“Would you like Half Dome permits?” asked the ranger a second time. Apparently, my girlfriend and I had not recognized his initial offer as legitimate. It was our first day in Yosemite National Park, and we had already accepted the fact that we would not be standing on top of one of the nation’s most iconic landmarks.
Months ago, when I applied for our backcountry permits, my request for a Half Dome pass was denied. No big deal, we thought, as Yosemite might just have a few other sights worthy of seeing. However, now that we were being offered permits as part of our revamped backcountry plan, it seemed like a very big deal indeed!
Because I can never leave well enough alone, I insisted our first stop in the park be at the Backcountry Permit Office in Tuolumne Meadows to change our travel plans. At 9:30am, the line outside the doors was already about fifteen people deep. Apparently, we were not the only camping snobs in the area. We didn’t get to enter the office and change things up until 11:30, but it turned out to be well worth it, as we not only got our ideal trailhead entry/exit point, but received the coveted Half Dome hiking pass as well! We reveled in our wisdom, enjoyed a day of sightseeing in the park, and geared up to set out on the John Muir Trail the next morning.
There are several approaches to Half Dome, the most popular of which is a long day hike beginning in the famed Yosemite Valley. Our route was more indirect: From Tuolumne Meadows, we hiked 16 miles south on the John Muir Trail. Ours was a three night out-and-back adventure; but, no matter how you arrive at Half Dome, the last 2 miles are the same for everyone. The push to the summit begins in a beautiful forest, and develops into a lung-busting, leg-beating, view-a-minute life list summit push.
After switchbacking our way up the first mile and a half of shaded trail, we finally arrived at the tree line, and the start of the “real” Half Dome hike. A volunteer at the base of Sub Dome checked our permit (the park is serious when it comes to the 300 hiker per day limit), and we were off! The lower Sub Dome ascent features a series of switchbacks on the smooth granite surface that must have taken a serious effort to carve. Major kudos to the folks who poured a lot of sweat onto that rock to make the journey a relatively easy one for today’s hikers! When we arrived at the top of the switchbacks, my mouth gaped at what was directly in front of me: the cables and final push to the top of Half Dome.
It’s important to share with you that I have a serious fear of heights, crippling at times. Yes, I like to summit mountains and ride steep, deep powder, but that doesn’t mean I’m not about to soil my drawers most of the time. Half Dome was no exception; in fact, while putting on gloves at the base of the cables, I was having a serious dialog in my head as to whether or not I was actually going to do this. My girlfriend, a brave and understanding woman, assured me I would be fine, and offered to lead the way. I obliged, and off we went. Half Dome’s steel cables are another tribute to the hard work of our park system employees, and I honestly could not imagine getting to the top of this landmark without the assistance. The route is steep, slippery, and has plenty of exposure the entire way up. Personally, it was both terrifying and exhilarating; the best kind of rush out there.
The ranger who issued us our permit shared the idea that the summit of Half Dome is a special place, and I agree. There are incredible views in every direction, nooks and crannies of granite to explore, and an unshakeable feeling that you have achieved something outstanding simply by getting yourself to the top. We did as hundreds of others would do that day: lingered a while, basked in the sun, and took some photos that will never do justice to the place… and loved every minute of it.
When we had our fill, my intrepid partner led us back down the cables, and I was just as scared as when we climbed up (perhaps even more so). Yosemite, as it turns out, is every bit as beautiful as every visitor declares it to be. There was a grandeur here that I have not experienced in many other places. Would our trip have been great without hiking to the top of Half Dome? Absolutely. But having a climb to the summit of a true American icon mixed in at the last minute…well, that made this excursion an all-timer.