Half Dome, September 2022

For several years I had wanted to do the 16 mile out-and-back trail to the top of Half Dome, the most iconic mountain in Yosemite. I'd applied to the preseason lotteries for multiple times over the years without success. Eventually I started applying for the Daily Lotteries and on one fateful Thursday morning, I get an email that the ticket I submitted the night before was selected! I had a permit valid for the next morning so after work I packed my car, drove out to Yosemite in the evening, slept in my car the best I could, then started the hike about an hour before sunrise.

I didn't take many photos in the beginning of the hike because it was completely dark, but I passed by multiple waterfalls which I was able to take pics of on the way back. It was eerie passing them in the dark. As you got closer you could hear and feel the wind they'd generate until it was a roar of wet wind misting my glasses, yet I still couldn't see the waterfalls themselves. Finally I came up the backside of the dome and got my first views of Yosemite valley:

The cables are the final stretch to the summit, and after you reach ~70% of the way to them you start going up stair climbers of carved rocks. These switchback up the smaller Sub Dome.

After ~4 hours of hiking, this was the first glimpse of Half Dome.

Once you're close to the cables you really realize just how absolutely massive it is. There are 2 people IN THE BACKGROUND about 80% up the cables and you can barely even see them because it's just that massive.

The cables are incredibly steep too, hence the reason why the cables exist. This next photo was taken pointed upwards and it's still increasing in steepness while you climb up it. If you venture out of the cables and slip, the smooth granite will not catch you and you will slide down progressively steeper rock to the cliffs.

Did I mention how steep it was? I tried taking a photo while climbing but couldn't even capture the base and horizon in the same photo.

It's a lot of vertical elevation to gain in such a short time, and your forearms can get tired from gripping the thin cable for so long.

Finally at the top around 10am, I took some photos and soaked in the accomplishment. This is a shot looking westward down the valley.

At the summit, there are no guardrails over the edge; just a sheer drop of more than 800 feet. The plateau starts sloping downwards along most of the ledge, so getting close to it is a freaky experience. This is about as close as I was willing to get but the friends I made along the trail literally sat over the ledge and took photos of their legs dangling off.
No thanks!

I did get close to the ledge on the rock outcropping; in the next photo I was out beyond the sheer cliff face.

The views east and westward were truly spectacular; just miles and miles of glacially carved granite mountains. The visibility was incredibly good this day.

The descent was actually a lot easier and significantly less intimidating than the ascent. I got cocky and decided to get a photo without holding onto the cables which freaked out the people on the way up.

Finally being able to see Nevada fall during the daytime, it was really impressive how fast the water would run down the falls. It didn't mist up into sparse and slow falling droplets, the water stayed as large sheets rushing down the granite at incredible speed.

Many hours of hiking back later I got to finally see Vernal Falls in the daylight. Very impressive! I totally understand why it was spraying so much mist at me in the dark.

Look at the 3 people in the middle-ground on the right side of the photo for some perspective on scale!

I made it back to the trailhead around 4 for 5pm, sat at the river with a few others I met along the trail for half an hour, then drove out. I stopped for dinner somewhere, then finally made it back home around 10pm very excited for a proper bed.