Famed Climber, First Person To Ski Down Half Dome, Found Dead At Base Of Ice Climb

He is a famed climber. Lived in a cave For 13 years, he was the first to ski down from Half Dome’s 8,839-foot summit in Yosemite National Park. He was also the first to descend to the valley floor below.

Zach Milligan was found by Rangers on Friday, February 10th. Drone searches revealed his body the following day.

Milligan, 42 years old, was with Jason Torlano in 2021 in order to descend Half Dome’s steep angles in 2021. The two men were filmed rappelling down Half Dome. “death slabs” Sections of bare rock.

“If you fall to your left or right, you’re definitely dead,” JT Holmes (professional free-skier) pointed out the descent. “If you fall down the middle, you have a small chance of not falling to your death — but it’s a maybe.”

Martha Milligan is Milligan’s older sister Remembered Her brother wrote to her on Facebook. “He was a world-class climber, incredible alpine skier, gifted musician, wicked smart; he could tell a wildly entertaining story and make almost anything funny.”

Milligan fell on Half Dome while skipping over a section of cable used by climbers. He began slipping out of control and was saved by an ice ax. “I did one jump turn and then sideslipped most everything,” Milligan Later. “I thought I would be able to ski across the cables, but when my ski edges hit the first one, I fell.”

He said that he used his ice picks in order to save himself. “Luckily, the tools were holding – barely. I wasn’t in a survivable situation. Then I found the cable and lunged for it. Using my Whippet as a stick and a pole, I leveraged the cable out and grabbed it.”

“I had no business being on Half Dome. I’m not a real skier,” He concluded.

Kristin Anderson was Milligan’s 12-year-old girlfriend. She spoke to Outside magazine. “Zach is the most interesting person I have ever met. I fell in love with him the moment I met him in 2004 during my first summer in Yosemite. I credit Zach for showing me what I was capable of; he challenged me and pushed me past my perceived limits, and he made me a better climber.”

Milligan spoke out in favor of solo climbing. declaring, “You feel like you’re in contact with God. It makes me feel like I’m in a magical place.”

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