A hiker died on Monday after falling from the cables near the summit of Half Dome at Yosemite National Park.
The victim’s body was recovered on Tuesday.
The National Park Service said two hikers were on the cables on Monday during thunderstorm activity when a male hiker slipped and fell. His name has not been released pending notification of his family.
Rangers were contacted and assisted the other hiker.
Half Dome is one of the symbols of Yosemite, and the trail to the top is one of the most popular routes in the park, requiring reservations to prevent overcrowding.
Every spring, cables are put into place along the final 400 feet to help hikers make the steep ascent to the 8,839-foot granite summit.
NPS told The Associated Press that investigators are looking into the incident and that it’s not yet clear if the hikers were climbing in the rain, but the trail was wet at the time.
The agency warns hikers to keep away from Half Dome during storms.
“The summit of Half Dome is a dangerous place during a lightning storm,” the agency said. “If a storm appears nearby, do not continue to the summit and, if in the summit area, leave the area (while still using caution when descending the cables and steps).”
NPS said it was the first fatality in Yosemite in 2018, and the first on Half Dome since 2011.
The park averages 12 to 15 deaths per year, with motor vehicle accidents and drowning the leading causes of those fatalities.
