Got an early start (4am), and made it to the summit before the hordes arrived. Down in the valley, it was over 100F in the early afternoon!
Zarathustra - Mar 21, 2011 10:55 pm Date Climbed: Aug 19, 2011
Mist Trail up -> cables -> JMT down
This was truly one of the most beautiful and rewarding hikes I've ever done. I heartily second all the rave reviews of other climbers. That said, here's what kinda sucked about it. There were a ton of people on the trail, even though it was a Thursday. I guess there's just no such thing as a slow day in Yosemite in August. Sharing the trail is fine, but lines at the cables represented a real bottleneck, and the real problem is the one or two people who freeze in terror on their way up or down.
The other thing is that the top of Half Dome actually presents a slightly disappointing view - in the sense that Yosemite's most defining feature isn't in sight because it's under your feet.
Bring a water filter and watch for the spring behind the log about 3/4 of the way up.
My party included my wife Lynda (aka Zarathustraswife), daughter Alexa (18), son Nathan (16), Sarah, David, Danny and Kellie.
Time on the trail (or lazing about off the trail): 6am - 6pm
Wildlife sightings included a pretty big rattlesnake, and Zack and Cody from the Disney Channel.
Zarathustraswife - Mar 21, 2011 4:18 pm Date Climbed: Aug 19, 2010
Mist Trail up, JMT down
This was the hardest hike to date that I have done. I hiked this with my husband, step-daughter, step-son, 2 brothers, sister and sister-in-law. We hiked the Mist trail up and the John Muir trail down. I believe we finished this hike in about 16 hours. The stairs at Mist trail and the ascent/descent of Sub-Dome were the most challenging parts of the hike for me. The hardest part about the cables was waiting for people who were too scared to move, holding up the line.
Kristin5berry - Feb 10, 2011 4:13 am Date Climbed: Jul 10, 2008
Great firsts
My first time to Yosemite and this climb changed my view for the great:)
mountainmatt - Feb 7, 2011 7:52 pm Date Climbed: Sep 19, 2006
Cables
Camped at Quarter Domes after another season in the High Sierra.
ShinLV - Feb 6, 2011 1:04 pm Date Climbed: Jul 18, 2010
11 days backpacking trip
I went to Yosemite for 11 days backpacking trip. On the 9th day, I started from top of Clouds Rest then hiked up to Half Dome, then down to Yosemite Valley.
It was 8,500 ft of total elevation Loss with 40lbs backpack. My trip album
GigaMike - Feb 4, 2011 12:43 am Date Climbed: Sep 25, 2010
From Tenaya
Hiked to Half Dome & Clouds Rest from Tenaya Lake. Perfect weather!
Matt Worster - Feb 3, 2011 1:40 pm Date Climbed: Aug 15, 2003
regular route
Yay cables!
Drewid - Dec 30, 2010 6:55 pm Date Climbed: Nov 25, 2000
Snake Dike
Have hiked it 3 times up the cables but finally bagged Snake Dike the day after Thanksgiving during a relatively warm spell back in like 2000. Sublime. "friction forever" after the climb ends is no lie, it's a classic calf burner. Descending the cables laying against the rock was interesting but easy.
I don't remember when, but I've hiked this a couple times. Need to come back for Snake Dike.
Joeyroo - Dec 12, 2010 9:01 pm Date Climbed: Sep 18, 2010
"Reverse" Route
I backpacked in from Tuolumne Meadows up to Clouds Rest to Half Dome then to the Valley.
Third time to Half Dome.
MtnDoser - Dec 10, 2010 2:21 pm Date Climbed: Aug 8, 2010
Half Domage
Amazing!!!!
webenji - Dec 2, 2010 5:29 am Date Climbed: May 17, 2008
Coolest Yosemite Hike
I have done this hike a few times now, always through the cable route as a day hike of 8-10 hours. The toughest was in 100F heat with 1.5 liters of water! It is one of the coolest hikes in Yosemite with the cables making it quite fun. Unfortunately you do not get the 360-view feeling (that you get on Cloud's rest or eagle peak, for example) because the top of the dome is so big.
