Hiker Dies After Falling from Yosemite’s Half Dome “Cable” Trail

The "cable" portion of the trail is iconic for hikers, as it is one of the most rare hiking experiences in the world. It can also be very dangerous

A hiker died after slipping and falling during the cable portion of the hike to the summit of Half Dome. The National Park Service said two hikers were on the cables on Monday during thunderstorm activity when a male hiker slipped and fell. His name has not been released pending notification of his family.



Every year, park officials install cables to 400 feet of steep rock to enable hikers to make it to the top of Half Dome’s 8,839-foot granite summit. The “cable” portion of the trail is iconic for hikers, as it is one of the most rare hiking experiences in the world. It can also be dangerous. The cable section of the hikeIt’s not clear if it was raining when the incident happened, but the trail was wet.

Here is what it looks like to ascend up the cable portion of the hike:

Yosemite’s iconic Half Dome trail is one of the most popular hikes in the world, with people needing a reservation just to make the hike. The reservations for 2018 are already full.



The park averages 12 to 15 deaths per year, with motor vehicle accidents and drowning the leading causes of those fatalities. This was the first death in Yosemite National Park in 2018.

If you are going to attempt the thrilling hike to the top of Half Dome, please use caution. It’s no joke:

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