One Best Hike: Yosemite's Half Dome »

The most popular route to Half Dome’s summit is a grueling 16-mile round-trip trek with 10,800 feet in elevation gain and loss. Although the hike is non-technical, with hikers climbing fixed cables up the granite, many would-be hikers are hesitant about this potentially risky trip. How fit should you be? What preparations do you need to make? What should you bring? How should you pace yourself during the day? Author and seasoned Half Dome hiker Rick Deutsch provides the authoritative step-by-step guide to planning and completing this superb one-day hike with safety advice, insider information, detail, and reassurance found nowhere else.

Yosemite Locator Map     vi
Preface     ix
Introduction     1
The History of Yosemite and Half Dome     5
The First Ascent of Half Dome     9
An Overview of the Half Dome Hike     13
Leave No Trace     16
Precautions     17
Intensity     17
Weather     18
Altitude Sickness     20
Mosquitoes     21
Ticks     21
Waterborne Critters     22
The Falls     23
Falling     25
Bears and Mountain Lions     27
Preparations     31
Getting There     31
Highway 120 Westbound     32
Highway 41     32
Highway 140     33
Highway 120 Eastbound     33
Accommodations     40
Curry Village     40
Tent Cabins     42
Wood Cabins     43
Tent Camping     43
Housekeeping Camp     43
In-Park Motels/Hotels     44
Outside-the-Park Accommodations     44
Entrance to the Park     45
Conditioning     45
What toBring     48
Water     48
Water Bottles     53
Food     53
Clothes     55
Shoes     55
Socks     57
Shorts     57
Shirt     58
Hat     58
Other essentials     59
Blister Pack     59
Facecloth     59
Sunglasses     59
Trekking Poles/Gloves     59
Fanny Pack/Daypack     61
Rain Gear     61
Cell Phones     62
Emergency Supplies     63
Checklist     65
Youth Involvement     65
When to Go     67
Hiking Half Dome     69
Starting at Curry Village     73
Half Dome Trail Map     70
Elevation Profile     71
Mileage marker sign     75
Vernal Fall Bridge     77
Top of Vernal Fall     81
Silver Apron Bridge     81
Little Yosemite Valley     83
Half Dome-John Muir Trail Split     85
The Little Spring     85
View of Half Dome and Sub Dome     87
Base of the cables      90
Apex of Half Dome     94
The Little Spring: again     98
Little Yosemite Valley: again     98
Junction of Mist and John Muir Trails     99
Nevada Fall Bridge     100
Vernal Fall Bridge: again     104
Mileage marker sign: again     104
After the Hike     105
Information Sources     107
Books     107
Other Printed Matter     108
Websites     108
Phone Numbers     109
About the Author     110
Index     111