventure, memories, gaining wisdom, gaining physical and mental strength, inspiring others, empowering others to feel confident, and overall to spread love, laughter, and a feeling of oneness to anyone I come in contact with. To the materialistic culture that artificially places value on things with no practical value and to the society that pushes us to maximize our perceived value on things and status know this: Value is not inherently monetary. If anything it is far from that. Value is what gives your life meaning. Value is what makes your highest self and deepest consciousness feel invigorated. Value is not a status, a car, a house, or a follower count. It can’t be owned, traveled to, or consumed. Value and the meaning of life is living every moment with love, laughter, and gratitude. In the end, the love you take, is equal to the love you make.
September 30, 2019
In July 1985, five hikers ascend Half Dome in Yosemite National Park even as conditions showed a violent thunderstorm about to strike. Lightning strikes their party, killing two and injuring the other three, two of them severely. Shattered Air recounts how they got there, the personalities that led them to to the top, the selfless treatment rendered by others, and the harrowing helicopter rescue that saved the lives of the two most severely injured. The story is very well-told; the first half is perhaps a bit slow--but still interesting--as Bob Madgic describes the two main group leaders, many interesting asides about the power of nature and storms, and the history of Yosemite. Once the catastrophe occurs, the story is riveting as the foolhardy are saved by the skilled, disciplined, and courageous.
What I appreciated most about Madgic's writing is that he doesn't provide a judgment of the decision to ascend. It's really not necessary; the lack of wisdom in that is readily apparent to all but the densest of readers. The events unfold almost like a classical tragedy where the flaws of the protagonists inevitably lead to their downfall.
As a hiker with Half Dome on my bucket list, I found a lot to take from this book on both a practical and leadership level. The mechanics of lightning--how it forms, how it strikes, and safety measures--educate me on the realities of awareness and prevention. The look at multiple groups of hikers and climbers, and their decisions when faced with the impending storm, provides guidance on how to make difficult calls in natural settings. Ultimately, the appeal of Half Dome is the rawness of the experience. Little separates man from nature in that setting. It's useful to recognize that the rawness is easily capable of exceeding man's ability to face challenges.
What I appreciated most about Madgic's writing is that he doesn't provide a judgment of the decision to ascend. It's really not necessary; the lack of wisdom in that is readily apparent to all but the densest of readers. The events unfold almost like a classical tragedy where the flaws of the protagonists inevitably lead to their downfall.
As a hiker with Half Dome on my bucket list, I found a lot to take from this book on both a practical and leadership level. The mechanics of lightning--how it forms, how it strikes, and safety measures--educate me on the realities of awareness and prevention. The look at multiple groups of hikers and climbers, and their decisions when faced with the impending storm, provides guidance on how to make difficult calls in natural settings. Ultimately, the appeal of Half Dome is the rawness of the experience. Little separates man from nature in that setting. It's useful to recognize that the rawness is easily capable of exceeding man's ability to face challenges.
December 31, 2014
The first 100+ pages are boringgggggg
you can skip without missing much, or read later if you wish.
The author has a scattered style of writing,
he starts to tell you something about the "accident",
then wanders off to tell something about 19th century history,
1930's history, 1940's, 1950's...............
Info about 2nd rate pop & rock groups of the 80's,
Reagan, Gorby, etc etc etc......
Then gives a few pages about the extant story.
Very poorly organized.
He tells a story about 2 guys climbing the face that day,
they only interacted with the main characters for about 5 seconds as they were running down the trail.
What was the point?
And he puts photos of them in the book,
while the main character, tom rice, doesn't have a photo
and the photo of the 4 main helpers
cuts the right persons face half off.
This isn't the first time people have ducked into a "cave"
thinking it was a safe spot during lighting.
Similar accident on Bugaboo spire some years ago.
In the cave you're like sitting between the electrodes of
a spark plug.
And when the lightning hits, a million volts sparks
across the gap, zapping anything in between.
Too bad it wasn't better written,
it's an interesting story in many ways.
Insecurity & hubris with the main characters,
kindness and a willingness to risk loss
of their life from the helpers.
Generally in life, one shouldn't count on
the kindness of strangers,
but the reckless ones sure lucked out here.
page 258
After months of recovery, one of the victims has had
much time to reflect, and makes a very good point
that has general application:
"When should one trust a "leader" and when should one not?
