California IN BRIEF : YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK : Paraplegic, Partner Slow Pace of Climb

A paraplegic park ranger and his climbing partner are finding their ascent of Yosemite’s Half Dome a little harder than they expected and will take an extra day to complete the climb. Ranger Mark Wellman and partner Mike Corbett, about halfway up the 2,200-foot monolith, plan to reach the top Thursday rather than Wednesday, said climb coordinator Ellyn Windsor. “They said it’s more difficult than they anticipated,” Windsor said Sunday. “The rock is grainy and loose, but they feel great. Everything is going smoothly.”