Trash Cleaned off Yosemite’s Half Dome
The Yosemite Facelift has been taking place for 20 years. The event has removed thousands of pounds of trash from Yosemite National Park
At the end of every summer, Yosemite rangers and over 1,500 volunteers join together to recover stuff dropped by hikers and climbers over the years. The event, known as the Yosemite Facelift, has been taking place for two decades.
Yosemite ranger Cameron King talked to the San Francisco Chronicle about their efforts on Half Dome this year. “There’s a big honey hole of lost stuff that slides off and all accumulates there — it’s like a big catch basin for trash,” he said about one spot where they found dozens of items.
They found water bottles, hats, credit cards, cameras, bear spray, medication and more. Jonah Durham, a seasonal climbing ranger, said, “You find the weirdest stuff.” Durham has even found engagement rings over the years. They even found a cellphone which they powered up and dialled out to a contact on the phone to return it to its owner.
Ken Yager, president of the Yosemite Climbing Association, said that hundreds of pounds of junk were cleaned as part of the 2023 Yosemite Facelift. The event will return at the end of summer 2024.
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