Half Dome (Yosemite National Park, California)

I've been trying to get Half Dome cable permits for the last couple of years to no avail. This year, though, I got lucky and was able to secure some. Half Dome, for those that might be unaware, is the iconic granite monolith on the south (right side as you look into the valley) side of Yosemite Valley. I hiked it about ten years ago, prior to the lottery system being implemented. The lottery system is designed to limit the number of daredevils, and therefore the danger of, climbing the steel cables which make up the climax of the hike.

I invited several of my friends to join me, but due to prior obligations or overall unpreparedness for the trek that is Half Dome, most had to decline. Two brave co-workers, Bill and Van, did take me up on it though. Van also brought along his 13 year-old son, Logan. I have hiked with both Bill and Van in the past and had no concerns with there ability to do the hike, even though it was their first time.

Knowing this would be an all day affair, we left Reno at 4:00 AM and started the four hour drive to Yosemite Valley. While the park is only about two and a half hours from Reno, getting to the valley itself is another 90 or so minutes on top of that. We arrived at Curry Village at about 8:30 AM and found parking in the very busy lot. After checking to ensure we were all geared up, we departed the lot and headed the half-mile or so towards the trail head.

The trail to the top of Half Dome is a long extension to the Mist Trail, so named because it passes by a couple of famous waterfalls that give off a cooling mist to their vicinity. The first section of the well-traveled trail is broken pavement. As we make are way up the trail, alongside the Merced River, some of our fellow adventures point out a bobcat that had hidden from the crowds behind a large granite boulder. It's always nice to see the wildlife here in the park.

Continuing on, we begin hearing the rumbling of Nevada Falls in the distance. Eventually reaching a solidly constructed bridge over the racing river, we take a few minutes to get a snack and take advantage of the cool river water. While the trail has been relatively easy so far, I know what is to come and take full advantage of this short break and calorie stock-up. A cliff bar, some jerky, and another breakfast make for a good calorie boost. My companions and I admire Half Dome in the distance and I point out the path that we will follow up the backside of the mighty monolith. Even though I have hiked the trail before, looking at it from this perspective is still somewhat daunting. We break from our makeshift lunch spot and hit the trail hard once again. 

I'm feeling extremely good and I push the pace pretty hard. Bill, Van, and Logan do a great job of keeping up as we continue up the path. My last time on this trail, I suffered a pretty severe knee injury and while I finished the hike on that trip, I could barely walk for the two days afterwards. This trip, it was Van who would suffer from a similar issue. His quads started seizing up at about the half way mark and we slowed our pace a bit to give him time to recover. An electrolyte boost and he tries to give it another go, but tells me to go on without him. He will either join us on top or wait for us at the top of Nevada Falls.

With arrangements made, I start pushing the pace hard once again. As we continue on up the trail, we finally reach the turn and can see the cables ahead of us . . . calling to us. Once again, we stop for a bit before the final push up the mountain. Van and Logan rejoin us and resolve to complete the trail. Just about that time, a small rattlesnake decides to cross the trail in front of us and of course, I have to take a shot of the little guy.

The climb up Sub Dome is made up of a series of crisscrossing granite-carved steps and sheets of granite that must be navigated to reach the saddle between Sub Dome and Half Dome. These steps are a killer on the knees and a fall in any direction could easily be fatal. The danger factor is increased by the fact that people are going up and down the steps at the same time and often must figure out a way to pass by each other. The heat of the day is upon us and there is no where to go but up beyond the tree-line. I'm not sure if trees are absent because of the elevation or simply because the surface is far too steep for anything to grip on very well. Either way the sun beats down on us pretty hard as we force ourselves up the steps.

Reaching the saddle, we put on our gloves and wait our turn to start up the cables. While this is not necessarily a matter of rock-climbing, it does requite a fair amount of upper-body strength. The cables are spaced about 4 feet apart and attached to the mountainside via being threaded through the eyes of steel poles that have been drilled into the granite. The pairs of poles are spaced about 12 feet apart and in most cases have a 2 x 4 laid over and attached to the poles. These boards are the saving grace of the climb as it allows adventurers to take a portion of the weight off of their arms periodically. The climb is hard and many of the individuals on the cables, both going up and coming down, are obviously frightened. Rightfully so, a misstep could easily be deadly, but we eventually reach the summit. I wait for my companions and we all take a breather before exploring the much flatter summit. 

The views from up here are truly amazing. A 360 degree view of Yosemite is the reward for our hard work. Looking over the sheer face of Half Dome, one is looking nearly a mile straight down to the valley floor. It is not for the meek or those scared of heights. The day is winding down and after about 45-minutes of relaxing and exploring, we begin to make our way down the cables. Down is easier and much more about control that exertion. The danger is also a bit greater as the granite is very slick. Descending safely is simply a matter of paying close attention to one's contact points and ensuring that one hand is move at at a time.

As we hit the bottom, we agree that we want to get back to the trail head pretty quick and so we push hard. Looking at my Walkmeter application and the ground we are covering, I think we were doing 15 minute miles for a good portion of the return trip. My water is running very low and once we reach Nevada Falls, I pull out the Life Straw that was a Christmas Present a couple of years ago and begin to take refreshment from the cool river passing by.

We decide to take a slightly different path back to the car, which will take us past Vernal Falls. While we are ware that this path is much steeper, it is also about a mile-and-a-half shorter and gives us access to some new landmarks to see. Once we reach the falls, we are rewarded by a cooling mist bouncing off of the rocks. It feels amazing for those of us that sweaty, sore, and tired from a long day's hike.

We arrive back at the car at dusk and take a few minutes to wipe the grit, dirt, and sweat off before heading to the Awanhee to grab a bite to eat. All in all, it was a 21-mile hike and is certainly, one of the most difficult I have ever done. I think everyone really enjoyed themselves though and I would highly recommend this trail to anyone that wants to challenge themselves.