clack clack
You take a deep breath in
And view this:
This formation is known as 'Half Dome' and is an iconic emblem of Yosemite National Park. It is a granite formation located in the eastern end of Yosemite Valley. The formation looks like a dome cut in half due to the structure of each side. It has an elevation of 8,800 feet above sea level and 5,800 feet above Yosemite Valley. Despite its high elevation and steep terrain, many tourists hike this sterneous path to the very top of Yosemite Valley.
Hiking to the top of Half Dome is about a 14 to 16 mile round-trip hike. An elevation gain of around 4,800 feet is expected when hiking to the top. Lots of hikers say the journey is worth the reward, but not without the pain that comes with it. In order to hike up Half Done, a permit is required. Permits can only be acquired at a preseason lottery for the entire hiking season. A maximum of 300 permits are awarded per day, which is beneficial for the hikers as an overcrowding of people would cause lots of traffic when hiking up these trails.
The trail typically takes hikers 10 to 12 hours round trip. It is recommended that you leave during sunrise, or else there will not be enough time to complete the trip during daylight. If hikers have not reached the top of Half Dome by 3:30 pm, it is recommended that they turn around and start to descend.
The most famous part of the trail is the Half Dome cables. Two metal cables hang down from the summit to allow for the hikers to climb up the steep terrain without hiking equipment. Here is a video of someone using the Half Dome cables (skip to the 2 minute part):
As you can see, the ascent up is very dangerous and would not be possible without these metal cables. Relatively few people have died from using these cables but injuries do occur every year.
Most tourists do not hike on this trail and instead view half dome from glacier point, which is one of the best views in the world:
Glacier View offers more than just views of half dome. The two waterfalls are Lower and Upper Yosemite Falls, making a stunning view of the parks natural beauty. The journey to this view was about a 45 minute drive, which was a beautiful scene for the sunset
Overall, Yosemite offers beautiful views of their terrain with many viewpoints. Hiking up Half Dome one day would be pretty spectacular and extremely dangerous at the same time. I hope you have enjoyed these blogs and the photos!
Sources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1szBvmoDgE (Not my video)