Hiking Yosemite’s Half Dome
I did the Half Dome hike!!!
I've been unsuccessfully applying for the lottery almost every year since 2013, but this year I finally got it! Here’s a chronicle of my journey with thoughts and photos from the trail.
Hiking Half Dome has been an aspiration of mine since I was about 14. As a kid I used to frequently go camping in Yosemite with family during summer break, and also went on an 8th grade school trip during the winter, where we went cross-country skiing at Crane Flat and hiked around Yosemite Valley. I still have a (bad) sketch of Half Dome I made in a journal from that trip that my teachers were impressed with and showed around. I’ve even taken my family into the "spider caves" at the foot of Lower Yosemite Falls. (They thought I was insane... looking back I probably was a little too fearless). After realizing my then-boyfriend now-husband hadn’t been to Yosemite before, I insisted that we go. We’ve hiked Nevada Fall and Upper Yosemite Falls together. I know now that he absolutely hates hiking and only came along because he knows how much it means to me :) Yosemite is full of nostalgic memories and holds a special place in my heart.
After we climbed Mount Fuji together in 2011, I started to seriously consider challenging Half Dome. Fuji was a tough hike for us due to the thin oxygen at high elevation and endless switchbacks, but the distance and elevation gain for Half Dome is even greater. Not to mention when we did Fuji, we stayed at an 8th station rest hut to sleep before catching the sunrise. Unless I were to bring backpacking gear, there would be no napping on Half Dome!
The Half Dome trail starting from Curry Village. Map courtesy of NPS.org
A Comparison
Half Dome returning via John Muir Trail
elevation: 8836 feet
elevation gain: 5,164 feet
distance: 17 miles roundtrip
Mount Fuji from Fuji-Subaru Line 5th station
elevation: 12,100 feet
elevation gain: 4940 feet
distance: 11.6 miles roundtrip
The National Park Service instated a lottery system for the cables on Half Dome in 2010 to control dangerous overcrowding. There is some debate about whether the lottery has made it safer or not due to hikers getting summit fever, but the fact remains that it has reduced the number of hikers. Permits are limited to 300 per day, with the chance of getting a permit in 2017 at 7% and just 2% for a weekend. Saturdays in June and July are of course the most popular. I applied for a swath of dates after peak summer season, but still early enough where there would be some water left at the falls. After repeatedly failing the lottery in 2013, 2015, 2016, and again in 2017, imagine my elation when I got the email saying Congratulations! I won a permit for September 22nd!!
Preparation
Since there was no way I could bring my 1½ year old toddler, hubby made the call to hold down the fort. Fortunately my brother was just as interested as me to do the hike so I wouldn't have to go alone. I owe him so much for pushing me to train and setting our pace. He regularly goes to the gym and is already in great shape, whereas I normally live a very sedentary lifestyle... not to mention I haven't lost all the baby weight I gained back. ha.
To prepare physically in the months before, I hiked Fremont’s Mission Peak three times and also did the 9 mile loop around Lake Chabot. Between hikes, I walked or jogged 1 to 2 miles on a treadmill set to highest incline a few times a week.
This may be slightly excessive. Like I probably could have left the knife at home…
Gear List
42L backpack - The North Face Tellus (purchased in Japan for Fuji)
hiking boots - Merrell Moab 2 Mid WP
trekking poles
photo ID & print out of cables permit
light synthetic down jacket
BlackDiamond Spot 325 headlamp
extra AAA batteries
Hydrapak 2L hydration pack
Hydrapak 2L collapsible water bottle
2L nalgene bottle
Katadyn BeFree 1L filter
Sawyer Mini filter (backup)
nitrile gloves for cables
polarized sunglasses
extra socks
SPF 50 sunscreen
bandana
first aid kit / Advil
portable battery charger
camera
travel sized TP roll
trash bag
emergency blanket
pocket mirror
fire starter with whistle
Food
jerky sticks
Justin's almond & cashew nut butter packets
string cheese
Pocari Sweat electrolyte powder
hardboiled egg x 2
Morinaga IN jelly x 3
Cuties mandarin oranges
avocado
Arriving at Yosemite Valley
Our hike was on a Sunday so we drove over to stay the night before. When we came into view of Half Dome, I started getting really nervous like okay, I guess this is really happening!
