Hiking Half Dome: My 3-Day Yosemite Backpacking Journey
I have been planning this trip since last year to hike Half Dome! After I bailed out of my Yosemite backpacking trip in August 2024, having torn up my feet on the first day in Tuolumne Valley and staying in the front country to make the most of my trip, I set my sights on hiking Half Dome for a future trip. I stopped by a wilderness office in Yosemite Village and spoke with a ranger about how to climb Half Dome. You can obtain either a day permit or a wilderness permit. The difference is that if you do it as a wilderness permit, you need to spend a night in the backcountry. The ranger also explained that there are seven available permits: Happy Isles (HI) to Little Yosemite Valley (LYV), HI past LYV, Glacier Point to LYV, Mono Meadow, Sunrise Lakes, Cathedral Lakes, and Rafferty Creek. You can add Half Dome to any of these permits for $10 per person.
In April, I entered the lottery for a late September permit, selecting all trailheads as an option, with a start time of any time that week. I was fortunate enough to obtain my second-choice permit for Happy Isles, past Little Yosemite Valley. I was excited to be going back, and I began planning, inviting my friend Paul to join me. I have previously visited Yellowstone and the Boundary Waters with Paul. We booked lodging a few days before my permit date so we could enjoy different parts of Yosemite before we started backpacking.
Months passed, and we were getting ready when I received an email informing me that the trail we needed to go on would be closed, and I would need to obtain a new permit. I conducted research overnight and decided that the best permit for me would be from Glacier Point to LYV. However, when I signed in, I waited for the clock to hit 9:00 a.m. Central to obtain the permit and saw two available options. By the time I selected them, they were gone. I ended up getting Sunrise Lake trailhead, which was good enough.
My route would start at Sunrise Lake Trailhead and hike south over Clouds Rest to a campsite near Sunrise Creek at the junction of the JMT/Clouds Rest trails. The next day, we planned to set off to hike up Half Dome and return to camp. On the last day, we would exit back to Sunrise Lake Trailhead via a different route. But before we started backpacking, we planned to spend three nights in Curry Village.
We arrived late, as it was dark and the valley was hard to navigate, so we would have to wait to see the pines and cliffs in the morning. We arrived at Curry Village and checked in. They gave us a map and a key. We parked the rental in the lot and carried our gear to our tent cabin.
The tent cabin was locked with a padlock. We let ourselves in with the key and found a basic tent with two twin-sized beds and a single light bulb with a pull string. They offer heated and unheated tent cabins; ours was unheated. They were pretty rustic and bare-bones.
We unpacked and stored our food in the bear locker, then went to the pizza deck for dinner, where we both ordered a couple of slices of pepperoni. We took the food to the Seven Tents Pavilion to eat it, as it was raining a bit outside, and then went to bed.
The next morning, I woke up early and headed to the Curry Village lounge. Once Paul joined me, we headed to Yosemite Village Lodge’s Base Camp Eatery and ordered breakfast. On our way there, we saw a guy wanting a hitch to Glacier Point, a considerable distance away. We decided that if he were still there after breakfast, we would give him a ride.
After breakfast, he was still there, so we offered him a ride. We had planned to visit Glacier Point later in the day, but we shuffled our schedule to help him out. We had a great conversation on the way about jobs, parks, and backpacking. When we got there, he bought us ice cream at the gift shop before he headed on his way to hike back down to the valley. We then took in the sights.
After Glacier Point, we headed south to Mariposa Grove. The parking lot was nearly full, but we managed to find a spot as people were pulling out to take the shuttle to the Grove. We started hiking but somehow got off the main trail. I was overthinking it. The trail we ended up taking was very steep and not on our map, but it was clearly a man-made path. Eventually, we made it to Wawona Point and admired the view before heading back down on the official trail. It was a great hike. We saw all the trees, including Grizzly Giant, California Tunnel, and many others.
As we headed back to the valley, we stopped by the History Center next to the Wawona Hotel. After a look around, we headed back to the valley for dinner at the Yosemite Valley Lodge’s Mountain Room Lounge, where Paul and I had ribs. Then I headed back to Curry Village. The ribs could have used a bit more seasoning.
