Growing up, I had always dreamed of hiking Half Dome in Yosemite National Park. This past July, with my senior year of college drawing near, I decided to make that dream reality and finally make the climb. The journey was difficult but more than rewarding. If you are thinking about giving it a try, here are some tips to make the trip a little easier.
Due to overcrowding on the cables, Yosemite now requires a permit to climb Half Dome Friday through Sunday. Permits are available through the National Park Service website up to four months in advance and sell out quickly. You can still hike without a permit Monday through Thursday. Once you make the decision to go, hit the gym right away.
I was lucky enough to be hiking with a friend whose mom is a physical therapist. She gave us a few great tips for training that I am going to pass on to you. Saying the hike to Half Dome is steep is an understatement. You want your workout plan to reflect the conditions you will be hiking in. One machine you cannot use enough before you go is the stair stepper. The path is full of rock stairs regardless of which trail you take. If you take the Mist trail, you’ll be climbing stairs for over a mile straight. Also, since you will be walking at an incline, use the treadmill on the highest incline level.
The last four hundred feet of the hike is a journey up Half Dome itself on cables at a 75 degree angle. Having strong legs will help, but you mainly rely on your arms to pull you up. Make sure to include a variety of weight lifting in your workout plan.
If you go to the gym steadily beforehand, it will really pay off. You do not need to be in incredible shape to do the hike, but training helps. I started going to the gym in March fairly consistently up until my trip in mid-July. By the time I made it back to the hostel, I had dead legs. Climbing Half Dome is 30% physical strength, and 70% will power.
The Half Dome cables are generally up May through October, and accommodations fill up months in advance. My favorite place to stay is in the cabins at Curry Village. There are also several campgrounds in the valley.
If you cannot get accommodations in the valley, the Yosemite Bug Hostel is located about an hour’s drive away. The distance definitely makes it difficult to hit the trail early, but the Yosemite Bug’s charm is worth the time. They have dorm rooms, cabins, and even houses you can rent out. The hostel also doubles as a day spa. Make sure you ask the
front desk how to get to the water hole; it is the perfect way to cool down during the day. Wherever you stay, make sure you arrive a couple of days before your hike to allow yourself to adjust to the altitude.
You want to start the hike by 6 a.m. in order to give yourself enough time to complete it before dark (the hike is 14 to 16 miles roundtrip). The air will be cooler then, and Yosemite is famous for having late afternoon lightening storms, which would prohibit you from climbing the cables. Start from the Happy Isles trail head, and keep in mind that the buses do not start until 7am, so you will have to drive or walk to the trailhead yourself. From there you have two trail options: the Mist Trail is shorter, but very physically demanding. The John Muir trail is a couple miles longer, but less steep and much easier. I have taken both and I would strongly recommend the John Muir trail. You need all the energy you can get, and the Mist Trail will exhaust you. Both trails meet up at Nevada Falls.
When packing for the hike take more than you think you need. Four liters is the recommended amount of water. I would recommend taking at least 5 liters of water that contain electrolytes (such as Smart Water), or a water filter. Everyone in my group brought at least the recommended amount, and almost everyone ran out of water at the beginning of the hike down. The only fill-up station is located at Vernal Falls a couple miles from the valley floor. Food is also an essential for the hike; bring more food than you think you’ll need, and eat before you get hungry to keep your energy levels high.
The cables require a few additional items. Full finger gloves will protect your hands. I purchased thick gardening gloves, and even though they were torn up by the end of the climb, they worked perfectly. To keep yourself from slipping as you climb wear shoes with as much grip as possible. You will have to pause for other climbers on the way up and shoes with grip will help keep you in place. I also strongly recommend wearing a harness. It is possible to slip and fall on the climb, and one hiker has died from this type of accident. If you get a harness, runner, and carabiner, you can attach yourself to the cables and free yourself from worry. One hiker offered to buy my harness from me on Half Dome for the steep trip down. It is not required, but I would never climb Half Dome without it.
All of the miles you have traveled will be worth it once you make it to the top. You will have experienced the park in a way that most visitors never will. The scenery is unlike anything you have ever seen. A ranger said that 90% of people who climb Half Dome only see the view on the right; make sure you see the left side too.
Climbing Half Dome was simultaneously the most difficult and most incredible experience I have ever had. The best way to learn about yourself truly is to challenge yourself.
Written by guest writer, Lauren Stroud, who hiked Half Dome in Yosemite National Park with friends in July 2010. Check out her blog, Lauren to the Fullest.
Yosemite National Park | http://www.AllYosemite.com
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