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Trail details last updated 3/27/2017.
At 8,842′, Half Dome is hardly the tallest peak in Yosemite National Park. Heck, if you drive in through Tioga Pass you’ll be near 10,000′ just passing by the ranger station (it’s well worth exploring the northern part of the park FYI. But what Half Dome lacks in prominence superiority it more than makes up for in visual dominance, iconic status and potentially fear factor. It is one of those wonders you can’t just see once so no surprise that hiking to the top is on pretty much every extreme trail guide ever written.
Half Dome seen from Sentinel Dome on a clear, summer day (circa 2012).
There’s a ton of great information on the Half Dome Hike out there (see YosemiteHikes.com for many tips, facts and climbing details) so in this guide I’m going to talk more about what the day entails and what it really takes to from Yosemite Valley to the top of Half Dome (and back down again.) Call it a practical example or just a story with some facts.
Permits: A Journey 4 Years in the Making
If you’ve done any research into Half Dome hikes you already know that a permit is required and that they’re assigned via advance lottery (225 / day) or last minute lottery (50 / day). While it was once possible to go on a complete whim, endless crowds of 1,000+ visitors crawling up and down along the single set of cables created massive bottlenecks which is obviously not safe in any respect and that led to the system we have today. There’s a lot of debate around it all but sufficient to say that’s the rules we have to contend with at this point.
With the lottery, you pay $4.50 in April for a shot at getting a spot for later in the season at random. If you win (selection is announced mid-April), you pay the rest of the fee ($8) to claim your reservation and off you go a few months later. Obviously the best way to win a lottery is by increasing your odds and for that Yosemite allows you to pick several alternative dates on your reservation. You can also combine forces and have a few members of your group enter as well but the most helpful factor of all is just to go with a weekday later in the season (here’s the requests by day.)
For whatever reasons, I apparently did not do a good job researching as it took me 4 seasons to secure a permit despite the typical 31% weekend, 56% weekday success rate. Oh well, the anticipation made it better or something.
The last minute lottery is based takes place two days ahead of your climb with results sent out the same night. We snagged one extra permit for another friend this way on our first try so certainly something to consider if you’re in the park.
Preparing for the Hike
There’s a lot to think about for a Half Dome hike: what to bring, when to leave, where to stay, how to train and so forth. Researching through dozens of blogs and hiking forums, everyone had a little different take on the specifics but essentially it all boils down to being prepared so I’ll take you through what that meant for us as a group.
Elevation: 8,863′ is hardly a major altitude hike and altitude sickness is rare which is not to say that it’s like being at sea-level but acclimatizing was not a major concern. Still, to minimize any issues there and because it was easier to find space, we booked a couple days at the Crane Flat campground (6,200′) before the hike. This gave us a chance to enjoy the park for a few days, scope out conditions and approach the hike as one group.
Training: From the super regular, crazy hiker (me) to the regular team sports player who had never hiked anything major to a last minute addition when we found a spare permit, our group of 5 really could not have been much more different in fitness levels and hiking experience. For the most part everyone was in good shape but while it didn’t take specific hike practice, those in the group who were cardio-trained simply had a better day out there. The switchbacks of the long route (see below) keeps truly steep climbing to a minimum but building up endurance and comfort with a pack matters.
Gear: While I carried up a fair amount of “extra” gear including a large med kit, stove, emergency kit and the like, most of the group packed for what they would need for the day with a few backup essentials. This of course included a fair number of snacks (plan to eat at every hour break), 4 liters of water each, a couple of light layers, gloves for the cable, good boots and a headlamp. We also used some Advil and a little tape out of my kit but the only thing I really would have changed is stopping to refill water on the descent, otherwise it was pretty straight forward/
Timing: With a forecast for warm temperatures, the certainty of a long day, and the desire to beat some of the crowds, we elected to night hike Half Dome planning on an approximately midnight start. This of course meant hiking under headlamps but other than the last stretch, the route is pretty obvious night and day alike. Taking a decent break below the cables allowed us to ascend them in the pre-dawn light for a 6 hour climb up.