We took a shower at the location highlighted on our map in Curry Village. It was hard to find, very dated, and old. The water was either scorching hot or freezing cold. After the shower, I went to bed.
The second morning, we had breakfast in Curry Village, essentially the same as at Base Camp Eatery but with slight differences. We then stopped by the front office and asked for help with which buses to take. We took the bus to Yosemite Village, a different part of the valley, to explore what they had to offer and, most importantly, to pick up our wilderness permit. The ranger we spoke to was extremely helpful and explained the rules clearly. We had to request that they add Half Dome to the permit, which cost an extra $10 per person. Shortly after, we received our permit. We explored the shops and saw the “Indian Village” exhibit, which showcased the way of life for the local tribes.
We then slowly made our way back to Curry Village. We stopped to watch some climbers in the distance on El Capitan and got back on the next bus to Curry Village, where we sorted through gear and food for the trip. After a short rest, we went to the lounge to charge devices, relax, and find food in the Seven Tents Pavilion.
During our walk, we encountered a large gathering of middle school-aged children. There was an organization called NatureBridge, and they were planning all kinds of fun activities.
After dinner, we went to bed for a big day tomorrow.
We took our time getting ready and checked out of Curry Village, then grabbed breakfast before driving off. It was about an hour drive, stopping for fuel once, even though we had plenty before arriving at Sunrise Lake Trailhead. We set off. The trail quickly turned into a series of steep switchbacks. Eventually, we arrived at a saddle and decided to split up. Paul took the “high route” over Clouds Rest, while I took the “low route” through a burn area.
I descended over a thousand feet through an overgrown burn area taken over by prickly Whitethorn Ceanothus. I climbed over and ducked under fallen trees; the overgrowth made it exhausting, and I lost the trail a few times.
When the trail flattened out, I met another couple who clearly struggled as much as I did. We talked for a bit, but then I kept going.
I made it to camp just before dark. Paul had already arrived and filtered water. I set up camp, ate my dinner of freeze-dried lasagna, and went to bed shortly after.
We woke up the next day and sorted the items to take with us and leave behind at camp. I took a small day pack by Sea To Summit, equipped with provisions including water, snacks, warm layers, and other essential gear. We started hiking at about 9:30 a.m. It was a pretty steep climb just to get to the Sub Dome, and it took me a while. I was definitely feeling it in my legs at that point. We checked in with the ranger, who verified our permit, gave a safety briefing, and then let us climb the rocky steps of the Sub Dome. I wondered if a ranger would be present, as I had read in the morning at camp that the government had officially shut down and staffing was reduced.
At this point, the trail consists of numerous uneven cut stone steps with many switchbacks. We then reached the cable section, the steepest part, where you have to pull yourself up by a cable affixed to the side of the rock. We looked at the clouds to ensure they were moving away so as not to cause rain while we were on the cables or at the top. When things looked good, we put on gloves and started the final ascent to the top. It was hand-over-hand climbing, with a lot of communication among those around us. We signaled those ahead when we were climbing to the next board or when it was safe for them to descend; we were all in this together.
The climb was not that scary—then again, I’m not really afraid of heights. It was hard, but the views were incredible. We were not up there long before we headed down, holding onto the cable while facing uphill. Occasionally, we had to face the inside of the cables with one hand on the uphill side and one on the downhill side; this allowed our bulky packs to face outward and stay out of the way. Once again, there was a lot of communication among strangers.
As we descended the cables, we saw a family with two children, aged 10 and 12, climbing up. They were doing very well, but I was surprised to see them there. We safely made it down from the cables and began our descent from the Sub Dome through the rocky switchbacks. On the way down, the ranger who checked permits and another person were coming up in a hurry with a haul bag, probably responding to someone in need. I don’t know the details.
Once we were down, we hiked back to the campsite where we had spent the previous night. On the way, I met another hiker who had also just finished Half Dome, and we chatted. This was his first time backpacking. He had stayed in Little Yosemite Valley the night before. We heard a helicopter overhead and thought that was probably not a good sign, but it seemed to be going away from Half Dome.
