The hike starts on the Mist Trail
. The closest parking is the Yosemite Valley Trailhead Parking, located just past the Half Dome Village. From this parking lot, it is a half-mile walk down a service road to the Happy Isles Bridge and the start of the hike.
How long does it take to hike up Half Dome?
Most hikers take
10 to 12 hours
to hike to Half Dome and back; some take longer. If you plan on hiking during the day, it’s smart to leave around sunrise (or earlier) and then have a non-negotiable turn-around time. For instance, if you haven’t reached the top of Half Dome by 3:30 pm, you will turn around.
Which side of Half Dome is easiest to climb?
Snake Dike
is the easiest technical climbing route to the top of Half Dome, the most recognized rock feature in the United States.
How hard is it to hike Half Dome?
Difficulty: Extreme. It’s long, steep at the beginning and end, and more dangerous than most Yosemite hikes.
It’s probably the most difficult of all Yosemite day hikes
. On the traditional 1 to 10 scale, this one rates an 11.
Has anyone fallen off Half Dome?
13 people have died scaling Half Dome since the national park was established
, and there have been around 300 accidents there, as the Chronicle notes. And many of those accidents have involved the smooth granite portion near the top of the cliff edge where Thursday’s accident occurred.
Do I need a harness for Half Dome?
Do I Need A Harness?
Most people do not use a harness to climb Half Dome
. That said, some do and it’s the optimal way to ensure safety (and peace of mind) while ascending and descending the cables. If heights make you nervous, we highly recommend wearing a harness or not attempting this section of the hike.
Is Half Dome El Capitan?
El Capitan in Yosemite National Park
rises nearly 3,600 feet above the valley floor (7,500 feet above sea level) making it one of the most prominent features in the park. One of the largest exposed pieces of granite in the world, this behemoth attracts rock climbers from aroundthe world.
How do you rock climb Half Dome?
There are generally two approaches used by climbers: 1)
Hike up from Happy Isles up the Mist Trail through Little Yosemite Valley
(approx. 8 miles to the shoulder of Half Dome). 2) Head over from Happy Isles past Mirror Lake and hike up the “Death Slabs”.
Can you drive up to Half Dome?
You can drive your own vehicle into and around Yosemite
. Shuttle buses are not mandatory, but are recommended (except in 2021, when they are not available).
Can you hike El Capitan?
The El Capitan Trail is a 15 mile hike in Yosemite National Park
that drops you off at the top of El Capitan, offering stunning views of Taft Point, Dewey Point, Half Dome, Clouds Rest, and North Dome. The hike is difficult but rewarding, offering views that can hardly be matched anywhere else.
Which way does Half Dome face?
The Regular
Northwest
Face of Half Dome is one of the most prized climbing routes in the world. Over five days in 1957, Royal Robbins, Mike Sherrick, and Jerry Gallwas pioneered the route’s first ascent, a momentous achievement at the time.
Which is scarier Half Dome or Angels Landing?
I’ve hiked both trails, and must admit the final stretch to the summit of
Half Dome
is scarier and, indeed, very likely more dangerous than the trail up Angels Landing. Nowhere on Angels Landing does the trail head up a 600-foot stretch of slick granite that at points reaches a 45-degree angle.
Is Half Dome scary?
It is completely fine to turn back as
this is a genuinely scary section of hiking
. It is far worse than anything we’ve ever seen in a decade of hiking around the world (Angels Landing has nothing on Half Dome). So if you’re not sure, just go and see it for yourself!
What to do if you have to use the bathroom while hiking?
- Squat as low as possible. …
- Pay attention to the ground slope. …
- Be mindful of the wind direction. …
- Pack out your toilet paper. …
- Use a pee rag instead of toilet paper. …
- Consider other alternatives to toilet paper. …
- Try using a female urination device. …
- Consider wearing a hiking skirt instead of pants.
Have people died climbing the Half Dome?
Since 2005, there have been at least 13 deaths
, 291 accidents and 140 search-and-rescue missions on Half Dome (2010 data not included). Before 2010, up to 1,200 people per day attempted the climb.
What is the hardest hike in Utah?
- Mt. Raymond. Distance: 7.8-mile out-and-back. …
- Mt. Nebo North. Distance: 8.7-mile out-and-back. …
- Fish Lake Loop. Distance: 9.4-mile loop. Elevation Gain: 2,400 feet. …
- Frary Peak. Distance: 6.3-mile out-and-back. Elevation Gain: 2,030 feet. …
- Squaw Peak. Distance: 7.1-mile out-and-back.
Which national park has most deaths?
Going by its per-capita death rate, Denali is by far the most dangerous national park—ten times more so than
Great Smoky Mountains
, which sees less than one death per million visitors.
Are you attached to the cables at Half Dome?
Are you “most people?”
No, you are just you
.
But nevertheless, here are a few observations: At the end of the day, only a small percentage of Half Dome hikers have ever used any safety gear other than the cables themselves. The vast majority of them have gotten up and down just fine.
How fit do you have to be to hike Half Dome?
The trail up Half Dome is very steep and very slippery. This is not the place to confront your fears. You must have
a very good level of physical fitness
. You will be climbing (and then descending) 5,500 feet.
Do I need gloves for Half Dome?
Gloves:
Proper gloves are a must on the Half Dome Cables
. Any hardware store will carry nitrile utility work gloves that would be suitable for this hike. Nitrile coated gloves are lightweight and work best. Latex gloves with extra ‘rubberized’ grip are very good too, but some people are allergic to latex.
What makes the dawn wall so difficult to free climb?
Because the route is not a crack climb
, the style of climbing involved grabbing some of the tiniest, most frictionless holds imaginable. Climbers prefer cold conditions because they believe friction is better between their skin and the rock.
Is El Capitan the hardest climb?
Looming over Yosemite Valley, El Capitan is widely regarded as the most brutal challenge in rock climbing. Nearly 3,000 feet (900 meters) high, this California summit attracts climbers from all over the world, but few can say they’ve truly tamed it.
How many flights of stairs is Half Dome?
Half Dome has an elevation of 8,844 feet and sits 4,737 feet above the valley floor. It takes an equivalent
473 flights
of stairs to reach the top, which means 118 trips from the First Floor Lantern to the McFadden-Willis Reading Room.
What is the angle of Half Dome cables?
It is essentially a
45-degree angle in the beginning, which seems like a 60-degree angle in the middle and then another 45-degree angle at the end
. In the middle, there are also granite steps of around a foot each that you will need to step up onto while pulling yourself up with the cables.
How did Danielle Burnett fall?
Last week a 29-year-old woman fell 500-feet to her death
while hiking up Half Dome in Yosemite National Park in California
. Danielle Burnett was climbing the steepest part of the climb up the cables near the summit of Half Dome when she fell down steep, rocky terrain.
