MARIPOSA COUNTY, Calif. – The climb to Half Dome in Yosemite National Park is on my adventurers’ bucket lists. On July 19, 93-year-old Everett Kalin completed the hike, inspiring people across the globe that it’s never too late to live your dream.
The retired professor from Oakland decided he wanted to complete the hike after skydiving for his latest birthday. With the blessing of his wife Clara, Kalin began training months ago by climbing the stairs in the 17-story retirement home where they live. That training benefited him on the 14- to 16-mile round trip hike.
“I guess I was pleasantly surprised that when I got up there, I did not feel like I was huffing and puffing so much. As we went up, it felt pretty good,” Everett explained to ABC News.
Kalin was accompanied by his son Jon and granddaughter Sidney. “It was spectacular for the three generations of us to be together enjoying it all at once,” Jon told ABC News.
The crew split their journey into three days, a common option for Half Dome hikers. The first day, they embarked from Curry Village, hiking up Mist trail until arriving at Little Yosemite Campground. The next day, they summited Half Dome while leaving much of their backpacking gear at the campsite. On the last day, they descend back to the valley floor.
While there is no way to know for sure since Yosemite doesn’t keep record of hiker ages, the family is hailing him as the oldest person to ever summit Half Dome.
For more information on the Half Dome hike, visit the park’s official Half Dome webpage.
