Half Dome

[tekewin]

My wife and I drove up to Yosemite to climb Half Dome on 7/7/2016. We stopped at Glacier Point the day before to scope it out. She just started hiking with me this year and her reaction at seeing it the first time was "oh, god". It looks more imposing from Glacier Point than from the trail on the other side. We started up the Mist Trail at 4:15 AM to beat the crowds and there were only a few other people on the cables when we got there. The crowds got bad later in the day. The scenery is stunning pretty much the whole way. I've posted the highlights here and a link to a photosphere from the summit. The full report is here if you want the gritty details.


Half Dome with Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall visible lower right


Trail sign at the start


Vernal Fall, source of the mist on the Mist Trail (shot on the way back)


Liberty Cap just below Nevada Fall


Nevada Fall, 594' of gushing white water


South face of Half Dome, Sub Dome on the right


Approaching Sub Dome


Slabby section near the top of Sub Dome


Start of the cables, only a few people around this early


Looking down at Sub Dome, almost half way up


Leisa working her way up


Sideview looking east


Standing on the visor, a nice couple from Georgia took the pic


View down the north face




Starting back down, rubber coated gloves mandatory for the cables

Photosphere from the summit

[Girl Hiker]

Nice report! This is my second time reading it
Still trying to get you know who to take me there soon!

[Mike P]

Nice!

[JeffH]

Great trip. I was there the same day but didn't go to the Valley.
Did you hike both Glacier Point and Half Dome?

[tekewin]

JeffH,

We drove up to Glacier Point the day before, then hiked Half Dome from Happy Isles trailhead.

[VermillionPearlGirl]

Wow, I've never seen the cables empty like that