ElGreco - Nov 27, 2010 2:30 pm Date Climbed: Nov 6, 2010
The Cables
Cables were down, but we practised and pitched it out with prusiks on the way up. Much slower than grabbing the cables and hauling, of course. Lots of traffic up there. The views were stunning, and all the waterfalls were pumping! Awesome hike (with elements of climbing thrown in).
jmatthys - Oct 22, 2010 9:28 pm Date Climbed: Jun 13, 2006
cables
Great time because I dragged my mom the whole way up
onramp36 - Oct 5, 2010 2:23 pm Date Climbed: Jul 4, 2009
Long day with friends
Hiked from Tenaya Lake to Cloud's Rest to Half Dome then down to the valley. Great long day with some old friends.
PellucidWombat - Oct 3, 2010 6:09 pm Date Climbed: Oct 2, 2010
Electrifying Cables Descent
Via Snake Dike with friends Daniel Honegger (my rope), Mike Shen , & Edward Lau. My friends were sport climbers, so Dan and I left my trad gear in for Mike & Ed to clip through for the first 2 pitches, then we climbed as completely separate teams for the rest. A great climb!
There was a helicopter MedEvac being conducted on the shoulder, so NPS rangers would not allow us to continue down beyond the base of the cables. As we waited a half hour or so for the pickup, we watched an afternoon thunderstorm barrel down on us. We weren't allowed to go down until the helicopter came and left, and by then it was lightly raining and lightning was almost upon us! (2 seconds or less between boom and flash). Since I was carrying a pack full of metal climbing gear, I had a good run down to the forest as a hail & lightning storm erupted around us.
A Bit - Sep 19, 2010 6:23 pm Date Climbed: Sep 16, 2010
Cable route
A great hike. It's not just about the cables. Started at Happy Isles TH and every bit of the trail was worth it.
Niels79 - Apr 16, 2011 10:19 pm Date Climbed: Aug 14, 2009
Halfdome night hikeFantastic view
Haddadb - Apr 16, 2011 12:39 pm Date Climbed: Jun 26, 2010
Great but long day hike.Climbed with Steven Bradley and Jon Berry from Happy Isles.
Monopole - Apr 12, 2011 4:17 pm
Hot DayGot an early start (4am), and made it to the summit before the hordes arrived. Down in the valley, it was over 100F in the early afternoon!
Zarathustra - Mar 21, 2011 10:55 pm Date Climbed: Aug 19, 2011
Mist Trail up -> cables -> JMT downThis was truly one of the most beautiful and rewarding hikes I've ever done. I heartily second all the rave reviews of other climbers. That said, here's what kinda sucked about it. There were a ton of people on the trail, even though it was a Thursday. I guess there's just no such thing as a slow day in Yosemite in August. Sharing the trail is fine, but lines at the cables represented a real bottleneck, and the real problem is the one or two people who freeze in terror on their way up or down.
The other thing is that the top of Half Dome actually presents a slightly disappointing view - in the sense that Yosemite's most defining feature isn't in sight because it's under your feet.
Bring a water filter and watch for the spring behind the log about 3/4 of the way up.
My party included my wife Lynda (aka Zarathustraswife), daughter Alexa (18), son Nathan (16), Sarah, David, Danny and Kellie.
Time on the trail (or lazing about off the trail): 6am - 6pm
Wildlife sightings included a pretty big rattlesnake, and Zack and Cody from the Disney Channel.
Zarathustraswife - Mar 21, 2011 4:18 pm Date Climbed: Aug 19, 2010
Mist Trail up, JMT downThis was the hardest hike to date that I have done. I hiked this with my husband, step-daughter, step-son, 2 brothers, sister and sister-in-law. We hiked the Mist trail up and the John Muir trail down. I believe we finished this hike in about 16 hours. The stairs at Mist trail and the ascent/descent of Sub-Dome were the most challenging parts of the hike for me. The hardest part about the cables was waiting for people who were too scared to move, holding up the line.
