A visitor to Yosemite National Park may find himself in hot water after sharing a video of himself dangling his legs over the edge of Half Dome. The man climbed up wielding a selfie stick and recorded himself unsteadily edging out onto a rock protruding from the top of the dome.
"No Half Dome summit is complete without dangling your feet. From [...] this vantage point you can see the 'Thank God Lesge [sic].'" the man wrote in Instagram, referring to a 12m sliver of granite below him that provides a moment of welcome respite for climbers and a view across the whole valley.
"Years ago I climbed the regular route and it took 2.5 days," he added. "It would be so rad to do the route again with my kids in the future. We are hopefully headed there this fall with some smaller multi-pitch climbs to tick."
The video (which you can watch below) was shared on Instagram account TouronsOfYellowstone, which highlights examples of foolish behavior at US National Parks.
Half Dome is one of the most popular hikes at Yosemite, but the final section in particular (which is climbed using cables that are attached in spring and removed in fall) can be tricky even for experienced adventurers.
"Since 1919, relatively few people have fallen and died on the cables," says the National Park Service (NPS). "However, injuries are not uncommon for those acting irresponsibly."
Visitors attempting the climb should make sure they are prepared with hiking boots that have been well broken in beforehand (see our guide how to break in hiking boots for practical tips), plus gloves to help you get a comfortable grip on the cables. It's also important to make sure you have plenty of water, as there's only one source of drinking water on the trail.
"The 14- to 16-mile round-trip hike to Half Dome is not for you if you're out of shape or unprepared," says the NPS. "You will be gaining elevation (for a total of 4,800 feet) most of your way to the top of Half Dome."
