The 20-mile trek included navigating slippery granite, steep cables and mental challenges
NEED TO KNOW
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Vero Durham and her friends hiked Yosemite’s Half Dome after months of preparation and securing difficult-to-get permits
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The 20-mile trek included navigating slippery granite, steep cables and mental challenges, especially for Durham, who fears heights
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Durham documented the experience on TikTok, where her videos went viral and received both praise and criticism
When Vero Durham agreed to join her friends on a hike up Half Dome in Yosemite National Park, she had no idea what she was signing up for. Still, the 17-year-old from Santa Barbara, Calif., has always been drawn to adventure.
The incoming New York University freshman got the idea from her friend Tarkan, an avid hiker and Eagle Scout who spends time in Yosemite with his family every year. Having already climbed Mount Whitney, he had dreamed of hiking Half Dome for years but had never been able to secure the highly coveted permits.
“With our whole group applying, our chances were greater,” Durham tells PEOPLE exclusively…