Half Dome Yosemite National Park. Climbing Half Dome in Yosemite

Yosemite National Park national park) is one of the most beautiful nature reserves in the United States, located in the Sierra Nevada, California. Since 1984, the park has been under the protection of UNESCO.

Yosemite Park covers an area of ​​3026 km². In this vast area you can see impressive granite rocks, picturesque valleys and meadows, clear lakes and rivers, waterfalls, ancient giant sequoias, as well as a wide variety of animals and birds.

History of Yosemite National Park

Yosemite in the language of the Apache Indians means the name of the American black bear - the owner of these places. The amazing beauty of the current territory of the park was revealed to European Americans in the middle of the 19th century during the gold rush. And this unique area arose millennia ago under the influence of a huge continental glacier.

In the 1850s, Yosemite Valley became a very popular holiday destination. And to save wildlife In this area, President Abraham Lincoln in 1864 issued a special document, the Yosemite Grant, which referred to the transfer of the valley and the giant sequoia grove to the state of California. And in October 1890, the park received national status. In the future, Yosemite National Park was repeatedly expanded due to land purchased from private owners.

View of Lake Tenaya

Climate

Yosemite Park is located in the Mediterranean climate zone. This means that most of the precipitation falls in winter and the rest of the seasons are almost dry. The average daily temperature ranges from -3.9 to 32.2 °C, with increasing altitude the temperature drops. In summer, the combination of high temperatures, low humidity and lightning results in frequent fires.

Attractions in Yosemite National Park

Yosemite is one of the most popular national parks America. It is home to massive rocky mountains, roaring waterfalls, meandering rivers, lush wooded valleys and grassy meadows. Yosemite Park has all the conditions for tourists: signs are installed around the perimeter, there are walking and cycling paths, and halt places are equipped.

Yosemite Valley

Every year in national park about 5 million people come and 90% of all tourists visit only Yosemite Valley. And this is no accident, because the valley is located in the central part of the park along the picturesque Merced River and is replete with sights. It is here that you can see the granite rock-monolith of El Capitan, almost a kilometer high, beautiful lakes and waterfalls, and there are animals in the local forests. In the Yosemite Valley, the main tourist routes begin and all the infrastructure is located: cafes, campsites and shops.

Half Dome granite rock

Half Dome is a granite monolith located in the eastern part of national park. The height of the cliff is 1450 meters above Yosemite Valley. The first ascent to the summit dates back to 1875, before that the rock remained inaccessible.

Today Half Dome is popular with both ordinary tourists without climbing skills, and for professionals. About 50,000 people conquer the granite rock every year. The last section of the path, the so-called dome of the rock, 144 meters high, goes along a special cable car.

Tuolomn Meadows

Tuolumne Meadows are located on mountain plateaus in the eastern part of Yosemite National Park. There are mountains around, so mountaineering is popular in this area, and a route passes through the meadows to the very high peak park - Mount Lyell (Lyell). Due to the remoteness from the central valley, there are few tourists here.

The most famous waterfalls in Yosemite

Within the national park, thanks to a large number steep cliffs, a lot of waterfalls. In all its glory, they can only be seen in spring, when the snow begins to melt. By the end of summer, the waterfalls turn into thin streams, and some even completely dry up.

Yosemite Falls is the tallest waterfall in North America with a drop height of 740 meters. It consists of three steps: the height of the upper cascade is 435 m, the middle one is 207 m and the lower one is 98 m. You can climb a steep slope to the top of Yosemite Falls.

Waterfall Horsetail

Horsetail Fall is located on the eastern slope of El Capitan. It consists of two falling streams of water, resembling a horse's tail, hence the name. With a water drop of 650 meters, Horse Tail is the third highest waterfall in the park.

This waterfall is also known as Firefall. Just a few days in February, the waterfall resembles red-hot lava flowing from the top of the mountain. This phenomenon occurs as a result of the reflection of the rays of the setting sun in the falling stream of water. A lot of people come to see this phenomenon.

Bridlevale Falls

Bridalveil waterfall is also very popular among tourists. Bridalveil means “bridal veil” in English. This waterfall is known for the fact that throughout the fall (190 meters) the water practically does not touch the rocks.

Nevada and Vernal Falls

The 180-meter-high Nevada Fall is located in the upper reaches of the Merced River, and the 96-meter-high Vernal Falls are located in the lower reaches of the river. The first waterfall is far from the entrance to the park, but it is clearly visible from the Glacier Point observation deck. Walk to Vernal Falls tourist route Mist trail, the path is relatively easy. Standing at the top right next to the waterfall, it offers a stunning view.

Mariposa Sequoia Grove

Mariposa Grove is a grove of giant sequoias, consisting of 500 trees. It is located in the southernmost part of Yosemite National Park.

From 2015 to 2017, work was underway to equip the grove, as a result of which tram tracks were removed and convenient asphalt paths for pedestrians appeared.