The park is beautiful all year, but I was surprised that it was still so crowded in September when some waterfalls are already dry. Once we got into the valley it took over an hour in bumper to bumper traffic to get from El Capitan to Curry Village. That’s only about 5 miles!
“Half Dome Village” no longer! Finally.
Curry Village tent cabins are the closest non-campsite accommodations to the trail head, so that's where I decided to book. It’s a nice option if you don’t feel like lugging a bunch of camping gear. The cabins have decently soft beds with wool blankets, pillows, and towels all provided, so we just needed to bring our sleeping bags. There are shared bathrooms with hot showers nearby. The only downer is that while there is a light bulb, there are no power outlets.
After getting checked in and settled, we ate a very early dinner at the dining hall and went to bed at 8 pm. My nerves kept me up so don't think I was able to fall asleep for a long time. I maybe got 6 hours of sleep.
Ascending the Mist Trail
04:00 - This is it. Woke up super early to get ready.
05:30 - Set out before sunrise when the moon and stars were still bright. We walked from the tent cabins to Happy Isles since the valley shuttles don't start running until 7 am. We ran into some climbers carrying ropes on their way to Half Dome to go up, as they put it, “the easy way”. Probably not easy. We were also passed by a large group with kids who couldn’t be any older than 10. I felt so old and out of shape!
06:00 - Though it was still dark, the water filling station at the Vernal Fall footbridge was already busy with many hiking groups. I was overly anxious (and dumb) and filled all my water containers so I was carrying over a gallon of water. I could only go a few paces until my brother heard what I did and told me to dump it back down to 2 liters, which ended up working out.
It was so dark we couldn’t even see Vernal Fall.
The sun beginning to rise.
Beautiful!
Pool at the base of Vernal Fall.
07:00 - We got to the top of Vernal Fall! When I did this hike the previous year, it took me 2 hours instead of 1.5 hours so I was feeling encouraged by my improved time. We stopped at the top for photos and a quick breakfast.
On To Nevada Fall
There was an open bathroom at the top of Vernal Fall so we made a quick pit stop and continued up the trail. It’s not quite as aggressive of a stair climb but still much of the same.
Emerald Pool above Vernal Fall. Looks calm but lots of signage warn not to swim here!
The trail full of granite steps up to Nevada Fall
Still pushing ahead.
08:45 - Reached the rest stop near Nevada Fall. We were in good spirits, so we decided to take the 0.2 mile detour to the actual fall where we had a leisurely hour long meal stop while enjoying the gorgeous view.
Did you know there’s a Pokemon Go Gym up there? My lonely Tyranitaur didn’t come home for a whole week.
The Second Half
09:45 - By this point we had been on the trail for 4 hours and were only about halfway there, so I was worried how long it would take us to get to the summit. I had never gone any further than Nevada Fall before now.
Beyond Nevada Fall begins 1 mile of flat trail. Although it's a nice reprieve from going uphill, the trail is lined with loose sandy gravel so it's tough on the feet. We tried to walk near the edge of the path where there was less sand to save some energy. This part of the trail runs alongside the Merced River so hikers have the option to refill water here if needed. From here we could see the back of the domes.
First view of Half Dome and the subdome. It’s still too far to see any climbers from here.
The trail is flat for about 1 mile.
10:11 - Passed the sign announcing the last treatable water source at Little Yosemite Valley campground. We followed the sign left towards a wooded area, marking the ascent to the subdome.
This part of the hike was cool and shaded but arduous! It's another 2 miles and 2000 or so feet of elevation gain before the reaching the base of the subdome. I needed to stop to take lots of breaks.
Once past the wooded area, the trail looks like a lot of flat rock and becomes somewhat hard to find. We had to retrace our steps to find the lined tree trunks marking the trail. Some hikers coming down also asked us if they were going the right way.
