Whats it like to hike Half Dome?
The Half Dome hike is famous for its beauty, strenuousness, and climax. Most people do it all in one day, and it takes all day. Leave early in the morning because you’ll be getting back at dinner time best case. The hike is unique in that you never actually see Half Dome until you reach the end. The first third is very pretty meandering trail that takes you by rivers and waterfalls. There’s a decent incline here. Most of the rest of the way is fairly flat and ordinary. The last mile gets steep… You come to a section that is a switchback made out of stone stairs. The staircase tapers away out of your view such that you can’t see the top. It seems no matter how high you climb, you always see the same view. When you finally reach the top of the staircase there’s a massive rock saddle, and there’s the frightening HalfDome cables waiting for you. You take a nap and eat lunch at the top, then you make your way back. About halfway back your entire body will try to quit on you, then it will
