Yosemite.....
Yosemite Outing Report
By Michael D, Troop 11 Historian
Hiking to the top of Half Dome is a lifetime achievement that Troop 11 took on this Columbus Day weekend. On Saturday, October 7, 2006, the scouts and leaders of the Piedmont Council’s Troop 11 drove to Yosemite, to hike to the top of Half Dome. They arrived at their campsite, Hogdon Meadows, just in time to cook dinner, and set up camp. On Sunday, the boys split up into two groups. One group, of more experienced scouts, woke up at four-thirty to hike Half Dome. Another group of newer scouts started their hike to North Dome at around nine.
The Half Dome hikers, left camp very early, took a half-hour drive to Curry Village. At six they began the hike from Curry Village, to Happy Isles, the trailhead for the Half Dome hike. They started hiking in the dark, and soon they were climbing the many, many steps of the Mist Trail, to the top of Vernal Falls, into the daylight. Then they hiked across Little Yosemite Valley. From there, more trails, and switchback steps lead up an exposed rock face. The final ascent to Half Dome is a set of cables that hikers hold onto as they climb up the steep rock face to the top of Half Dome.
“A couple scouts…paused, at the cables, but all the scouts made it up.” Said Troop 11 Senior Patrol Leader, Jacob A. From the top of Half Dome, the scouts enjoyed great weather, and amazing views of the magnificent landscape of Yosemite National Park.
The crest of Half Dome rises to
8,836 feet of
elevation, of which all thirteen scouts, that took the hike made it. After enjoying lunch on the top of the dome,
the scouts began to hike down. The hike
took a full day to climb, about ten hours round-trip, and while the
Half Dome
hike was going on, the younger scouts spent about two hours hiking
North Dome.
“[The North Dome Hike] was really fun because we got to have a great view of Half Dome,” said Troop 11 scout, Will T. “The best part was the end of the hike, and eating pizza with the Half Dome hikers in CurryVillage.” The Half Dome hike was around 18 miles, round-trip, and the North Dome hike was about 12 miles. Scoutmaster, Mr. Wietelmann, was proud of the success of the scouts, who had prepared with two practice hikes. Though Troop 11 has camped in Yosemite before, this was the first time they hiked Half Dome in a number of years, and it was a success. “It went really well,” said Jacob A., “I’d like to do it again.....in a couple of years.”
“[The North Dome Hike] was really fun because we got to have a great view of Half Dome,” said Troop 11 scout, Will T. “The best part was the end of the hike, and eating pizza with the Half Dome hikers in CurryVillage.” The Half Dome hike was around 18 miles, round-trip, and the North Dome hike was about 12 miles. Scoutmaster, Mr. Wietelmann, was proud of the success of the scouts, who had prepared with two practice hikes. Though Troop 11 has camped in Yosemite before, this was the first time they hiked Half Dome in a number of years, and it was a success. “It went really well,” said Jacob A., “I’d like to do it again.....in a couple of years.”
© 2006 Piedmont Troop 11
all rights reserved
The Boy Scouts of America - Piedmont Council
10 Highland Way, Piedmont TEST CA 94611