stephen@bisordi.org :: bisordi.org Yosemite National Park :: Half Dome 07/07/2002 Hike Description :: Climbing Half Dome was a spur-of-the-moment idea that I and my roommate Ben had on Friday, July 5, 2002. We had talked about it before, but never seriously planned out the trip. This time however, we decided to follow through with the idea and we made reservations for a canvas tent at Curry Village for Saturday night. Three of us would be going on the trip: Ben, Candice (a friend of Ben's), and myself. Once we arrived at Yosemite, we stopped at Bridalveil Fall. The waterfall was pretty amazing, but it was nothing compared to the falls we'd see the next day. We arrived at Curry Village at around 7:00 PM Saturday night, stopped at the nearby general store to buy water (about 6 liters each) and some food, then went to sleep pretty early. We woke up early on Sunday morning - around 4:15 AM. After trying to sleep for another 10 minutes, the three of us finally decide to get moving. While walking towards Happy Isles, we spotted two black bears about 20-25 feet in front of us. They either didn't notice us or were more interested in something in the woods, as they ran across the street and into the forest. We considered trying to get a picture, then decided that it'd be a better idea to have two arms and no picture than to have one arm and a picture. Candice was with us for the first hour and a half or so before she gave up and went back to Curry Village. You can see the milestones of the trip in the timeline below. Half Dome Facts :: Round Trip Distance (Starting from Happy Isles) :: 17 miles (27.4 kilometers) Elevation of Curry Village :: 4,035 feet Elevation of Half Dome Summit :: 8,842 feet Total Hike Elevation :: 4,807 feet Hike Timeline :: Time Milestone 4:15 AM      Wake up. 4:25 Wake up again. 4:55 Leave Camp. 5:15 Cross paths with bears at a distance of 20 feet. Reconsider leaving before dawn. 5:30 Reach beginning of Half Dome trail (Happy Isles). 6:30 Reached Vernal Fall. 7:30 Reached Nevada Fall. 10:20 Reached Base of Quarter Dome. 10:50 Reached Base of Half Dome. 11:30 Reached Summit of Half Dome. 12:45 PM      Start Descent from Half Dome. 3:00 Reached Nevada Fall. 3:45 Reached Vernal Fall. 4:15 Finish Hike. Hike Pictures :: (Click on pictures to enlarge) Before the Hike Half Dome from far away. Bridalveil Fall. Ben and I near the Bridalveil Waterfall (a few hundred feet from the viewing area). A car which was broken into earlier by a bear looking for food. During the Hike (Waterfalls, Trail) Close to Vernal Fall (Elevation: 317 ft). Side view of Vernal Fall up close. Side of Nevada Fall (Elevation: 594 ft). Part of the trail between Nevada Fall and Half Dome. A deer spotted on the hike between Nevada Fall and Half Dome. Close up of a squirrel half a mile from Half Dome. The view from about half a mile from the base of Quarter Dome. Just before Quarter Dome (mountain directly in front of Half Dome). Ascended using steep switchbacks climbing about 600 feet. Half Dome Standing on top of Quarter Dome looking at the cables used to climb Half Dome. The cables ascend about 900 feet and range from 45 to 60 degrees incline. Me near the top of the Half Dome cables, about 100 feet from the top. People visible on the top of Quarter Dome below. Ben near the top of the Half Dome Cables. A view from atop Half Dome. Another view from the top of Half Dome. Me at the top of Half Dome. Ben at the top of Half Dome. Another picture of me at the top of Half Dome. Another picture of Ben at the top of Half Dome. A marmot in search of food on top of Half Dome. Looking straight down over the edge of the Half Dome summit. Me sitting on a ledge. Another view from the top of Half Dome.