Just hold on, don’t forget to breathe and – whatever you do – don’t look down. A pinnacle so popular hikers need a permit, Half Dome is Yosemite Valley’s coveted cocked-top jewel.
The hike takes longer than an average work day, with an elevation gain equivalent to 480 flights of stairs and a near-vertical final stretch.
What is Half Dome?
Yosemite's most distinctive natural monument, Half Dome is 87 million years old and has a 93% vertical grade – the sheerest cliff in North America. Climbers come from around the world to grapple with its legendary north face, but good hikers can reach its summit via a 17-mile round-trip trail from Yosemite Valley. The trail gains 4900ft in elevation and has cable handrails for the last 200yd. It's freaky and a few people have fallen and died.
Getting a Permit
The Half Dome cables usually go up at the end of May and come down the first week in October. To stem lengthy lines (and dangerous conditions), the park requires day hikers to obtain a cables permit through a lottery system. For more information, visit nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/hdpermits.htm.
At the Top
The summit is a mostly flat surface with mind-melting views in every direction. Snowfields tend to linger into spring after snowy winters, and marmots and chipmunks will approach for a snack (don't comply). Be sure to check out the Diving Board, a prominent rock on the west side of Half Dome where Ansel Adams snapped his famous photograph The Monolith.
