How to Hike Half Dome in a Day

A strong hiker of any age can walk from the Yosemite Valley floor to the top of Half Dome - and back - in a day. Here's how you can make the grade.

Difficulty: Moderately challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Hiking Boots
• Ponchos Or Raincoat
• Maps
• Bottled Water
• First Aid Kits
• Insect Repellents
• Sunscreen
• Tennis Balls
• Maps

Get in Shape

1. Begin training at least two months in advance.

2. Go for long training hikes - at least 8 miles, preferably 15 miles or more - at least once a week. (The round-trip hike to the top of Half Dome is about 17 miles.)

3. Hike in the mountains at an altitude above 3,000 feet, if possible.

4. Climb stairs whenever you can. Occasionally, take two steps at a time. (Part of the trail to Half Dome is on irregular stone staircases.)

5. Do pull-ups and other upper-body exercises. (The last 700 yards of the Half Dome trail has cable handrails that require lots of arm strength.)

6. Work on your grip by squeezing tennis balls. You'll need a good grip to pull yourself along the cable handrails.

Hike the Mountain

7. Choose a long day to attempt your hike - you'll need all the daylight you can get. (June 21 is the longest day of the year.)

8. Get to Yosemite early - ideally, a day or two before you plan to hike. This gives your body a chance to adjust to the altitude.

9. Pack lots of water, lunch, a map, raincoat or poncho, first aid kit, mosquito repellent, sunscreen and gloves.

10. Dress in layers.

11. Start hiking early - before first light, if possible. This way, you get maximum hours of daylight and morning coolness.

12. Start at Happy Isles trailhead. Begin up the Mist Trail, and follow the signs.

13. Keep up a good pace in the cool of the morning. It's OK to take more time coming down than going up.

14. Wear gloves on the cables.

15. Take the John Muir trail on the return trip rather than fight the crowds on the Mist Trail. The hike is longer, but more pleasant.

Tips & Warnings

• Hike with a group, so you can encourage and watch out for each other.
• If you have room, consider bringing extra socks, a camera, a water purifier and binoculars.
• Purify water from the river before you drink it.
• Listen to your body. If you get tired, rest along the way. Every mile you hike out, you have to hike back.
• If a thunderstorm appears, do not go up Half Dome! Lightning regularly strikes the rock.
• Lodging can be hard to get in Yosemite in the summer, so plan ahead for where you will stay.
• The elevation gain for this hike is 4,800 feet, with some steep grades. Only attempt the hike if you have trained for it and are in good aerobic shape.

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[josephherrera]

on 9/30/2009 I am 35, and a former Marine, Vet. I have done Half Dome several times now, and gotten out of shape as the years have passed. I did it without training and really out of shape last year going off of muscle memory and pure embarrasment at how much out of shape I was. I kept a pretty solid pace, but WATER was an issue, I packed plenty of it, and had drank more than half by the time I got to little Dome, but did not bring a filter. I found myself bartering on the way down for water. Lucky for me I found some cute girls on the switchbacks, filtering water that were willing to trade granola bars and beef jerky for filtered water. Upon catching my breath and rehydrating, I noticed that the cute girls were now hairy Euro chicks, which helped me realize the lack of water was making me dizzy. ( I felt like throwing up so food was not desireable to me at that point ) WATER is key for the trip ...

[deaconblues]

on 7/15/2008 I am a 31 year old male and I did this in 11 1/2 hours round trip completely out of shape (beer gut/smoker) and with zero advance training. After some initial resistance from my body on the mist trail, I got into a groove after breaking in little yosemite valley and then hitting the switch backs in the forrest. Trekking poles were extremely helpful for me. Quarter Dome was definitely the most difficult part on the way up and it comes when the top feels very close, but it's not. Definitely need water/gataorade/water purifier. I went through about a gallon and a half of fluid on the way up and provided others without water with the use of my filter and that was on a relatively cool day at 85 degrees. You'd be surprised how many hikers end up with no water on the way down. The way down is grueling and hard on the knees and ankles. Took the John Muir trail down from the top of Nevada

[gchance]

on 6/21/2007 Ditto to everything everyone else has said, but I need to add two things I learned through experience (I went up on June 13)...

- Make sure your shoes/boots fit in the toes
- Trim your toenails

I wear a size 6 1/2, but my hiking shoes are 7. I've had them a year with no problems, but I had never hiked 8 miles downhill in them before. Add to this the fact that I didn't trim my toenails. My toenails hit the end of the shoes the entire trip back which was EXTREMELY painful. No blisters at all, no hotspots, but when I took off my shoes & socks my big toes were purple. I had to buy some Tevas in the Yosemite Village store just to be able to walk. I couldn't wear normal shoes for about 4 days after. Learn from others' experiences.

[TheCoach]

on 2/28/2007 Lots of hiking is the best way to prepare for Half Dome. Do a lot of stair climbing! Hiking up Quarter Dome, just before Half Dome, is the most grueling part of the hike. To prepare I climbed stairs for up to two hours non-stop, and this made all the difference. I cannot recommend this enough to anyone.

For the cables put on the gardening gloves with the black rubber dots. They are about $2/pair and grip better than expensive leather gloves.

You'll need at least a gallon of drinking fluids. In addition to drinking water I drank Gatorade and Propel. Consider bringing a filtered pump. This will lighten the weight of the backpack. DO NOT DRINK WATER FROM THE RIVER WITHOUT FILTERING IT!

I brought at least ten nutrition bars to snack on and some fruit.

Do not eat a large breakfast. Keep in mind that the final bathroom is at the top of Nevada Fall. That means you'll walk 10 miles round-trip without a bathroom. Pack a roll of toilet paper inside a Zip Lock bag. Bring 3 extra t-shirts, an extra pair of socks, a hat (there is no shade on top of the dome) and a towel to wipe away the perspiration. Keep the towel ready in your waistband. Bring sweat-resistance sunscreen, and re-apply during the hike. Bring inspect repellant. Some have sunscreen.

I was very happy wearing trail shoes instead of heavier boots.

My partner used hiking poles. I did not. I felt they would be cumbersome. I never felt like I need hiking poles at anytime. It's a personal preference; do whatever makes your hike comfortable.

On average it is about six hours to the top, and five hours down. I spent an hour at the top for a twelve hour day. Plan your hike around the 21st of June for the maximum amount of sunlight. Avoid weekends!!! It may take two hours or longer with crowds just to go up the cables on a busy Fri, Sat or Sun. Pack a flashlight just in case. Plan to finish the hike before sunset.

Hike down the John Muir trail. It's a mile longer, easier on the joints than the Mist Trail, and well worth it.

I'll be up there again in June. Have fun!

on 9/14/2006 Having poles makes the hike so much easier. When on the Mist Trail you hit seemingly endless amount of stairs, then right before the cables are more steep stairs. Having poles is like having handrails, you use your arms and not just your legs on all those stairs when going up. More importantly, when going down the poles give you stability and added confidence. This is needed since your legs may be weak from the hike up. Go to Target and invest a minimal amount (like $30) for two Eddie Bauer poles.