Kristin5berry - Feb 10, 2011 4:13 am Date Climbed: Jul 10, 2008
Great firstsMy first time to Yosemite and this climb changed my view for the great:)
mountainmatt - Feb 7, 2011 7:52 pm Date Climbed: Sep 19, 2006
CablesCamped at Quarter Domes after another season in the High Sierra.
ShinLV - Feb 6, 2011 1:04 pm Date Climbed: Jul 18, 2010
11 days backpacking tripI went to Yosemite for 11 days backpacking trip. On the 9th day, I started from top of Clouds Rest then hiked up to Half Dome, then down to Yosemite Valley.
It was 8,500 ft of total elevation Loss with 40lbs backpack.
My trip album
GigaMike - Feb 4, 2011 12:43 am Date Climbed: Sep 25, 2010
From TenayaHiked to Half Dome & Clouds Rest from Tenaya Lake. Perfect weather!
Matt Worster - Feb 3, 2011 1:40 pm Date Climbed: Aug 15, 2003
regular routeYay cables!
Drewid - Dec 30, 2010 6:55 pm Date Climbed: Nov 25, 2000
Snake DikeHave hiked it 3 times up the cables but finally bagged Snake Dike the day after Thanksgiving during a relatively warm spell back in like 2000. Sublime. "friction forever" after the climb ends is no lie, it's a classic calf burner. Descending the cables laying against the rock was interesting but easy.
seano - Dec 17, 2010 2:14 pm
CablesI don't remember when, but I've hiked this a couple times. Need to come back for Snake Dike.
Joeyroo - Dec 12, 2010 9:01 pm Date Climbed: Sep 18, 2010
"Reverse" RouteI backpacked in from Tuolumne Meadows up to Clouds Rest to Half Dome then to the Valley.
Third time to Half Dome.
MtnDoser - Dec 10, 2010 2:21 pm Date Climbed: Aug 8, 2010
Half DomageAmazing!!!!
webenji - Dec 2, 2010 5:29 am Date Climbed: May 17, 2008
Coolest Yosemite HikeI have done this hike a few times now, always through the cable route as a day hike of 8-10 hours. The toughest was in 100F heat with 1.5 liters of water! It is one of the coolest hikes in Yosemite with the cables making it quite fun. Unfortunately you do not get the 360-view feeling (that you get on Cloud's rest or eagle peak, for example) because the top of the dome is so big.
ElGreco - Nov 27, 2010 2:30 pm Date Climbed: Nov 6, 2010
The CablesCables were down, but we practised and pitched it out with prusiks on the way up. Much slower than grabbing the cables and hauling, of course. Lots of traffic up there. The views were stunning, and all the waterfalls were pumping! Awesome hike (with elements of climbing thrown in).
jmatthys - Oct 22, 2010 9:28 pm Date Climbed: Jun 13, 2006
cablesGreat time because I dragged my mom the whole way up
onramp36 - Oct 5, 2010 2:23 pm Date Climbed: Jul 4, 2009
Long day with friendsHiked from Tenaya Lake to Cloud's Rest to Half Dome then down to the valley. Great long day with some old friends.
PellucidWombat - Oct 3, 2010 6:09 pm Date Climbed: Oct 2, 2010
Electrifying Cables DescentVia Snake Dike with friends Daniel Honegger (my rope), Mike Shen , & Edward Lau. My friends were sport climbers, so Dan and I left my trad gear in for Mike & Ed to clip through for the first 2 pitches, then we climbed as completely separate teams for the rest. A great climb!
There was a helicopter MedEvac being conducted on the shoulder, so NPS rangers would not allow us to continue down beyond the base of the cables. As we waited a half hour or so for the pickup, we watched an afternoon thunderstorm barrel down on us. We weren't allowed to go down until the helicopter came and left, and by then it was lightly raining and lightning was almost upon us! (2 seconds or less between boom and flash). Since I was carrying a pack full of metal climbing gear, I had a good run down to the forest as a hail & lightning storm erupted around us.
A Bit - Sep 19, 2010 6:23 pm Date Climbed: Sep 16, 2010
Cable routeA great hike. It's not just about the cables. Started at Happy Isles TH and every bit of the trail was worth it.