About This Route
Half Dome's 14.2-mile round-trip via Mist Trail from Yosemite Valley summits 4,800 feet to the iconic 8,844-foot granite dome, requiring a permit for the cables section. This bucket-list hike includes Vernal and Nevada Falls, Sub Dome, and the infamous cables; NPS mandates permits due to overcrowding and falls. YOSAR logs highlight dehydration and cable injuries as primary risks.
Safety Considerations
Secure a permit via recreation.gov; cables demand gloves like leather work gloves from REI. Hydrate aggressively: 1 gallon minimum. Unbuckle waist straps near cables to shed packs if slipping. Avoid if afraid of heights or poor grip strength. Start at dawn to beat heat and crowds; turn back by noon if behind. Adhere to Leave No Trace: no litter on summit.
Essential Gear
ul>li>Leather gloves for cables/li>li>5L+ water and purification tablets/li>li>Headlamp with red light mode/li>li>High-energy snacks like Clif Bars/li>li>Satellite messenger like Garmin inReach/li>/ul>
Emergency Tips
On cables, yell for help and hold position; rescuers prioritize cables. Use inReach for coordinates; lightning risk high on summit, descend immediately if thunder.
This detailed protocol, informed by NPS and YOSAR, ensures safe summit bids on Yosemite's signature challenge.