How To Hike Half Dome – The Complete Guide

Easy directions for hiking Half Dome, including permit tips, gear advice, and how to tackle the cables with confidence.
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Half Dome is a 14-16 mile round trip hike with 4,800 feet of elevation gain, and you can't just show up. You need a permit through the preseason lottery (March, 25-35% odds), daily lottery (two days before), or wilderness add-on. I cover how each system works and tips for improving your chances. Bring grippy shoes for the granite and gloves for the cables. Everything you carry goes up the cables with you, so pack light. The cables are only up late spring through early fall. When they're down, the route is extremely dangerous and not recommended for first-timers.

00:00 Half Dome Overview
01:03 Permit System
03:28 Essential Gear
06:10 Trail Strategy
07:30 Sub-Dome Approach
08:35 The Cable Route
10:32 Yosemite Valley Start
14:30 Little Yosemite Valley
18:14 Cloud's Rest Junction
19:04 Sub-Dome Ascent
20:45 Cable Climb
23:10 Descending the Cables

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