Lynn Aldrich teaches the principles and laws of physics at MU. Off campus, she puts them into practice. This past August, Aldrich defied gravity — she conquered the climb up Yosemite National Park’s 4,800-foot Half Dome.
According to the National Park Service website, the hike takes most climbers 10 to 12 hours to get to the top of the dome and back. Climbers are usually deterred if they don’t reach the top by a certain time and climb back down the mountain, but Aldrich and her family stayed overnight to complete the summit. She and her family hiked 20 miles in two days and backpacked the last eight miles. Aldrich climbed the granite dome with her sister, two of her nephews and her brother-in-law.
She explained that her father used to take the family on various hiking adventures in California. They climbed Mt. Whitney, which has the highest peak in the 48 states, not including Alaska. Her father, Clare, passed away three years ago; she said this strenuous climb was in honor of him. “After he had a stroke, it left him unable to use his hands. This made it difficult for him to use the cables while we were hiking,” Aldrich said.
At one point of the climb, she feared that she would not be strong enough. “The climb uses both hands and feet, however it is definitely more hands. My arms hurt for days after the hike,” said Aldrich.
She explained that she would train for this climb by heading over to Bulldozer Trail in Rickett’s Glenn Park in Benton, PA a few times a week. She used poles while hiking up the trail in order to build her upper body strength. She explained the trail was steep and uphill which made preparation easy.
Aldrich is proud of her accomplishment, but the rush of exercise-fueled endorphins didn’t last too long. “After we finished the hike, we all agreed that we would never do it again. Some people do it every year, others do it every six months; it would be something that I would need to be talked into,” she said. “At one point, someone dropped a water bottle down the side of the mountain; we all just watched it fall.”
Preparation for the climb might have been as challenging as the hike itself. “I would have trained better if I was ever to do it again,” Aldrich said. “I always planned on heading down to the gym on campus to work on my upper body strength, but I never made it there. The next time I will utilize the gym.”
She explained that the scenery was breathtaking and the overall trip was an amazing experience of which she said her father would be proud. “I climbed a mountain in Mexico. I would say that as of right now, those two things are of equal accomplishment in my life,” she said.
The Half Dome in Yosemite is one of the National Park’s most familiar sites. One of the dome’s most well known features are two metal cables that allow hikers to climb the final 400-foot ascent.
Professor Makes Challenging Climb
Published: Sunday, October 25, 2009
Updated: Monday, October 26, 2009 19:10
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