The trail head starts out in a woody area, a short drive from the campgrounds. For the first few miles, the path traverses through a damp forest with views of nearby waterfalls that you can almost touch. The woods are teeming with wildlife including deer, squirrels, and evergreen trees. Already the slope is somewhat steep.
Further into the hike, the forest clears out, and vast rock formations become visible in the distance. All the while, the slope gets progressively steeper until the last half mile. Here, cables (held by metal stakes lodged in the rock), gloves, and footholds are provided to assist hikers in scrambling up a moderately steep rock face. Hikers can then celebrate their accomplishment by eating lunch on top of Half Dome (elevation 8840 ft) before beginning their descent. The views of the opposing rock faces are stunning.
But the journey is only halfway done. The descent is another 8 miles, with sunny afternoon views of waterfalls, cliffs, and more woods. During the last stretch of trail, the value of being physically fit and bringing enough food and water become painfully evident. Once the hike is finally complete, however, it's clear that the experience is well worth the effort.
Trail: Half Dome, 16 miles, 4800 ft elevation gain
Difficulty: Strenuous (length, steepness, intense heat during summer months)
Note: These photos were taken in July 2006 (in good company!). Post date is in August 2009 to indicate when this blog was started. In general, post day = hike day unless otherwise specified.
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