Most of you know how much I love Yosemite, and how much I absolutely adore Half Dome. It’s one of my favorite hikes, and I hiked it three times during my first three years living in Fresno.

I got an email forwarded to me one day at work. The head of the Preventative Search and Rescue program (PSAR) in Yosemite had seen us run a story about the Half Dome cables going up for the season, and he thought it would be a great story to educate people on cable safety.

I agreed with him, and it’s a story I’ve semi-pitched before. It seemed more timely this season, as there was unfortunately a fatality in May on the cables during a thunderstorm. I’m a big advocate of outdoor weather safety, so I was looking forward to being able to provide advice to the thousands of hikers who would ultimately climb Half Dome this season.

Management decided that a reporter would handle the actual camera work and stories, and I would handle safety tip videos for social media and web purposes. Dennis Valera and I packed our video and backpacking gear, and headed to the park. We would do the hike over the course of two days.

We met up with the head of PSAR in Yosemite Valley. He sent us to the park’s wilderness orientation to prep us for the overnight portion. Leave no trace is part of being a responsible nature visitor, and I found the orientation very informative.

We then met up with the rangers who would be our leaders for the entire trip. We had three of them with us for the first mile or so, and I took videos of them talking about the slick Mist Trail steps.

One of the rangers had to head back to the Valley when we were near Vernal Fall. Rangers Golden and Mullen would be our leaders for the rest of the hike. They were amazing sports, answering my millions of questions about not only trail safety, but also about being a ranger, wildlife encounters, and anything else that crossed my curious mind.

At the top of Vernal Fall, Dennis and I got to see the rangers in action. They not only were hounded with questions from tourists, but they also were keeping visitors safe. The Merced River’s current is extremely strong at the top of the fall, and there are signs everywhere warning visitors not to swim in the river. Despite the warnings, the rangers had to tell numerous people to get out of the water.

We made our way up the trail, passing next to Nevada Fall. It’s one of my favorite Yosemite waterfalls. 🙂

At the top of the falls, the trail gradually starts to level out, and your legs get a little bit of a break. At four miles in, Little Yosemite Valley is nice and flat, and it’s also where the backpackers campground is. We would be staying just outside the campgound at the ranger station.

The rangers have a cool little setup. There are several canvas tents with cots in them. An open air kitchen and a picnic table complete the station.

We got to follow the rangers around the backpackers campground as they checked for permits. There were some permit violations, and some people who had no idea they needed a permit at all.

For anyone planning an outdoor trip: make sure you look online or make a phone call to the park or forest you’ll be visiting. Most have the rules and procedures clearly stated, and it’s your responsibility to have your reservations and permits in order. Unlike BLM land and Forest Service roads, National Parks have a lot of limitations when it comes to hiking and camping. It’s important to educated yourself before a visit, and all necessary information is readily available.

We went to our tents shortly after sunset, and set out around 6 AM the following day to summit Half Dome.

The trail out of Little Yosemite Valley quickly goes back to being uphill. It’s mostly wooded until you get close to sub dome. There’s a sign or two in this section station whether the cables are up or down for the season. When it says they’re up, it states that permits are needed 24/7 to climb it.

You can hike the trail up to the base of sub dome without a permit. The rangers set up shop right where sub dome’s steps start, iPad in hand, checking the list of permit holders. You must show both your permit and photo ID to the ranger. Yes, they are even up there checking at night.

We recorded another video about the permit process and the lottery to get one. It’s difficult, as only 300 permits a day are awarded.

We headed up sub dome, and the stone steps quickly became more exposed. It was apparent that we were on a cliff. We recorded another video about sub dome tips and safety.

All the way up sub dome, we passed people who had made a sunrise summit. The rangers continued to check everyone for permits, even when we got to the top of Half Dome! We watched them issue someone a citation for being on sub dome without a permit. Know the rules, follow them, and it will make your trip much more enjoyable.

