flâneur

Half Dome Hike Guide

hikingguy.com · 2,969 words · saved by 1 readers

I've hiked Half Dome for 20+ years: here's my playbook for landing the permit, gearing up, and safely handling the 400-foot cables. 16 miles, 5,200 feet.

Yosemite National Park Updated August 2026 The final 400 feet of Half Dome is a 45-degree cabled climb up bare granite. Your reaction to cables, not the miles, decides whether you finish or not. Having done this 8 times over the years, I don’t do it much now because the cables are not fun for me anymore. That said, everyone should try it at least once. Here’s my advice on doing it safely and successfully, from the permit to the summit. Distance16 mi DifficultyVery Hard Total Climbing5200 ft Time9–12 hrs When Late May to mid-October (cables up) Route Out-and-back, up Mist Trail and…

saved by

related reading