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Half Dome Rock Climbing
| Elevation: | 8,823 ft |
| GPS: | 37.746, -119.533 Google Map · Climbing Area Map |
| Page Views: | 378,941 total · 2,406/month |
| Shared By: | Josh Janes on Jun 15, 2006 |
| Admins: | M. Morley, Adam Stackhouse, Salamanizer suchoski, Justin Johnsen, Vicki Schwantes |
Access Issue: Yosemite National Park climbing closures and conditions
Details
Yosemite National Park has yearly closures for Peregrine Falcon Protection March 1- July 15.
Always check the Yosemite website Peregrine Closure page at nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/… for the most current details and park alerts, and to learn more about the peregrine falcon, and how closures help it survive. This page also shares closures and warning due to current fires, smoke, etc.
Always check the Yosemite website Peregrine Closure page at nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/… for the most current details and park alerts, and to learn more about the peregrine falcon, and how closures help it survive. This page also shares closures and warning due to current fires, smoke, etc.
Description
The classic profile of Half Dome, recognizable worldwide, sits over the east end of Yosemite Valley like a distant guardian. Glaciers cleaved the dome clear in half (hence the original indigenous name Ti-sa-ack or Cleft Rock in the language of the Awahnechee), leaving incredible slab climbs on the sunny southern aspect such as Snake Dike (5.7) and Southern Belle (5.12) to amazingly steep lines on the NW face. The namesake route (the "Regular" route) on the NW face is one of many aid climbers' first objectives, but it makes for a great, adventurous free climb as well.
Even the hiking route up to the summit visor, via the cables, is classic, and it is no wonder why this formation was used for the North Face's logo.
Remarkably, Half Dome was once described as "perfectly inaccessible" by Josiah Whitney of the California Geological Survey in the 1870's. The summit was finally first attained by George G. Anderson in October 1875, via a route constructed by drilling and placing iron eyebolts into the smooth granite near the site of the cables today and remains one of the most historic Yosemite ascents that has contributed to the direction of rock climbing in the USA.
Even the hiking route up to the summit visor, via the cables, is classic, and it is no wonder why this formation was used for the North Face's logo.
Remarkably, Half Dome was once described as "perfectly inaccessible" by Josiah Whitney of the California Geological Survey in the 1870's. The summit was finally first attained by George G. Anderson in October 1875, via a route constructed by drilling and placing iron eyebolts into the smooth granite near the site of the cables today and remains one of the most historic Yosemite ascents that has contributed to the direction of rock climbing in the USA.
Getting There
Half Dome takes a bit of work to get to. There are generally two approaches used by climbers:
1) Hike up from Happy Isles up the Mist Trail through Little Yosemite Valley (approx. 8 miles to the shoulder of Half Dome).
2) Head over from Happy Isles past Mirror Lake and hike up the "Death Slabs".
Option 1 is smooth hiking and clearly the way to go for the south facing routes. Option 2 is significantly faster (for the NW face), in both directions, but requires skilled route finding, very steep hiking, and use of fixed lines.
1) Hike up from Happy Isles up the Mist Trail through Little Yosemite Valley (approx. 8 miles to the shoulder of Half Dome).
2) Head over from Happy Isles past Mirror Lake and hike up the "Death Slabs".
Option 1 is smooth hiking and clearly the way to go for the south facing routes. Option 2 is significantly faster (for the NW face), in both directions, but requires skilled route finding, very steep hiking, and use of fixed lines.
Classic Climbing Routes at Half Dome
Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
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Photos
13 Comments
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Guidebooks (12)
Sacramento, CA
Littleton, CO
It's a lot of effort with heavy loads so break it down and do it over a couple of days. It's the only approach I have used.
I echo with Karsten just mentioned as well. I just brought the latest version of the Supertopo's Big Walls guidebook and it has a great description of it. Dec 13, 2006
Idaho Springs, CO
PG, Utah
1) Finding the right start...the spot where you leave the trail was very inobvious when I did this a few years ago. Maybe it is better now.
2) There is a spot near the end where the route seems to get blocked by a steep wall on your right. At first we actually climbed this darn thing only to figure out that the correct way to go is around a corner to the right. There is a hidden fixed rope (or two) ver that way and provides quick access to the long slpoe that brings you to the base of the wall.
Chris Mac's topo is pretty good, and we figured it all out without checking it out first.
I have also gone down this way and it wasn't bad at all.
The best part about this approach is that you have STUNNING views of the whole wall that almost seems to hang over your head the whole way. If this is your first wall it will make you think "...um...gee...what am I getting into?"
Have fun! Aug 7, 2008
Denver, CO
Madison, WI
WY
HD Permits Apr 28, 2010
Boulder, CO
When you climb Snake Dike, you get and idea of how big this monolith is. Even after the end of the roped climbing, it is quite a hike to the summit. There is also very little loose rock on Half Dome. Nov 18, 2015
Citrus Heights
sierranewsonline.com/the-st… Jan 21, 2018
Janesville Ca.
Now that's a bold statement. Jan 22, 2018
On the road, mostly Southwest