The rangers were fantastic at providing each hiker a few tidbits of advice before their cable climb. One thing that hikers may not think about is securing their items. Water bottles and sunglasses should be put INSIDE your pack, even hiking poles. It’s best not to leave them on the ground at the base of the cables, as they may blow away or someone else may take them. They also suggest not to leave your gloves for someone else. They only pile up, get nasty from rain, and also blow off.

We headed up the cables. It sounds like a short 400 foot climb, but it is an INTENSE climb. I like to think I’m in decent shape, but it doesn’t take long before you’re completely out of breath and stopping to rest.

In general, people stay to the right. When someone is coming down at the same time as you’re going up, I found that the “right of way” works itself out. While hiking, you typically give the uphill hiker the right of way (opposite from driving, although when I’m hiking uphill, I’ll happily step aside to let a downhill hiker pass so I have an excuse to stop and catch my breath 🙂 ).

On the cables, communication was key. If one hiker had an easier stopping position than the other, they stopped, moved over, and let the other pass by. Even when the cables became crowded, everyone I saw was patient, happy to step aside, and very encouraging. I was so impressed that no one acted selfishly, and strangers cheered strangers on and congratulated them on accomplishing the tough climb.

The energy was fantastic at the top. Everyone was enjoying the view and reflecting on their journey so far. We met many people who were on Half Dome for the first time, and also a man who had been up there more than 30 times. Everyone had a story!

Once we rested and recovered a bit from the climb, we got back to work getting more safety tips from the rangers, and talking all about the PSAR program. They really stressed having a turnaround time and sticking to it. Oftentimes there are afternoon storms in the summer. Typically, a noon turnaround time works. If you aren’t on top by then, abort the climb. The granite is already slick from decades of use. It’s also like an ice rink when it’s wet from rain. You don’t want to be on the cables in the rain.

Lightning is another huge reason to turn around. Half Dome has been struck by lightning countless times, some of which resulted in fatalities and injuries. Please don’t risk it! Half Dome will likely be there next season for you to climb.

After getting all of our safety tips and PSAR info on video, we chatted with and interviewed several hikers and got their point of view and experience. Everyone is so different – some recommended gloves, some didn’t. Some had trouble getting the permit, some didn’t. Some trained a lot, some didn’t. Many basic safety measures are the same, but a lot of things are personal preference.

A big takeaway – you’re in the wilderness, and you’re responsible for yourself. If you get into trouble, it can be HOURS before help arrives. I’d rather be over-prepared than under-prepared. It’s your job to evaluate risk, and act how you think is appropriate. We were lucky on our hike. There weren’t any storms in the forecast, temperatures were perfect, and Dennis and I were in good physical shape. We didn’t have to make any decisions for unexpected situations.

It was FAR more crowded on the cables on the way down. I suggest doing the climb in the morning to beat the crowd! Take a look at the comparison below…the top photo is from the empty morning, and the bottom is from the crazy afternoon.

We headed back down to the ranger station and got our packs together for the hike out. It felt much hotter than the previous day, and I knew it would be a long four miles back to the car. We all went through almost all of our water, and my legs wanted to give out after all the downhill.

We ended back in the Valley near the administration buildings. We said our goodbyes, took a celebratory photo, and headed back to Fresno.

I can’t believe how much I learned on that hike, even though I’d done it several times before. It was such a different and amazing experience to have knowledgeable guides the whole way. I was excited to upload the ranger’s interviews and safety tips to share with our viewers. I hope if more people are educated on this popular bucket list hike, then we’ll hopefully have fewer accidents and people needing help.

I put together some of the interviews along the way in a little video. I hope you find it helpful!

On a personal note, I found the hike to be far more challenging as a backpacking trip than as a day hike. I can carry a daypack all day long, but once you add the weight of overnight gear and two days of food, my body tires quickly. I usually feel great after the hike, but this time I was DONE. It’s something to consider if you haven’t done training hikes with weight!

I want to keep showcasing trails around our area for a work segment, whether it’s for toddlers, the inconsistent hiker, or the experienced outdoors person. What trail or nature walk should I feature next? Let me know in the comments! We have a “Great Outdoors” page on my station’s website, and I want to keep contributing to it. 🙂