Yosemite National Park

Andreas Werner wrote in :
- The one and only: Half Dome! Only for hikers with good endurance.


If I could do only 1 day hike in the USA, it would be Half Dome. (The Grand
Canyon rim-to-rim is my 2nd choice). Yes, Yosemite is crowded during the
summer and the waterfalls do start to dry out during mid-summer. Still, the
views are spectacular for the whole length of the trail. If you leave early
(like at sunrise), you can avoid most of the crowds. Bring pleanty of water
because this is not a short hike.

"Andreas Werner" wrote in message
...

Hi Andreas,

For hikers:
- The one and only: Half Dome! Only for hikers with good endurance.
- Yosemite Point: Also quite good, not as hard as Half dome. Use it
as a
warm-up for the harder hikes.

If you don't mind I'd like to ask you something more about these two hikes.
Are them considered long/strenuous/day hikes or they should be faced as
backcountry experiences?
Once you're on the Nevada Fall's top, how many miles there are still to get
to the Half Dome?

Can I ask you one more thing? Would you point out some "semi-hikers"
rewarding hikes in the Tuolumne Meadows area?

Thanks and ciao, Giulio

For hikers:
- The one and only: Half Dome!

From: "adjgiulio"

If you don't mind I'd like to ask you something more about these two hikes.
Are them considered long/strenuous/day hikes or they should be faced as
backcountry experiences?

I used to hike to the top of Half Dome 4-5 times a summer ... been almost 20
years but I think it was about 8 miles to the top from the valley floor, about
4,800 ft elevation gain. I still fondly remember the stretch where you hold on
to the metal cables and pull yourself up the back side of the dome, and the
incredible views once you reached the top. Once I hiked to the top and then
part way down to the falls, then traversed across to Glacier Point, then down
to the valley and back to my vehicle, parked near Happy Isles. I think it was
26 miles of hiking with over 7,000 ft elevation gain that day. Only did *that*
hike once.

By coincidence, it's about the same distance and elevation gain going south rim
(Kaibab) to river to south rim (Bright Angel) in the Grand Canyon, except on
that trip you are hiking up at the end when you're tired, instead of hiking
down like at HD. And most of the year it's a lot hotter.

Bill

"adjgiulio" wrote in news:c76iap$12m$1
@inews.gazeta.pl:
If you don't mind I'd like to ask you something more about these two hikes.
Are them considered long/strenuous/day hikes or they should be faced as
backcountry experiences?
Once you're on the Nevada Fall's top, how many miles there are still to get
to the Half Dome?

The top of Nevada Falls is about half way to the top of Half Dome, though the
upper half is steeper than the first half. The round trip to Half Dome is 17
miles. Personally, I think Half Dome is best done as a day hike. Overnight
trail camping requires camping gear, permits (not easy to get), food, and
other hassles. There's a photo report on the Half Dome hike he
http://www.rahul.net/kenton/fun/yosemite/

Note that the hike to the top of Nevada Falls is a very scenic hike, even if
you do not continue on to Half Dome.

In article , adjgiulio
wrote:

"Andreas Werner" wrote in message
...

Hi Andreas,

For hikers:
- The one and only: Half Dome! Only for hikers with good endurance.
- Yosemite Point: Also quite good, not as hard as Half dome. Use it
as a
warm-up for the harder hikes.

If you don't mind I'd like to ask you something more about these two hikes.
Are them considered long/strenuous/day hikes or they should be faced as
backcountry experiences?

These are very tough day hikes, from either Glacier Point or Happy
Isles it is about 10-12 hours return for most. From Happy Isles you
can hike to Vernal and then you have the choice of the steep ascent to
the top of Nevada Falls or the much longer horse trail. A little past
the top of Nevada Falls there is a campground with bear boxes.

I recommend to most, to make a overnight here and do it in two days.

From Happy Isles it is 17 miles return.

Bring some canvas gardening gloves for the cables on the final ascent.

I hiked around Annapurna and went over a 19K foot pass, but had a much
bigger sense of accomplishment in doing Half Dome... then Mt Whitney.


Once you're on the Nevada Fall's top, how many miles there are still to get
to the Half Dome?

About 4.


Can I ask you one more thing? Would you point out some "semi-hikers"
rewarding hikes in the Tuolumne Meadows area?

Just outside the park entrance is Saddlebag Lake, from there you can
hike to the top of Mt Conness (12K + ft.) it is about 8 miles. What
views !!!

jay
Mon May 03, 2004




Thanks and ciao, Giulio

Go Fig wrote in :
These are very tough day hikes, from either Glacier Point or Happy
Isles it is about 10-12 hours return for most. From Happy Isles you
can hike to Vernal and then you have the choice of the steep ascent to
the top of Nevada Falls or the much longer horse trail.

