Royal Robbins Showing off his Halo, Pinecrest, California
© 2006 Jerry Dodrill

Royal Robbins, legendary icon of the golden age of Yosemite rock climbing, and characterized with a "God" persona, stretches out his arms while climbing in 2006 with a group from the American Alpine Club near Pinecrest Lake. I yelled at him "Royal, I can see your diffraction fringe perfectly." "No," he said, "that's my halo." And it was.