Future Of Half Dome Cables?
Yosemite, CA — How to regulate the Half Dome Cables, or whether to have them at all, is the focus of a new study carried out by Yosemite National Park.
The Environmental Assessment report analyzed five scenarios for the popular tourist activity.
A) Go back to the rules of pre-2009 and not require any type of permit.
B) Retain the permit system and allow 400 hikers per day.
C) Retain the permit system and allow 300 hikers per day.
D) Retain the permit system and allow 140 hikers per day.
E) Remove the cables from Half Dome.
Yosemite Spokesperson Kari Cobb says the park’s preferred alternative is C, to keep the permit system and allow only 300 hikers per day. The public comment period for the Half Dome Trail Stewardship Plan starts today and continues through March 15. The plan will be implemented for the 2013 hiking season. For 2012, the interim plan is to allow 400 permits per day.
The document is available for view online by clicking here. Yosemite officials say that all comments will be taken into account before making a final decision.
Half Dome’s popularity led to the creation of the permit system. During summer weekends it was common for around 1,200 people to want to climb Half Dome on a given day, which park officials say is a safety hazard.