The Subdome
13:00 - After what seemed like an eternity we met the ranger. We chatted and took some selfies with her! After checking my permit and ID and looking up my info in her tablet, she gave us a safety briefing:
Keep all loose items in your pack. If you were to be turned upside down and shaken and it falls out, it belongs in your pack. Items falling can be a dangerous distraction to those on the cables.
If you choose to wear a climbing harness, know how to properly use it.
Take your time on the cables. There are resting planks every 10-15 feet.
If people are freaking out on the cables, don't just pass them as it'll make them panic more. It's not helpful and not cool.
Don't leave your gloves at the base of the cables. At the end of the day it's garbage.
Keep your pack with you at all times. The animals on top of Half Dome are "klepto" for "free shit", not just food. They will chew through packs.
If there are clouds or it's raining and the granite is wet, don't go up. Slippery rock and lightning makes it extremely dangerous.
Know your own physical and mental limits. Do not be afraid to turn back.
We were told that it takes the average person 40 minutes to hike the subdome, which is about how long we took. The subdome is LOTS of steep granite stairs, similar to the Mist Trail but completely exposed with no tree cover. It was brutal.
On the way up we ran into so many kind people. One group was out of water so other people offered their extra food and water. A nice man coming down made sure we brought our gloves and offered his if we didn't have any. An older lady encouraged us saying "If I can do it, so can you!" It was so nice to see everyone looking out for each other.
The Half Dome Cables
13:50 - The infamous cables came into view. It seemed so much steeper than all the photos I’d seen, so I was seriously nervous but fortunately not daunted. By this point I was already exhausted and hadn’t eaten enough, so I stopped for a quick refuel. I forced down some peanut butter cups to get some sugar and energy into my legs. No turning back now!
Pictures don’t really convey the steepness. It is rather intimidating.
14:00 - We put on our grippy gloves and started ascending the cables. It was already afternoon so there wasn't much traffic. We took our time and made sure to be extra careful.
Alright, here I go!
The first few rungs I went about it completely wrong. I was pulling myself up with my arms while leaning backwards, which was tiresome! I learned very quickly that it’s more effective to lean forward into the slope and use my legs as much as possible. Without gloves this would have truly been a nightmare. Even with gloves, my fingers ached from gripping so hard and I needed to stop to rest them as much my legs.
The slope of the rock face is 45 to 55 degrees. STEEP.
As people were coming down and passing, everyone was so courteous and let whoever felt ready go first. They were super nice and cheering "You're almost there!", "The worst is over!" and "The view is so worth it!"
Almost at the top!
On Top Of The World
My bro snuck a photo of me… !
14:45 - Reached the top of Half Dome!
As I made my way over to the edge, I was hit with overwhelming relief of safely making it up the cables and the gravity of what we’d just achieved. I just sat down and cried.
There isn’t anything quite as euphoric as finally fulfilling a longtime dream. Half Dome was a true physical and mental test for myself. It took almost 9 long hours to reach the top and I was uncertain at times whether or not I’d make it, but I’m so proud that I did!
We did what anyone would have done at the top, which was to take our commemorative photos and bask in our accomplishment. And enjoy the hard earned view!
I may look relaxed but I’m really not. That ledge was freaky.
Panorama of the view at the top
The view is unlike any other. When you’re in the valley you can’t see much beyond the cliffs, but at the top you really get a sense of just how vast Yosemite National Park can be. There's granite mountains, steep crevasses, and many more dome like formations all stretching all around for miles. It was amazing to me that this kind of topography existed right here in California.
The clouds were starting to roll in pretty quickly, so after 40 minutes at the top we began making our way down.
The Return
15:50 - Safely descended the cables. Going down was much easier and less scary than going up. At this point, my brother and I looked back up and agreed we'd never do anything like that again. We thought about how it's kind of amazing that there aren't more people who slip on the cables considering how dangerous it is. Unless they were a seasoned hiker or very physically fit, I would never recommend anyone to do the cables without a proper harness. I'm not that afraid of heights, but it would have been so easy for my hands to give out or to slip on the smooth rock, especially after going through the already physically taxing 8 hours of hiking to get to that point. I'm convinced that the reason there are as few fatalities as there are is because the long hike to get there is a filter. Those who can do it are fine, and those who can't do it have already turned back. I consider myself barely squeezing in at the bottom tier of that fitness cutoff…
dude we did THAT?
