The State - News from May 31, 1988

Two Seattle climbers, who were stalled on the face of Half Dome peak in Yosemite National Park by a late season storm, climbed to safety with the help of rescuers and then walked more than eight miles to the Yosemite Valley floor, a park spokeswoman said. Charley Hampson, 33, and Bill Enger, 32, were 4,200 feet above the valley when they called for help, spokeswoman Mallory Smith said. The men, on a two-day climb of Half Dome’s northwest face, shouted to climbers near them to get help because the storm, which had dumped rain and snow, froze their ropes overnight. “It made it very difficult for them to climb,” Smith said. The National Park Service first lowered fresh ropes, sleeping bags, warm clothes and food, she said. A helicopter also lowered two rescue climbers who helped the two finish their ascent. The two men were in “fine condition” and were able to hike out, Smith said.