Route: While just about everyone day hiking Half Dome starts out at the same place (Happy Isles), there is an important route decision to make early into the hike: take the steeper Mist Trail or the longer John Muir switchbacks. We made a game-time decision to stick to the Muir Trail which I can’t recommend enough for most groups. Yes, it’s longer but descending down the brutal stone steps of the Mist Trail, a few members of our group noted that had we gone up that way, they would not have made it. This trail map from YosemiteHikes.com does a great job of illustrating the choices.
Permits Required 7 Days a Week! Fines for not having one? Up to $5,000 and 6 months in jail or you know, getting sent home 7 miles in.
Making the (Midnight) Hike Out
Whatever time you start, compute that you will likely be back 10-14 hours later (consider the distance, elevation gain, breaks and time on the summit rather than just how fast you can hike a usual mile here.) Leaving at midnight we were not the first group on the trail and returning mid day, we passed many who were only half way up if not less.
The only real difference about starting in the early morning is where you actual start from (you should have a headlamp no matter when you hit the trail, you may need it later!) From 7am and on, the Yosemite Shuttle Bus will take you right up to Happy Isles #16 to catch the trail where as at midnight you have to walk from the parking lot to there, about 3/4s of a mile further.
Even in the darkness, the trail is easy to follow at the start as you head out on the paved though often steep path towards Vernal Falls. At the start of the Half Dome season, this section will be next to a roaring river, in late fall when we hiked it was pretty tame but it’s a great view either way (don’t worry, you’ll see it on the way back if you night hike.)
Refilling our waterbottles at the Vernal Falls Footbridge.
Crossing the footbridge just under a mile into the trail you’ll hit the first of a few restrooms on the trail and the last stop for treated water. While it’s early into the hike, it’s a great place to really hydrate and take a quick break to assess how things are going, adjust for any hot spots or whatever.
Mist Trail split off with the John Muir Trail (further right and up the dirt).
If you’ve been confused by the length of the hike which gets listed anywhere from 14 – 16.5 miles, it’s because of the fork in the trail that lies just beyond the footbridge (the route decision I mentioned earlier in this post.)
The most direct route is to follow the Mist Trail to the top of the Vernal Falls and then again to the top of Nevada. While the rise over run doesn’t look all that crazy, it’s a tough route and rate strenuous on its own as you climb 1,600′ over 1.9 miles mostly up giant stone steps that are serious knee busters. To the right is the JMT (John Muir Trail) which takes a switchback approach for a more gradual 2.7 mile approach. The view of the Mist Trail is well worth it one way and there’s something to be said for saving mileage but don’t burn yourselves out in the first phase either.
The John Muir Trail (JMT) and Mist Trail meet back up above Nevada Falls with 4.5 miles left to go.
Walking up in middle of the night has another benefit along this section of the trail, no crowds. Unlike the daylight hours where people swarm to the trails, in the pitch black there’s little in your way and little to distract you so aside from perhaps a couple quick breaks for food & water, it’s quick time up to the top of Nevada Falls. Going up the JMT do be sure to pay attention to the signs as there are many other trails that connect in, even a way to cross back to (or from) the Mist Trail if you like.
Phase 2: Nevada Falls to Half Dome’s Base
As the trail profile shown here points out, there are few places where things level out for more than a couple minutes on the trail, the stretch through Little Yosemite Valley being one of them. It’s unavoidable distance that you have to cover in approaching the mountain but also quite pleasant as you basically wander through a large clearing in the forest picking up speed thanks to the mellow terrain.
In the dark, we walked right on by the little Yosemite Valley cutoff and never did stop there on the return either but I can tell you that there’s a restroom and the last [almost] sure-thing stream in late season to fill up on water (though you’ll need to treat it or filter).
The trail around Little Yosemite Valley is shaded, fairly flat and easy going.
Leaving the Little Yosemite Valley area, the trail once again returns to it’s uphill profile with a mix of dirt switchbacks and now unavoidable granite climbs. In the dark parts of the route can be hard to find as you continue on and more so up here but the trail is well worn in and well marked sign posts and natural features alike, it just takes more attention than on the obvious JMT or Mist Trail.
