Hiking Half Dome in Yosemite, CA

Posted by Marci on Dec 2, 2010 in | 2 comments

The wind blew, and I watched a half-empty water bottle bounce and roll down the gray rock-face of Half Dome, then fall off the sheer cliff. I gripped tighter to the steel cables as I repositioned my feet on the thin board nailed into the stone. If I slipped, would I end up rolling down the side and off the cliff?

I looked away from the sheer drop and focused on the task at hand. It was my turn to move. The people descending waited as I grabbed both cables and pulled my body towards the next inch-thick wooden board. My legs shook after six hours of hiking.

Earlier that morning, my friend and I had set out with a group of thirty people. We ascended the steep, paved trail to the base of the first waterfall. I’d never completed a long hike with a large elevation change so I didn’t think about pacing myself. I sped up the side of the waterfall leaving others behind.

Then I began hiking Nevada Falls. People, older than me by twenty or thirty years, began to pass, barely out of breath. My lungs burned and I pretended that I was stopping to take in the incredible beauty, but in truth I felt like my chest was going to explode. I was in great shape: I skated eight hours per week, danced, did yoga, and weight-lifted, yet I couldn’t keep up.

At the top of Nevada Falls the group stopped for a break. I stood at the river’s edge as the water poured down the mountain with a thundering sound. I was only half way to the top and my legs threatened to give out. As the group began to move, I worried I’d be left behind.

A seasoned hiker approached me, “Know the secret of hiking?”

“I don’t think so,” I said.

“Pace, pace, pace. You don’t race up the mountain with your heart pounding and then stop to rest. You listen to your breath and never go faster than a comfortable breathing pattern. It should be  meditative and rhythmic. You lead and set the pace.” This man was heavy-set and the least likely to be a strong hiker, yet he was on his third long hike in three days and he’d arrived first to the top of the waterfall.

I started moving at my regular speed, worried I’d hold people back. Immediately, I noticed the fast heart rate and breathing of a workout. I slowed, listened to my breath, and felt my heart rate move into an easy beat.

For three hours, we walked up the switchbacks without need for rest. I noticed the tall redwoods, the rocky scenery at the overlooks, and the tiny spider webs. I took in the scents and smells of the forest. We walked past other hikers, who sat panting with exhaustion.

As I pulled myself up the last length of cable and stood at the summit, the Yosemite Valley opened before me. The valley never ceases to inspire wonder and amazement. I walked to the edge and put my hands up in victory.

I learned a great lesson that day. In life, I’m always trying to fit in too much. I push until I drop. If I pace myself, listen to my inner rhythm, I wouldn’t have to stop as much and I would enjoy the journey along the way.