Cables Should Be Strung Up Half Dome In Yosemite National Park By June 16

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on June 10, 2010 - 1:07pm

Cables should be up on Half Dome by June 16. NPS photo.

The cables are finally going up the shoulder of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park.

Park officials say the cables, which make it somewhat easy -- but also somewhat scary if you hate heights -- to climb up onto the summit of the iconic granite outcrop should be in place by Wednesday, June 16.

As the park notes in a release, "the trail to Half Dome from Yosemite Valley is an extremely strenuous hike covering over 17 miles. Hikers gain 4,800 feet of elevation along the trail that passes highlights such as Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall, before reaching the cables on Half Dome’s steep granite shoulder. Metal cables and wooden planks are placed along the steep shoulder of the dome to assist hikers to the summit."

To get an idea of this hike, check out this Park Service video on the hike:

http://www.nps.gov/yose/photosmultimedia/hikinghalfdome.htm

While the cables are going up, you won't be able to climb up onto Half Dome on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays unless you have a permit. And...the park says most of the permits have already been reserved for this summer.

For more information on permits and availability, please visit www.recreation.gov. No permits are required for the Half Dome cables Monday through Thursday. Visitors hiking the trail leading up to the base of the Half Dome cables do not need a permit.

Visitors are advised to take appropriate precautions when planning a hike of this length and difficulty, and to be prepared for changing weather and trail conditions. Thunder and lightning are common occurrences in the High Sierra during the summer and fall seasons. Hikers should not attempt to summit Half Dome during thunderstorms and are advised to use extreme caution when the rocks are wet.

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