In case you didn't know, the National Park Service no longer allows anyone to climb Half Dome, or even to be in the back country beyond Nevada Falls, without a permit of some sort. They limit the number of people on the cables to 250 per day. You can get a backpacker's permit, day hiker's permit, and also need the trailhead permits as well, depending on what you choose. So the four of us (Jennifer, her hubby, me and Randy) put in 2 bids last March (one with the girls named as the leaders plus 2, one with the guys named as the leaders plus 2) to day-hike Half Dome, and hoped that one of them would be picked in the lottery first week of April. Only one of our bids was successful, giving us the date of May 30th for our climb!
After a bit of stressful planning, (1) finding a place for our 8 kids to stay while we were gone hiking (4 of theirs, plus 4 of ours), and (2) figuring out sleeping arrangements as close to the trailhead as possible, ideally the valley floor, when people book rooms/tents for Yosemite months in advance, and we had only 7 weeks! Well, with the help of some very gracious family friends that offered to have our kids stay with them for the weekend we had one problem solved! The other part proved a bit more complicated. With every room, tent, and campsite already booked on the valley floor, we made "back up" arrangements at a campground just outside the park's southern gate (not ideal, still an hour from the trailhead, but it was better than nothing). We continued to check in on the National Park website for cancellations. Only 13 days before I hike, Jennifer found 2 tent cabins in Curry Village that opened up!
So, on to the hike...
We left Friday, mid-day, after dropping off all the kiddos, and drove into the park and up to Glacier Point. It was nice to see where we would be hiking the next day from across the way!
Vernal Falls (lower left) and Nevada Falls (upper right). The trail starts on the valley floor, climbing on the right of the river up to Vernal, then over the river, up the left side to Nevada Falls, the curves to the left to climb behind the domes, up the back of the mountain,...
following the trail (switchbacks, granite steps, and cables) on the far side of Half Dome, looking from Glacier Point.
Couldn't resist...Glacier Point selfie!
After driving down into the valley and checking into our tent cabins, we found a great spot for our dinner BBQ!
With full tummies, yet anxious minds, we packed our bags for the next day's hike, making sure everything was secured in our bear box (especially after Kirk had to chase away a giant raccoon that managed to slip inside our neighbors' not-quite-closed bear box and drag away a Camelback). We then settled down for a few hours sleep in Curry Village.
Sunrise in the Village. We were up at 5 am, emptied our cabins, took everything we weren't hiking with back to the car, and shared a quick breakfast in the parking lot. We hit the trailhead at 6:10.
Vernal Falls Footbridge, .8 miles past the trailhead
Climbing up the Mist Trail to the top of Vernal
We made it to the top of Vernal by 7:30 and stopped for a short rest and snack.
We kept on to the top of Nevada Falls (2.5 in from the trailhead via the Mist Trail), and arrived at the top about 8:30. We were making good time! No stopping here, onto Little Yosemite Valley backpacking camp (3.8 miles in) where they had real toilets (composting) and we could stop at the creek to refill all our water bottles.
On from Little Yosemite Valley, past the switchbacks (still slightly climbing, but offering shade under the trees), now onto the climb in the sun. You could already see Half Dome and if you looked closely, the cables!
Being out of the forest meant you now had great views along the trail!
Kirk, getting his bearings of all the surrounding peaks. Jennifer and I gearing up for the next few hours without shade!
Onto the granite steps...here we go!
Made it...we're gonna do THAT now?! Truth be told, Jennifer and I were pretty nervous once we got to the base of the dome. It looks as if you are climbing straight up! But we'd gone this far, we weren't going to quit now!
Top of sub-dome.
I think the photos here were just a good excuse to take one last rest.
Looking calm and ready for the cables.
We made it! After 6 1/2 hours on the trail, we were at the top!
Randy wanted to sit near the edge.
I stayed a little closer in!
Alright, I'll get a little closer.
Not that I looked down while we were out here,
but we went out on Half Dome's "diving board" for a picture.
Kirk and Jennifer too!
Time for some lunch, complete with boysenberry cream cheese hand pies that I made!
After a good hour on the top, relaxing, relishing the fact that we made it to the top, it was time for the climb down. I thought the climb down the cables was the hardest part of the hike. I actually took it backwards most of the way, like rappelling.
Helping us follow the trail on the open granite.
Then back down the granite steps, a rest at the base of sub dome, then back into the shade!
After a couple miles on the trail, we rejoined the Merced River, above Nevada Falls. With the terrain still flat, and the river relatively slow moving, we found a nice "beach" area to cool off our tired feet and pump a bit more water.
The last bit of the Mist Falls trail below Vernal Falls felt fantastic!
The evening sun (about 6:30 p.m.) made for a remarkable rainbow!
We made it! About 13 hours after starting on the trail that morning, we finished.
Granted, we still had another mile walk back to the car (which seemed much longer than it did that morning on the way to the trail)!
After a quick rinse off at the nearest water source, and changing into flip-flops to let our feet rest, we headed over to the Curry Village Pizza Patio to fill our tummies with some hot pizza and cold beer! It felt so good to clean off, sit, and enjoy a meal together! We drove back to Fresno that night, eager to sleep in our own beds (some of us may have even enjoyed some sleep on the ride home).
I can't said I wouldn't ever do this again. I was inspired to see some older men and women on the trail, many with younger family members. One elderly woman who was coming down the cables as we were going up told Kirk that she had just finished chemo and had always wanted to climb this trail, so she was doing it to celebrate finishing her treatments. Another woman we met at the Vernal Falls footbridge was celebrating her 60th birthday by climbing with her two adult daughters. We saw them again as we were halfway down the granite steps, they were halfway up. At 2:45 they were going to cut it close, probably be walking the last mile or so in the dark (we hoped they brought head lamps), but Jennifer and I were so impressed!
I hope that God gives me many more years of health to be able to enjoy the outdoors and long hikes with my family! May I be cognizant of my fitness level and always strive to be healthy and fit so that I can enjoy these trails with my kids and my friends in the years to come! I am so thankful for a husband that encourages me to do just that, and loves to explore the outdoors at my side. And I am so thankful for our friends, Kirk and Jennifer, that were willing to hike with us!
Where are we gonna hike next? Who wants to come?
1 comment:
I am truly amazed that you guys did that! Thrilled! Jamie, I don't think I gave the genes to do that. Thank your Dad!
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