There’s a few points where the trail runs away from you if close attention isn’t paid. Signs and cairns help guide the way however.
There’s plenty of climbing to be done in the 4.5 miles from the falls to the cables, 2,800′ of it in fact and as such this is certainly the part of the hike that wears on you the most no matter how enticing the trail landscape may be to look at. For our group, 60 minute break intervals soon became 30 as people started to tire but it’s not all that long before the silhouette (or view in the daylight) of the dome comes into view — startling to see what is left but encouraging to be so close at the same time.
As you near the sub-dome, the trail changes from dirt switches to rock ones and then just sections of constant, moderate rock to ascend directly.
Approaching the last 1,000′ or so of the trail, most of the dirt disappears entirely as you transition to climbing up the granite side of the lower mountain, sometimes on steps, other times just across a fairly mellow face. While the cables ahead are the steepest part of the day and the most likely to mess with your head, they’re also exciting while the end of this stretch is nothing of the sort; the crux by repetition as the miles have long since added up and you just want to be there.
Phase 3: Climbing the Famous Cables
With a midnight start, we arrived at the cables still mostly in the dark which is probably for the best as no one had a chance to run away on the approach (which is actually pretty exposed its self so watch where you walk side to side.)
Dropping down over a final hill, Half Dome’s summit towers 400′ above in all its might. There’s enough room below the cables to serve as a good final break spot, a chance to drink some water, down some sugar and dawn your gloves before summoning up the courage to climb. I’m only kidding of course, the cables are a blast but they can certainly get in your head. On our climb, the one of the strongest members of our group almost turned around entirely and I’m sure more than a few people have done so at the bottom but what’s the point in that?
Looking up the cables from near the end (on the descent).
As an REI guide remarked to one of his clients on the descent, it’s finding a rhythm up and playing batman on the way down. That is to say, climbing ahead is hard work and if you focus on that, keep a pace and keep moving, you’ll be up before you know it though tired from it. On the way down, trust in the cables if you choose to use them (they could hold a car) and back yourself on down.
The famous Half Dome Cables as seen from the top of the mountain.
The Summit of Half Dome!
Even as big as Half Dome looks from the valley, I don’t think it’s evident just how much room there is on the top of it when in fact it’s a decent walk just to get around the various viewpoints and explore it all. Time at the top seems to move slowly as you wander around, dare to stand near the edge for a photo (or not) and perhaps just happen to see a climber come up the mountain’s real face while you stop for lunch.
Panoramic view of the summit dome, vista point and high point on Half Dome!View from the cave on the vista / outcropping point.Half Dome’s “Visor” Outcropping where the cave lies (and the best photos are taken).
Another reason for an early start is having plenty of time up top without risk of a night hike down. The longer we stayed, the more people showed up but wanting to avoid as much of the crowd as possible on the cables, we did decide to head on off around 7. Coming up you may think that the cables will be harder down but faced backwards and moving hand over hand, it actually seemed simpler, even for the height adverse.
Heading Home One Painful Step at a Time
The way back is the way you came, save perhaps for switching to the JMT to save your knees or to the Mist Trail to get the view but otherwise the route doesn’t change much. What does change is the fatigue you start to notice in all that downhill walking (and of course the view if you go with a night ascent.) After 8 miles of walking up, 8 miles back is not fun and can take nearly as long as the climb up (or I’m sure it becomes a fun & fast trail run if you’re into that sort of stuff.)
As I mentioned early on, the one mistake I think we made in the day was not pausing on the return to get more water. Tired from a night of hiking and ready to get real food, it’s easy to push on but the long day wears on you and even 4 liters is not always enough. Stopping to filter some of the cold river water would have certainly been a good idea and welcome real break but we made it down the trail, to the fountain and then out to the car just the same.
Bridge crossing near the top of the Mist Trail, before the “fun” steps down.
From the end of I suggest an immediate visit to the showers at Curry Village and the Pizza or Burger place next door, in whatever order you prefer.
One more view of the amazingly fun cables from the base!
