Half dome

The Half Dome is a granitic Dôme located at the end is Vallée of Yosemite, undoubtedly the most famous element of the valley. The top is at more than 1440 meters at the top of the level of the valley.

Until in the Years 1870, people considered that Half Dome could not be climbed. Nowadays, it is possible to climb there by several different ways. Thousands of hikers reach the top each year by the way which leaves the bottom of the valley. This path makes 13,5 kilometers (8,5 miles). The last 200 meters are to be avoided for the people prone to the giddiness, because they are to be climbed with same the rock (very smooth) while making use of wire ropes fastened firmly with the rock by posts. These cables were posed in 1919. And to cross in this part is very difficult: those which go up (or go down, it is necessary to be courteous) must stop and be well held. It is truly an alarming part of the rise, because one with the feeling to be a little with the top of the vacuum. A photograph with the " part; tourisme" show this device although it really does not make it possible to give an account of the stiffness of the slope which is tilted with 30°. The heap which one sees in bottom of this rise consists of gloves placed at the disposal of the walkers for the cable for which it is firmly necessary to cling.

In addition, there exists a dozen ways of Escalade which lead valley to the top through the north-western vertical face of Half Dome. Other roads climb the wall on the southern face and the western wall. The first open road was the road Regular Northwest Face ( normal road of the north-western face ), climbed for the first time in 1957 by Royal Robbins, Mike Sherrick and Jerry Gallwas. This rise lasted 5 days and was the first way of Classe VI with the the United States.

Half Dome is an excellent example of dome of exfoliation. It was probably never a complete and round dome. When Half Dome was formed, it had already fractures in the granite. Water will be inflitra in the fractures and froze, breaking the rock. Glacier S eroded the base of the dome. Finally, approximately 20% of the dome were carried by the Tenaya glacier, leaving behind him an almost vertical wall.

The Indian called Half Dome Tis-its-ack , which means Cleft Rock in their dialect.

External bonds

Half Dome on Summitpost.org

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