I'm a middle aged recreational "athlete". I exercise 6-8 hours a week non-
competitely. I've hiked from Happy Isles to Half Dome and back in 8 hours
(including rest and photo and lunch stops) and I am not the fastest person on
the trail. If you camp half way up the trail, you need to haul camping gear,
which slows down your pace a lot. You also need a backcountry camping permit,
which isn't easy to get.

If you want to do Half Dome as an overnight hike, I recommend starting in
Tuolumne Meadows. The Merced canyon is full of beautiful granite walls and
small waterfalls. Climb Half Dome the next day (or a day later). Maybe spend
another night in Yosemite Valley before hiking down to Yosemite Valley.

In article , Ken
wrote:

Go Fig wrote in :
These are very tough day hikes, from either Glacier Point or Happy
Isles it is about 10-12 hours return for most. From Happy Isles you
can hike to Vernal and then you have the choice of the steep ascent to
the top of Nevada Falls or the much longer horse trail.

I'm a middle aged recreational "athlete". I exercise 6-8 hours a week non-
competitely. I've hiked from Happy Isles to Half Dome and back in 8 hours
(including rest and photo and lunch stops) and I am not the fastest person on
the trail.

How long were you at the top and at what time of day. I prefer to get
up to the top well before the sun is directly overhead... makes for
better photos.

Are you disagreeing with most people do it in more than 10+ hours ?

10 hours, 4K feet in elevation is a long day hike.

jay
Mon May 03, 2004



If you camp half way up the trail, you need to haul camping gear,
which slows down your pace a lot. You also need a backcountry camping
permit,
which isn't easy to get.

If you want to do Half Dome as an overnight hike, I recommend starting in
Tuolumne Meadows. The Merced canyon is full of beautiful granite walls and
small waterfalls. Climb Half Dome the next day (or a day later). Maybe
spend
another night in Yosemite Valley before hiking down to Yosemite Valley.

"Go Fig" wrote in message
...

If you don't mind I'd like to ask you something more about these two
hikes.
Are them considered long/strenuous/day hikes or they should be faced as
backcountry experiences?

These are very tough day hikes, from either Glacier Point or Happy
Isles it is about 10-12 hours return for most. From Happy Isles you
can hike to Vernal and then you have the choice of the steep ascent to
the top of Nevada Falls or the much longer horse trail. A little past
the top of Nevada Falls there is a campground with bear boxes.

I recommend to most, to make a overnight here and do it in two days.

From Happy Isles it is 17 miles return.

Bring some canvas gardening gloves for the cables on the final ascent.

I hiked around Annapurna and went over a 19K foot pass, but had a much
bigger sense of accomplishment in doing Half Dome... then Mt Whitney.


Once you're on the Nevada Fall's top, how many miles there are still to
get
to the Half Dome?

About 4.

I hiket from Happy Isles to the Nevada Fall's top last year and it was not
easy but "doable" without many problems. Next time I'll be in Yosemite I'd
like to reach the Half Dome's top. I'm wondering if the last part with
cables is just tough or if it could be frightening for people who fear
heights (unfortunately I do suffer vertigo...kind of situation like the last
part of the Angels Landing in Zion).



Can I ask you one more thing? Would you point out some "semi-hikers"
rewarding hikes in the Tuolumne Meadows area?

Just outside the park entrance is Saddlebag Lake, from there you can
hike to the top of Mt Conness (12K + ft.) it is about 8 miles. What
views !!!

Thanks, I wrote your advice down. I won't forget it.

Ciao, Giulio

"Go Fig" wrote in message
...

Are you disagreeing with most people do it in more than 10+ hours

Jay, may I ask you if you're talking of the NPS "estimated" time or of some
other statistic. Cause last year I realized that often the NPS estimated
time is much higher than the true time needed for an average-skilled hiker.
Probably the NPS prefers to overestimate the correct time so that
under-skilled hikers won't underestimate the difficulty of the hike. But
this is just my personal opinion...

Ciao, Giulio

"Ken" wrote in message
...
Go Fig wrote in :

I'm a middle aged recreational "athlete". I exercise 6-8 hours a week
non-
competitely. I've hiked from Happy Isles to Half Dome and back in 8 hours
(including rest and photo and lunch stops) and I am not the fastest person
on
the trail.

Just as statistics...last year I needed 5 hours and a half from the happy
Isles to the Nevada Fall's top by the Mist Trail and back by the John Muir
Trail.

Ciao, Giulio