Little Yosemite Valley Campground To Half Dome

You can also park at Curry Village or Yosemite Village and take the free park shuttle to the trailhead. Each person had 2 prusik loops, 2 climbing carabiners, a harness, and gloves to grip the cable. Microspikes are also helpful for early season trips.

Instead of heading back down the way you came, down the endless granite steps next to the solar toilets, head straight for the top of Nevada Falls. At the top of the subdome we finally saw the cables which steadily climb up the last 400 feet of elevation to the top of Half Dome. During our hike to this point, we kept discussing how it couldn’t be that steep if so many people do it every day, right?

Death On The Cables

The trail starts at the valley floor and climbs up next to Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall. It passes behind the Liberty Cap, through Sequoia forests, and then up the far side of the subdome and Half Dome. This post covers the one-day hiking route we took to Half Dome. We hiked up the Mist Trail and down the Muir Trail, one of the most popular hiking routes to Half Dome. The trail to Merced Lake continues up the valley, passing through a burned-out area, the result of a wildfire several years ago.

Learn about new trail guides, outdoor news, and be the first to learn about events in the free Modern Hiker Newsletter. All original content and guaranteed not to flood your inbox — new issues usually come every 2-3 weeks. After over a mile of wooded switchbacks, the next sign revealed we had traveled 2.7 miles along the John Muir Trail from Nevada Falls. At the end of the valley, the trail begins a steady climb upward. Thunderstorms and rainstorms are common even in the summer and this hike should not be attempted if there is any chance of a storm. The south western margin of Moraine Dome is wrapped by a broad, striped granite apron with an approximately 40° slope that appears to rise some 500 ft from the valley floor.

Trip Planning

The permit holder or alternate and all members of the hiking party must be present at the permit checkpoint at the same time to proceed up the subdome and cables. Rising nearly 5,000 feet above Yosemite Valley and 8,800 feet above sea level, Half Dome is a Yosemite icon and a great challenge to many hikers. Half Dome is an amazing hike, and well worth the effort it takes to get your chance at the summit.

The two metal cables allow hikers to climb the last 400 feet to the summit without rock climbing equipment. Since 1919, only a few people have fallen and died on the cables. However, injuries are not uncommon for those acting irresponsibly.

Camping Near Half Dome In Yosemite National Park

For your sleeping system you will need a tent , a backpacking sleeping bag rated for the weather and a good quality sleeping pad. Hydration is also critical to consider in packing – you will need a capacity of between 2.5L-4L depending on the weather. Someone in your group will want to bring a backpacking stove as well if you want a warm meal (or drink!) – I have a Jetboil MiniMo which never lets me down. A group member will also need to bring a first aid kit (if it doesn’t come with blister band-aids be sure to add some). Once you get to the campsite, put your food in the communal storage lockers at the campsite to reduce the chance of attracting bears.

undefined

Eleven out of 12 walk-up spots were still left when I called the day before, but we weren’t taking any chances. Our attempt to backpack Half Dome a few weeks prior had been thwarted because the daily trailhead quota was filled by the time we arrived at 11 AM the day of our trip. Half Dome is a granite monolith perched prominently above Yosemite Valley. The striking dome-shaped feature looks like its name would imply, a dome that has been sliced through its middle.

Alternatives To The Mist And Muir Trails

I like to focus on “one plank at a time” as I go up the cables. There are “planks” of wood on the way up that make for good rest points. Having to fuss with carabiners and your harness system is going to do you more harm than good in getting up the cables. Just take your time, and focus on going plank to plank and hanging on with a strong grip. In my opinion, harnesses simply act as a false sense of protection in this scenario, and could lead to you being less attentive as you hike up the cables. To properly and safely use a harness system on the cables, you would need a very specific via ferrata set up which most people are not likely to have.