I'm sure there are times when one must absolutely follow
a leader in dangerous situations, when he possesses the
EXPERT knowledge and skill.
But this was not one of those times.
There was counterinformation (sic) from real authorities
staring us in the face,
and still we chose to go up."
Makes me think of Tennyson's poem
The Charge of the Light Brigade
into the valley of death, ...
Then they rode back, but not, Not the six hundred
you can skip without missing much, or read later if you wish.
The author has a scattered style of writing,
he starts to tell you something about the "accident",
then wanders off to tell something about 19th century history,
1930's history, 1940's, 1950's...............
Info about 2nd rate pop & rock groups of the 80's,
Reagan, Gorby, etc etc etc......
Then gives a few pages about the extant story.
Very poorly organized.
He tells a story about 2 guys climbing the face that day,
they only interacted with the main characters for about 5 seconds as they were running down the trail.
What was the point?
And he puts photos of them in the book,
while the main character, tom rice, doesn't have a photo
and the photo of the 4 main helpers
cuts the right persons face half off.
This isn't the first time people have ducked into a "cave"
thinking it was a safe spot during lighting.
Similar accident on Bugaboo spire some years ago.
In the cave you're like sitting between the electrodes of
a spark plug.
And when the lightning hits, a million volts sparks
across the gap, zapping anything in between.
Too bad it wasn't better written,
it's an interesting story in many ways.
Insecurity & hubris with the main characters,
kindness and a willingness to risk loss
of their life from the helpers.
Generally in life, one shouldn't count on
the kindness of strangers,
but the reckless ones sure lucked out here.
page 258
After months of recovery, one of the victims has had
much time to reflect, and makes a very good point
that has general application:
"When should one trust a "leader" and when should one not?
I'm sure there are times when one must absolutely follow
a leader in dangerous situations, when he possesses the
EXPERT knowledge and skill.
But this was not one of those times.
There was counterinformation (sic) from real authorities
staring us in the face,
and still we chose to go up."
Makes me think of Tennyson's poem
The Charge of the Light Brigade
into the valley of death, ...
Then they rode back, but not, Not the six hundred
May 11, 2019
This is a 3.5 book for me. My father recommended this book to me and lent me his copy as he went to college with the author and I've been reading books about difficult times on mountains. This is one of the stronger books I've read in this genre of adventure disaster because the author wasn't judgemental about anyone involved and gained the trust of everyone he spoke to. The book leads up to and then chronicles when lightning struck Half Dome in Yosemite and killed and gravely injured a group of hikers who were up there. One aspect that I found powerful and touching in this book was how honest the various hikers were about what Yosemite and Half Dome especially means to them and then how the accident changed their approach to life.
May 1, 2018
An amazingly detailed and complicated account of a lightening strike on Half Dome. I can't put into words better than the blurb at the library website:
"The compelling account of recklessness, tragedy, courage and rescue, a book whose sobering depiction of Nature's danger is tempered by unforgettable portraits of the triumphant human spirit."
There are a lot of players here, and it can be difficult to keep track of them. Still, the effort is worthwhile. Incredible and sobering. Wow.
"The compelling account of recklessness, tragedy, courage and rescue, a book whose sobering depiction of Nature's danger is tempered by unforgettable portraits of the triumphant human spirit."
There are a lot of players here, and it can be difficult to keep track of them. Still, the effort is worthwhile. Incredible and sobering. Wow.
August 18, 2017
Exactly what you would expect. A short story that gives some background about Yosemite and Half Dome and then heads into the tragedy that happened to hikers caught in bad weather in 1985. The chapters about the hikers and rangers that assisted in the rescue was the best part. The book was written in 2005, so the reader also gets a decent summary of "where are they now". If you are a fan of Into Thin Air or other outdoor adventure non-fiction stories then I recommend this book.
November 10, 2017
3.5 the beginning did not enthrall me, it seemed like filler but the last 1/3 held my attention and I was googling up images like crazy, a good sign that I was heavily invested. Glad I read it despite the starts and stops early on. Thrilled with all the images I found from Yosemite, to the sequoias and even Zion, made the book practically vibrate in my hands, especially since I have vertigo, I was truly on the edge.
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