Fatal Fall From Half Dome

How thrilling is the feeling of doing something special even you know it's dangerous. Like a magnet, there is something what pulls you toward doing it anyway.
You want to impress the others or just fit in the group, it's your personal challenge, you only want to experience something extra ordinary or your friends say 'it's a must!'.
Sometimes also I'm captivated by the challenge and I still do stuff I'm not proud of.
Lucky me, I've calmed down quite a bit when I became a mother.


Last weekend, a hiker has fallen to his death while hiking Yosemite's Half Dome.
I didn't know this poor guy and I wasn't there when it happened, but according to his fellow hikers he didn't break any safety rule.
The sudden change of weather brought rain- and hailstorm and made the granite rock very slippery...

I will not criticize the hikers attempting to reach the top of Half Dome. I would also probably give it a try myself if I wouldn't be discouraged to join the crowd climbing up in lines like ants.

I'm really sorry and accidents can happen everywhere. No need to climb mountains for that.

Yet sometimes when I see people on a trail I wonder if they were critical enough about their physical condition. Did they consider that the weather can change, the time of the day or their gear?
How many times I've seen girls struggling on the rocky path in their fancy flip flops. Or what about, considering behavior of my four-year-old, parents who take children to cliff trails?!
People probably forget they are in a natural area and feel safe with all the crowds and rangers at every step.
But still, this is a real stuff!

Even I know how hard it is to realize there is a wilderness out there while standing in the Yosemite Village.

Too bad we have to be reminded again in this horrifying way, that also in a 'civilised' park you still need to obey and respect the nature's power.

Let us all dwell on this unfortunate tragedy!