We’ll be going end of September so the heat may not be as bad as the summer months. You need to wear shoes with good traction to minimize slipping while climbing the cables. By the time we reached the end of the trail, once again back at the Happy Isles Bridge, we had hiked for 8 hours and 50 minutes, including time for stops. Somehow, Kara managed to hike the entire 17 miles on her very young legs, a major accomplishment. Tyler did even better, carrying extra weight on the trail and setting our fast pace. We loved the views of Half Dome, Nevada Fall, Liberty Cap, and down to Yosemite Valley.

How Do I Get Half Dome Permits?

We hiked for a bit and we could already hear the next waterfall, Nevada Falls. We ditched our packs by the trail and ventured off to get closer to the spray. Some of us were determined to stay dry this time and kept our rain jackets on, while others just went shirtless.

This is a good section to catch your breath before you start climbing again. After your tough ascent on the Mist Trail, this section will feel like a cakewalk. As you cross over the bridge, you’ll get a glimpse of Vernal Fall upriver.Fall or Falls? The easy way to finsih a 17 mile day is by breaking it down into chunks and tackling them one by one. At the end of each, take a break, sip some water, maybe refuel, and move on. When you get to the cables, only use the harness if it’s crowded.

Hike To Hidden Falls Aka Tenaya Creek Falls

You’ll want to have gloves for a more comfortable grip on the cables, and remember to take your time and be extra cautious on this portion of the hike. Despite the difficulty and length of the trail and climb, obtaining Yosemite Half Dome Permits are still extremely competitive. Going up the cables is pretty simple and also pretty safe — as long as you use common sense. The two cables are elevated to “railing” height, and there are wood boards laid at roughly 12 foot intervals where you can stand on the steep granite and give your arms a rest. The dangerous part is that there are many other people going up and down these same cables, and each time you pass someone, the negotiation takes extra care. We made a point to stop at those boards when meeting someone coming down the cables.

I was just wondering what you chose on your application. There have been more than 20 deaths on Half Dome itself, and if you count the trail leading up to Half Dome, the number leaps to more than 60. To access this guide when out of cell phone range on the trail, simply save the webpage on your phone ( iPhone – Android ). If you are scared of getting knocked off or down by another hiker, get a harness.

It’s Yosemite’s most sought-after hike to conquer and its fame even transcends the world of hiking enthusiasts, making cameos in Apple wallpapers. The strenuous hike gains 4500 ft from the bottom of Yosemite Valley and ends in the infamous cables section, a degree climb up the granite dome. When you are finally standing on the top of Half Dome, the sweeping views up and down Yosemite Valley are unparalleled. The dramatic, vertical drop-offs to the valley floor are sweaty-palms inducing for even the most fearless hikers. They’re all long, challenging, and equally as scenic as Half Dome, but they don’t require permits.Clouds Rest in particular has parallels to the Half Dome hike.

But every couple of years someone swims in the pools above the waterfalls and is swept to their death. You DO NOT want to be trapped on the summit, or on Half Dome’s metal cables, during a storm. Each day Yosemite offers 12 first-come, first-served permits for Happy Isles to Little Yosemite Valley, 4 for Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley, and 6 for Sunrise Lakes . If you provide an email, you’ll receive confirmation within 24 hours. If you don’t provide an email, you’ll be notified by regular mail within two weeks. Here’s a helpful chart that links proposed hiking dates tp the date you’ll want to submit your application.

In addition, you should pack a headlamp and flashlight for the dark hours. Likewise, be sure to check on sunrise and sunset times before the day of your hike. To start, your first option is to enter an online application in the preseason lottery to secure Half Dome permits, open throughout the month of March. Once we got to the cables, we put on our harnesses and tied both prusik loops on to a cable . There were 2 cables so we could climb somewhat next to each other.

Take it slow if you need to and please be mindful of folks coming back down. Once you reach the top, stay for awhile – the view is like non other from 8800ft. Some folks have a problem with this section and think it’s harder than the cables, but I don’t agree. It’s steep and narrow, but doesn’t require any climbing or scrambling. Take your time, allow others to pass in safe spots, and you’ll be fine. The purple line shows your route to Half Dome from Happy Isles.