The scariest part of climbing the famous Half Dome cables is not the difficulty of the climb, the steepness of the slope, the dizzying exposure or the altitude.

FILE - This August 2011 file photo shows Half Dome and Yosemite Valley in a view from Glacier Point at Yosemite National Park, Calif. The national park announced changes to the reservation system ...

A raven flies in front of Yosemite National Park’s famous Half Dome on a spring day, April 23, 2021. A hiker stops to pose for a photo before making his way down the infamous cables section on ...

Whenever someone dies on Yosemite’s Half Dome while climbing or descending the infamous cables section, I am always surprised. Not surprised it happened. Surprised it doesn’t happen more ...

The Half Dome cables span the last 400 feet of an eight-mile hike from Yosemite Valley to the top of Half Dome. (Jack Dolan / Los Angeles Times) To the editor: I have climbed Half Dome 13 times ...

A young student slipped to her death while descending the cable system on Half Dome in Yosemite National Park. Screenshot from video on Yosemite's website A young student told her father her shoes ...

Whenever someone dies on Yosemite’s Half Dome while climbing or descending the infamous cables section, I am always surprised. Not surprised it happened. Surprised it doesn’t happen more ...

Whenever someone dies on Yosemite’s Half Dome while climbing or descending the infamous cables section, I am always surprised. Not surprised it happened. Surprised it doesn’t happen more ...

A young student slipped to her death while descending the cable system on Half Dome in Yosemite National Park. Screenshot from video on Yosemite's website A young student told her father her shoes ...

A raven flies in front of Yosemite National Park’s famous Half Dome on a spring day, April 23, 2021. A hiker stops to pose for a photo before making his way down the infamous cables section on ...

Whenever someone dies on Yosemite’s Half Dome while climbing or descending the infamous cables section, I am always surprised. Not surprised it happened. Surprised it doesn’t happen more ...