Yosemite National Park announces the opening season for climbing the Half Dome cables in 2022
Yosemite National Park – May 17, 2022 – Exciting news! The Half Dome cables will be up for the season on Thursday, May 19, 2022. A permit is required to summit Half Dome. Most permits are available via a preseason lottery, but a limited number are available every day, two days in advance.
All permits for May 19–May 26 will become available two days in advance. See https://www.recreation.gov/permits/234652 for details. If you will be hiking to Half Dome, be prepared with several liters of water, good hiking footwear, and a headlamp (with extra batteries). Be prepared to turn around if a thunderstorm appears possible.
Stay back from the Merced River, which is running at high flow right now. If you see a bear on the trail or approaching you, scare it away by yelling loudly, aggressively, and persistently. Always keep your food within arm’s reach.
A reservation will be required to drive into or through Yosemite during peak hours starting May 20
A reservation will be required to drive into or through Yosemite during peak hours starting May 20. A reservation will be required to drive into or through Yosemite National Park May 20–September 30, 2022 between 6 am and 4 pm.
Tioga and Glacier Point Roads are closed
Tioga and Glacier Point Roads are closed. Tioga Road (Hwy 120 through the park) is closed for the season due to snow; it usually opens in late May or June. Glacier Point Road will not open in 2022. Check current road conditions and chain restrictions by calling 209/372-0200Â
Rising nearly 5,000 feet above Yosemite Valley and 8,800 feet above sea level, Half Dome is a Yosemite icon and a great challenge to many hikers. Despite an 1865 report declaring it was “perfectly inaccessible, being probably the only one of the prominent points about the Yosemite which never has been, and never will be, trodden by human foot,” George Anderson reached the summit in 1875, and in the process created the predecessor for today’s cable route.
Today, thousands of people reach the summit. For most, it is an exciting, arduous hike; for a few, it becomes more adventure than they bargained for. Every summer, park rangers must assist hundreds of people on the Half Dome trail.
The most famous—or infamous—part of the hike is the ascent up the cables. The two metal cables allow hikers to climb the last 400 feet to the summit without rock climbing equipment. Since 1919, only a few people have fallen and died on the cables. However, injuries are not uncommon for those acting irresponsibly.
The cables are not the only difficult part of the hike, which is 14 to 16 miles round-trip and gains 4,800 feet. If you’re planning to hike Half Dome, you should be in good physical condition. However, the reward is worth the effort! Along the way, you’ll encounter outstanding views of Vernal and Nevada Falls, Liberty Cap, Half Dome, and—from the subdome and summit—panoramic views of Yosemite Valley and the High Sierra.
It takes most people 10 to 12 hours to hike to Half Dome and back. If you plan on hiking during the day, it’s smart to leave before or at sunrise. You should have a non-negotiable turn-around time (i.e., if you’re not at the summit by a certain time, you’ll turn around). Check sunrise and sunset times before you embark on your hike, and always bring a flashlight or headlamp with fresh batteries for each person. Although the trail is well marked, you should be prepared with a good topographic map and compass, and knowledge of how to use them.
Permit & Season Information
The Half Dome cables are put up each spring and taken down each fall, typically from the Friday before Memorial Day through the Tuesday after Columbus Day. These dates are conditions dependent and may vary from year to year.
You must have a permit to ascend the subdome steps or Half Dome cables. Day hike permits (valid from 12:00 AM midnight to 11:59 PM) are available by two lottery processes. The preseason lottery application occurs throughout March, with results announced mid-April. A smaller number of day hike permits are available every day the cables are up, via a two day in advance daily lottery.
Multi-day hiking permits (overnight backpacking with an overnight stay at Little Yosemite Valley or other Wilderness location) are not available through the lottery process. More information on multi-day hiking in Yosemite is available at: https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wildpermits.htm
Source: Yosemite National Park