Half Dome

USA / California / Oakhurst /
 mountain, summit, nature conservation park / area, natural monument
Elevation 8836 ft (2,693 meters)
Yosemite National Park.

Half Dome is perhaps Yosemite's most iconic image. Located almost 5,000 feet above the valley floor, it is a granite monolith in the shape from which it derives it name. One of the most popular hikes in Yosemite is to the summit.

The yellow outline traces the 8,000 foot elevation contour, but note that the true contour interval for the northwest face is hidden from this view, behind and below the edge of the cliff.

www.yosemitehikes.com/yosemite-valley/half-dome/half-do...
peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=2611
www.topoquest.com/map.php?lat=37.74609&lon=-119.53231&d...
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half_Dome
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   37°44'40"N   119°31'56"W

Comments

  • Words of caution for anyone making Half Dome a day hike. It can take up to 12 hours from the valley campgrounds, to the top, and back again. At the base of Half Dome are guide cables to assist you with the 45 degree upward slope climb to the summit. BE SURE TO HAVE HEAVY DUTY WORK GLOVES FOR THE CABLES to protect your hands. If there's a threat of thunderclouds, it is advisable to STAY AWAY from the cables to avoid electrocution from lightning strikes. The summit is about the size of three football fields. The rounded part of the dome is interesting to walk on, that is, it's a gradual downhill slope that a person can keep walking on and before one knows it, the slope gets steep enough that a person can take a thousand foot fall. Carry plenty of water and take rest breaks. You'll get up to over 8,000 feet elevation during the hike, and for sea level people, altitude sickness is a possibility.
  • Permits are now required to hike up to Half Dome. This is to restrict the number of hikers to a maximum of 400 per day. This system is designed to relieve congestion at the cables. For more details, see http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/hdpermits.htm
  • Another death occurred when someone fell from here.
This article was last modified 6 years ago