What it’s like to stand on top of one of the most well known rock features in the world
The first thing you see when you enter Yosemite Valley is Half Dome. This giant granite feature towers 4,800 feet above the valley floor. It is iconic in every sense of the word. It is printed on every t-shirt, hat, mug and every other piece of Yosemite merchandise you can think of. It is recognized by people all around the world. All of this might make you want to be able to say you’ve stood on top of it, here is how:
The Half Dome is 14 to 16 miles with 4,800 feet of elevation gain. It begins on a well paved path, following the Merced River. The first milestone you hit will be Vernal Falls. If you take the Mist Trail, you will get a view of the waterfall while hiking stairs to the top. Once you summit Vernal Falls and do some semi-flat hiking you reach the bottom of Nevada Falls. Some switchbacks full of stairs take you to the top of Nevada Falls. Once you summit Nevada Falls the trail flattens out for a while. Once you pass Little Yosemite Valley Campground, the trail starts climbing again. A long set of granite stairs begin when you get to the bottom of the Sub-Dome. After a short walk across the top of the Sub-Dome you reach the cables. The last 400 feet are so steep that the parks service installed cables to guide you to the top. After this climb you get panoramic views of the entire valley.
In 1875, George Anderson was the first to summit Half Dome and I’m going to tell you what it’s like to hike it today. For official information on hiking Half Dome, visit the National Park Website.
We woke up at 5 a.m. and we’re on the trail by a quarter after. We used headlamps until first light, which was around 6:15. We watched the sunrise from the top of Vernal Falls. As we continued hiking we saw two bear cubs and their mother just after Vernal Falls and at half a mile later at the bottom of Nevada falls.
While I’ve heard horror stories about bears, if you keep your distance and don’t aggravate them, you should be fine. There are beautiful views of the waterfalls and surrounding views along the way.
Once you get to the bottom of the Sub-Dome, the views just keep getting better. When you are ascending the stairs, if you need to take time to rest, you can take a minute to catch you breath and enjoy the views. As you continue up the 433 (unofficial count) granite stairs Half Dome comes into view. The closer you get, the more intimidating it seems, but nothing will discourage you at this point.
If you plan on doing the cables, I would recommend bringing gloves and a good pair of shoes. While thousands of people climb it every year, the cables are steep and can be difficult for some. While I’ve done many hikes, this is definitely one of the most unique and strenuous features I’ve seen. The day I climbed it I saw people of all ages, sizes and experience levels at he summit, just be prepared like they all were. After the 8 miles to the top and final climb up the cables, the views are phenomenal. Panoramic views of Yosemite Valley and the surrounding wilderness.
If you are comfortable enough, I would recommend sitting on “The Diving-board”: A chunk of granite that extends beyond the edge of Half Dome. Only go as far out as you are comfortable, but it is great for pictures and taking in the view.
Hiking Half Dome is truly a one of a kind experiences. The hike is difficult but beautiful. The cables are an experience and add to the accomplishment you feel when you finally stand on top of this iconic rock feature. I would recommend that you enter the lottery for a permit right now and start training. This was a bucket list item for both my Dad and I and is a hike you can be proud of and talk about for years.
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