Half Dome Hike Guide Details
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Overview: Staring out at almost 1 vertical mile over Yosemite Valley stands Half Dome, Yosemite's iconic masterpiece. While many tourists snap pictures of this giant from their cars on the valley floor, few have have the privilege of hiking the challenging trail. For those who are capable, the Half Dome hike is a favorite and a perfect hike to experience the nation's third national park. You should allow a full day for this 14 (or 16) mile hike. Most hikers take between 10 and 12 hours with rests and time at the top, and many make it a 2-day trip with an overnight stay at Little Yosemite Valley Campground, which is roughly half way up. It is best to leave early in the morning (sunrise or earlier) to avoid the midday heat and the large crowds. Make sure to check for weather conditions before hiking, as thunderstorms can appear quickly, and you may not want to be the highest thing on the top of Half Dome when they arrive. The cables are usually up between Memorial Day and Columbus day, but this also varies with the weather. The wonderful hike starts at Happy Isles trailhead (shuttle stop #16), which is near Curry Village (there is also a parking lot and campground nearby).
Tips: This is a LONG hike, start very early to avoid the heat and give yourself plenty of time, and bring lots of water (after the first few miles there are no places to fill water unless you have a filter). Bring gloves for the cables, you will be glad you did.
Starting the Hike
The 4800 feet of elevation gain is very strenuous, starting with steep climb in the beginning to Vernal Falls (1.5m, 2.4km), followed by another steep climb to the top of Nevada Falls (3.4m, 5.5km). After the second waterfall, there is about 1 mile of fairly level hiking until you reach Little Yosemite Campground, followed by steep switchbacks through the forest. At about 7 miles (11.2km) you will reach a break in the trees, with a beautiful view of the side of Half dome with the valley below. After some steep switchbacks carved like stairs into the rock, you will reach Half Dome with only 400 feet to go. These last 400 feet are the most challenging, but also the most rewarding (although you may not realize it until you are comfortably back on the valley floor).The Cables
The cables are around a 45-55 degree grade, with wooden supports every 10 to 20 feet to rest and maintain your balance. Using gloves is highly recommended to get a better grip and avoid painful blisters (there is usually a large pile of gloves at the base that you can borrow for the climb up, but you might want to bring your own just in case). Be sure to tightly secure your water bottles and cameras for the climb up, because you will want them once at the top.At the top
Finally, you are at the top, and have about a hundred feet to the edge (don't get too distracted by the amazing views of the valley while walking to the edge or your trip down to the valley will be much shorter than you wish). Many hikers stop at the top for a well-earned rest, lunch break, and photo-op session. The most popular picture is taken facing Southwest, with the subject standing on the "diving board", a rock projection with nothing below it for 4800 feet. After plenty of rest and finding your nerves again, you can head back down the cables (some face the rock, some face out), and (slowly!) head back down the cables. During the early afternoon in the peak season (Summer) it can get very crowded on the cables, and you may need to wait a while between supports before descending each segment. Patience is a virtue here as several climbers have slipped and died in recent years after hurrying down the outside of the cables hoping to avoid the wait.The Journey back
Once you reach the bottom of the cables, throw your borrowed gloves back into the pile, give your heart a second to slow down, thank someone up above for keeping a watchful eye on you, and start your trek back down to the valley. Compared to the hike up, the return journey flies by and before you know it you will be back at the top of Nevada falls. You have 2 options here: the Mist Trail, which is how you came up is about 3.4 miles (5.5km), or the John Muir Trail for a slight change of scenery (about 0.5 miles further). The waterfalls suddenly seem much more pleasant as you hike down compared to earlier uphill climb, and it's hard to hold back a smile as you reach the Vernal Falls bridge where you can refill your water (there are also facilities here). About 30 minutes later you are back at the trail head where you can catch a free shuttle to your car or anywhere else in the valley (there is a concession stand near the bus stop where you can buy cold drinks and ice cream).Congratulations, you can now say that you have climbed Half Dome, the symbol of Yosemite National Park
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As someone who has been there I can say, "Great Post"!