Half Dome 2011, Questions and Answers

Woodpile: So, Carrie, what made you guys decide to go for it?
Carrie: Well, mulling it over with Viv one day, she said "You know Dad's new philosophy..'don't put anything off'." I guess that's what did it. That and constant badgering by my husband.

W: Is Chris the best husband ever?
C: Yes, yes he is.

W: We've heard various numbers bandied about. Can you tell us exactly how high and how long this thing really is?
C: From the first signpost, roundtrip, the hike is 16.4 miles. Add the extra 3/4 miles to find the trailhead and 3/4 miles of lost wandering and it's a solid 18 miles. Also, 4,876 feet up.

W: Did you get lost?
C: Quite. At first we couldn't even find the trailhead, (of one of the most famous hikes in the world), and then later we had to backtrack about 3/4 of a mile.

W: Did you see any animals?
C: Yes, 1 dead mouse, 2 alive mice, 1 bat, 6-7 beetles, 2 deer.

W: What was the worst moment of the hike?
C: A tie- 1)When Chris dumped the chocolate covered almonds in the dirt 2)see 'getting lost,' above

W: Did you pick up the almonds, brush them off individually and eat them anyway?
C: Of course.

W: Chocolate covered almonds sure sound good- was that the best thing you ate?
C: No. I ate a lemon cookie from Beth that tasted like heaven.

W: And the best moment of the hike?
C: When we had reached subdome and knew we were going to make it (before we had seen the cables), we took a rest and stared up into the night sky, and Chris said "We're higher than some of the stars!"

W: Were you really?
C: Yes.

W: Did you get scared?
C: Yes. Thundering waterfalls in the daytime are awesome. Thundering waterfalls in the pitch dark when you can't see the edge of your trail and the rocks are slippery and the path is marked every 200ft with photos of dead hikers who were swept over the falls last week...terrifying.

W: Did anything else want to kill you on this hike?
C: Have you SEEN those cables?

W: Would you do it again?
C: Yesterday the answer was, absolutely not. Today I would say, probably not. Ask me tomorrow.

W: How much of your hike did you distract yourself by composing this blog in your head?
C: Oh,Woodpile, you know me so well.