We made it safely to camp. I ate snacks and took a long nap after a 6-mile hike over six hours. I woke up, got more water and food, then went back to bed. I woke a few times that night to the sound of rain hitting my tent.
The next morning, I was not up for the climb out the way we came. Paul and I decided that I should hike to the valley via the Mist Trail or John Muir Trail (JMT), as it would be all downhill. Meanwhile, Paul would hike back to the car, and we would meet in the valley at our accommodations for the night, Yosemite Valley Lodge.
I descended the Mist Trail without issue, checking out the waterfalls along the way, which were flowing well due to recent rain. Throughout the first half of the trail, I met several hikers planning to hike Half Dome. The forecast looked rainy, which would make the polished rock surfaces worn down by thousands of hikers very slippery even with a light sprinkle. I wished them the best of luck and reminded them to play it safe. I hope they all stayed safe.
The kids from NatureBridge were at the waterfalls, doing the loop trail. This trail takes them up the Mist Trail, then loops over to the John Muir Trail. I noticed one of the girls in the group looked exhausted, her head resting against the rock wall along the trail. It is quite a hike up to get to where they were.
Once I started seeing the waterfalls, I noticed fewer hikers heading to Half Dome, as it was late in the day to be at that point in the trail. More people were there to gaze at the waterfalls. I saw more kids and casual hikers, so I knew I was nearing the trailhead.
I was passed by one hiker coming down after reaching the cable section. He decided Half Dome was too wet to try to climb. He said he had kids at home, and it wasn't worth the risk—and I agreed.
Once I reached the trailhead, I boarded the shuttle, which took me to Curry Village, where I stopped at the pizza deck for lunch. Once I was almost done, I saw a group looking for a table, so I invited them to sit while I finished. I had my gear with me, and they peppered me with questions. I received an InReach message from Paul stating that he had arrived at the car and was on his way to the valley. I excused myself and took another shuttle to our lodge, where I checked us in and waited for Paul, who arrived shortly after. We took turns taking a well-deserved shower and changed into fresh clothes.
After our showers, we caught up on the happenings of the world by browsing the news. That’s when we learned that, on the very same day we climbed Half Dome, an admired rock climber, Balin Miller, had died after rappelling off the end of his rope. I think this might have been what the helicopter we heard was responding to. Two days before his accident, we were watching climbers on El Capitan, admiring their progress, when the thought crossed my mind that he could have been one of the climbers we saw. After research, it does not appear so. It hit close to home, though. My heart goes out to those he left behind.
We had dinner reservations at the Ahwahnee Hotel dining room for a prime rib buffet. We boarded the shuttle and headed to the hotel, which took some time because we had to travel all the way around the valley loop. We had a nice candlelit dinner in the beautiful dining room and returned to our room, where we turned in for the night.
The next morning, we packed up and checked out. I dropped the fuel canister we used while backpacking at the hotel's front desk, hoping they would find a good use for it, as we couldn't take it with us due to our flight. The attendant assured me that a coworker could use it. It got me thinking about working in a national park as a concessioner and having so much access without having to travel for a short weekend backpacking trip. We ate breakfast at Base Camp Eatery one last time and drove out of the valley through thick fog.
I decided to head to Kings Canyon next, to cross off another national park. When we arrived, it was raining. We visited Grant Grove and saw the General Grant tree, a Sequoia tree officially known as America’s Christmas Tree. We walked around Grove Avenue, and it started to sleet. It was painful to look up at the trees. We returned to the car and drove to our lodging for the night, the Grant Grove Cabins, where we waited in the lobby for check-in and for the weather to clear. Once it cleared, we took a short hike to Panorama Point and spotted the Buck Rock Fire Lookout about 5 miles away. Because of the shutdown, I was unable to get a National Parks Passport Stamp.
We ate dinner at the restaurant and went to bed, this was a good trip but it is our last night in California and we have a drive ahead of us the following morning back to the airport.
The following day, we headed back to the airport and then home. I was super appreciative that Paul was able to join me on this trip.
