Half Dome, Yosemite National Park
The mountains are calling and I must go. John Muir
Indeed a Dream Come True…
My friend won the Half Dome lottery and invited me to join her on this fantastic hike.
You can access Yosemite daily without a permit. However, to hike Half Dome, you need to get a permit in advance. Based on my research, permits for day hikers are distributed by lottery via Recreation.gov, with one preseason lottery with a March application period and daily lotteries during hiking season. Backpackers—including those who plan to spend the night in Little Yosemite Valley—should apply for Half Dome permits with their wilderness permit rather than using the process described above.
We could not book a cabin inside the park. Everything was sold out for our dates, so we decided to stay outside the park. Even though it was only 5 minutes from the entrance, we still had to drive an hour to get to the John Muir trailhead.
We parked in the Curry Village area, which has parking spaces, a few restaurants, and a rest area. This is the closest you can park to the actual trail.
As you guys know, I live in San Diego, California. We left super early, around 4 a.m. on Friday, to avoid L.A. traffic. Without traffic, it's about a 6-7 hour drive. We decided to go to the park and have lunch at the village, and also figure out parking and our whereabouts before our hike.
Half Dome is approximately a 14-16-mile hike, and it is recommended to start early because it takes around 12 hours from start to finish. We woke up at about 4 a.m., and by the time we started our hike, it was 6 a.m. We picked the Mist Trail, which is a short but steep hike with lots of steps. It follows the Merced River, starting Isles in Yosemite Valley, past Vernal Fall and Emerald Pool, to Nevada Fall. It is an amazing opportunity to see all the falls, but it was definitely a hard way to start our Half Dome hike.
If I did it again, I would not take this route, mainly because it is so steep and has so many steps. Instead, I would stay on the John Muir path, even though it is longer. The Mist Trial is beautiful and a must-see, but I would not do it on the same day as Half Dome.
The path to Half Dome is perfectly signed and easy to navigate. We did not use any map or navigation to guide us on our hike.
There is one bathroom along the way where the Mist Trail connects with the John Muir Trail. Otherwise, if you need to go number one or number two, you must get creative. Please always be considerate and clean up after yourself. Don't just throw away your toilet paper. Take a backcountry bidet or plastic bag to collect your wipes, toilet paper, or waste. You are here to enjoy nature. Please keep it clean and environmentally friendly.
From the base, where rangers check your tickets, there is about half a mile to the Half Dome cables. We spent about 2-3 hours on this part of the hike. Going up, taking pictures, eating our snacks, resting, and coming down. Depending on when and what time of year you go, it can take longer due to having to wait in line. When we went, it was not busy. We had to wait for a little while going up the cables, which was a good break for my arms and legs.
On the way back, we used the John Muir Trail, which passes by the river. There are parts of the river that you can swim in. Make sure to read the signs; there are also places where swimming is not permitted. The water is super cool. Some people did a quick swim, but I just soaked my feet. It's an excellent way to recharge after the rest of the hike.
Things to take with you
--Gloves are a MUST. Make sure you get good ones. I ordered mine through Amazon, and they were horrible. I could not pull myself up; my hands would slide down. I ended up changing them out with my friend on the way back.
-- Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Water, water, and more water. It's better to stop and pee than be dehydrated and pass out or not be able to finish the hike. A good option is those liquid I.V. powders that you can add to your water.
-- Snacks. Pack what you prefer. I chose things that were light, but filling, like protein bars, nuts, dates, and cucumbers.
--Hiking shoes. If you are thinking of going with running shoes or just some random shoes, just don't go. LOL. It is not just that it is a long hike. Climbing up Half Dome is something else. You need shoes that will not slide and will keep you safe.
--Hiking poles. These were my saviors. I am glad I took them with me.
