Half dome

The hike up to Half Dome, towering over the Yosemite Valley at 8846 feet, is one of the great bucket list hikes. You’ll pass iconic waterfalls, hike through majestic sequoias, and then pull yourself up steel cables to stand at the summit. There’s a lot to know before you start; this isn’t just a hike where you show up at the trailhead and go. There’s a decent amount of anxiety about the cables section of the hike for a lot of folks.

Before you even think about hiking Half Dome, you need to get a permit. There are a few ways to nab one:

Win the pre-season permit lottery.
Win the daily permit lottery 2 days before your hike.

If you haven’t gotten a permit, you still have a chance. You are allowed to hike all the way to the Sub Dome, about 0.5 mile before the summit, without a permit. Generally the ranger will be sitting there, checking people’s permits. Simply go up to the ranger and ask him if there are any empty permit slots open. Often times people will have a group permit with some no-shows. If there are slots open, you can go. If there are no slots open, hang out close to the ranger and ask folks that are arriving if they have any open slots.

I’ve used this method successfully. You might have to wait for a while if you get here early. The big rush of hikers generally arrives between 9am-noon, so waiting until then will get you the most traffic. When you get to the Sub Dome area, a ranger (or two) will be there checking permit confirmation emails. The best move is to print it out, but rangers will also allow you to show the email on your phone (no service here though). You’ll also need an ID (like a driver’s license) that matches the name on the permit. Only the group leader (the name on the permit) needs an ID. When you apply for your permit can specify an alternate permit holder as well.

This is a proper backcountry hike and I recommend proper hiking gear. If you don’t have hiking gear, go with fitness clothes and comfortable, grippy footwear. At a minimum you should bring:

3-4L of water (or less if you have a water filter – you can refill in the Little Yosemite Valley)
Plenty of snacks like energy bars
A headlamp or flashlight if you get caught out after dark
An extra layer and light shell
A trowel and toilet paper in case of an emergency. There are no toilets past Little Yosemite Valley.
If you’ve used them already and are comfortable with them, bring your trekking poles.

SPECIFIC GEAR FOR THE CABLES
The cables section presents a unique challenge that you don’t get on most hikes. You’ll climb up a steep 45-degree granite slope, using a steel cable to keep you steady and occasionally pull on. Here’s what I recommend:

Footwear with a good grip; most hiking shoes and traik running footwear work well.
Nitrile work gloves are the best gloves for the cables, and they’re cheap. You don’t need anything expensive or fancy. These gloves are lightweight and very grippy.
Maybe a “via ferrata” climbing lanyard and harness. I’ll talk more about that later in the cables section of this guide. Most folks climb the cables without one.