By the time we reached the bottom of the subdome, the ranger was gone. I think the groups we saw coming up while we were going down maybe didn't have a permit and were waiting for the ranger to leave. I hope they were camping at Little Yosemite Valley, because none of us were going to make it down before dark!
Plodding back down the trail was mindlessly exhausting. I was still riding off my high from reaching the summit, but my screaming arches and knees reminded me that we still had a long way to go. It was already quite late, but our goal was to make it back in time for pizza before they closed at 10 pm and we'd be left without food options.
Looking out over Nevada Fall.
18:45 - Crossed the Nevada Fall footbridge to take the John Muir trail. The views at twilight were so beautiful, but looming darkness was threatening. Although taking the John Muir trail added an extra mile to our trek back, we didn’t think going down the steep steps of the Mist Trail in the dark was a safe choice, nor was it feasibly doable for our knees.
Pink and purple skies at twilight!
Liberty Cap and the back of Half Dome as seen from the John Muir Trail.
19:30 - Nightfall, and total darkness. We needed to use our headlamps again, and my pace slowed because I was trying to be extra careful to not fall. If something were to happen there’s nobody out here in the dark to help! I was at my limit. My knees were giving out and my ankles kept rolling, I even fell a few times. The switchbacks felt like forever and I really wanted to cry! I was the true definition of miserable: cold, tired, and hungry.
21:00 - Finally made it back to Curry Village!! WE DID IT!!! I was so relieved. And miserable. And yes… we got our pizza.
The Next Morning
Looking back up in disbelief from the Curry Village parking lot.
We looked up in awe from the parking lot and said “whoah.” To know that we were standing on that faraway ledge just the day before was seriously jarring. After the hike, seeing it feels different.
It was fortunate for us that many things worked out in our favor. The weather was fantastic, we made it up in time to enjoy the clear view before clouds started rolling in, and there were no crowds on the cables so we didn't feel rushed. Because it was rather cool, I amazingly drank less than 3 liters of water total. (2 liters of water in my hydration bladder plus 3 jelly drinks. My brother drank about 5 liters total. ) We carried just enough water and never needed to filter water from the river. I think this was also helped by much of the trail being shaded.
At almost 16 hours, we took a very long time, much longer than average, and were probably the last ones down at 9 pm. Nobody wants to do that hike back in the pitch black dark! I'm almost certain the only hikers we passed were those that didn't go all the way and turned back, because we didn't see any familiar faces on the way down. This hike definitely pushed the limits of my physical ability, and I’m convinced that I only made it out of sheer willpower.
Half Dome ranks as one of the most physically difficult things I've ever done. That said, this was an incredibly meaningful and rewarding experience for me and I'm really glad that I was finally able to go!
One last look from Tunnel View before heading home.
My Tips for those considering hiking Half Dome:
Pack as light as you can so you can save your stamina to go faster. Don't be like us and hike down the John Muir Trail in the dark. That was no fun and somewhat terrifying.
Use a hydration bladder. After my first training hike, I discovered that repeatedly stopping to unclip my waist belt to reach my water bottle in my backpack's side pocket was a huge nuisance. A hydration pack makes it much easier to access water when you need it. You reduce the risk of dehydrating from drinking too little, plus it saves you energy so you can keep on moving.
Bring trekking poles. They help greatly on the stair portions and add extra stability going down. My legs had practically given out coming back down, and I would have probably gotten seriously hurt if not for catching myself with the poles.
If you're on the fence about whether or not to use a harness, just buy it. You might spend a hundred dollars more but your life and the experience are priceless. If for any reason I ever did it again, I would absolutely use a harness and I recommend everyone considering it to do so.
Most importantly, stay safe and always follow the park's safety precautions. Because Nature!
16 hours. YIKES.
My wooden hiking stick from Mount Fuji…
… with a newly earned medallion!