Some of the trees deserve special attention:

• The Washington Tree is the largest tree in the grove, with a volume of 1355 m³.
• The giant grizzly is the oldest sequoia in the grove. The age of this tree is approximately 1900-2400 years, the height is 63.7 m, the diameter of the trunk at the base is 29.5 m. The giant grizzly takes 25th place in the list of the largest trees in the world in terms of volume.
• The fallen monarch is a sequoia that fell in the 18th century. After three hundred years, the trunk remains strong, as sequoias are very resistant to decay.
• The Bachelor and the Three Finesses are a group of four trees, three of which grow very close together and are noticeably thinner than the fourth. The roots of these sequoias are so intertwined that the fall of one tree will lead to the death of the rest.
• Sequoia "Columbia" with a height of 87 meters is the tallest tree in the entire national park.
• The California Tunnel is the only living tree with a cut tunnel.

Glacier Point Lookout

Glacier Point is located at an altitude of 2200 meters and offers magnificent views of Yosemite Valley from above. This one viewpoint, which can be reached, all the rest will require difficult climbs along the trails.

Flora and fauna of Yosemite National Park

The national park, in addition to beautiful landscapes, is also attractive for its diverse flora and fauna. The extremely rich flora of Yosemite consists of 1,450 species of plants. In the mixed coniferous forests of the park, Lambert's pine, Geoffrey's pine, calocedrus, single-color fir and pseudo-hemlock grow, and velvety oak is also found. As the height increases, the trees grow lower and sparse.

In every corner Yosemite park you can find various types of wild flowers that are found most of the year.

The fauna of the national park is represented by 300 species of vertebrates. The black bear baribal, coyote, gray fox, black-tailed deer, bighorn ram, squirrels, marmots, hares and others live here. There are about 150 species of birds and reptiles in the park.

Information for tourists

The national park is open to visitors 24/7.

Yosemite 7 Day Pass Prices:

• $15 - per person;
• free - children under 15 and beneficiaries;
• $30 - car, bus (up to 15 seats);
• $25 - motorcycle;
• $15 - horse, bicycle;
• $125 - commercial tour (bus, 7-15 seats);
• $200 - commercial tour (bus, 16-25 seats);
• $300 - commercial tour (bus, from 26 seats).

At the entrance to the national park you have to pay for vehicle and for every person. The entrance pass is valid for 7 days, you can leave and enter Yosemite as much as you like.

Available for $60 is the Yosemite Annual Pass, which provides free admission to the park for 12 months from the date of purchase.

If you have the opportunity to travel around the country, be sure to buy an annual pass for $ 80 to all national parks and reserves in the United States. We recommend visiting the Grand Canyon, Mount Rainier, Glacier and other equally amazing places.

Attention! Prices are for 2018. You can check the current prices on the official website of the national parks: https://www.nps.gov/index.htm.

Movement within the park

Most tourists prefer to travel around the park by car, this is very convenient, however, during the period from November to June, some roads are closed and you should be aware that GPS devices do not always provide accurate directions inside the park. You can also get to the necessary sights on free shuttle buses that run in a circle. In addition, the park has a bike rental.

If you are not traveling in your own "house on wheels", then we strongly recommend booking a campsite in the park either a few months before the planned trip.

Extreme Entertainment

Yosemite National Park is one of the largest places in the world where you can do extreme sports:

• mountaineering;
• rock climbing;
• kayaking;
• rafting;
• skiing;
• camping trip;
• slackline - walking on a sling.

Attention! In Yosemite National Park, there is a high probability of meeting an animal. You can read the recommendations on what to do when meeting with an animal, in particular, with a bear, at the link.

Yosemite National Park on Yosemite West Map

Yosemite National Park is one of the most beautiful nature reserves in the United States, located in the Sierra Nevada, California. Since 1984, the park has been under the protection of UNESCO.

Yosemite Park covers an area of ​​3026 km². On this vast territory you can see impressive granite rocks, picturesque valleys and meadows, clear lakes and rivers, a waterfall..." />

Yosemite National Park is considered to be one of the most beautiful in the United States. Numerous artists and photographers have glorified its views, making it the most popular natural screensavers for the desktop of our computers. Three million tourists come to Yosemite every year to see the famous valley and other famous natural attractions live.

Tourist routes and trails cover only 11% of the total area of ​​the park, everything else is a protected wilderness untouched by man. Most of the park consists of granite and sedimentary rocks, which, under the influence of erosion, formed unusual elements of the landscape - natural columns and pillars, semicircular canyons and gorges, and domed folds. Half Dome is just a perfect example of the latter.

Half Dome is a granite rock (monolith), which is very popular with tourists and one of the symbols of Yosemite National Park. Located in the central part of the Sierra Nevada (California, USA). It is one of the largest monoliths in North America. The peak is located at an altitude of 2,694 m above sea level and rises 1,450 m above the Yosemite Valley. Consists of granite.

Its granite dome sits at the eastern end of Yosemite Valley. The 1444 meters high granite ridge is the most famous landscape of the valley. This image is depicted on the US 25 cent series and on a modern California driver's license.

In 1875, George Anderson was the first to conquer the mountain, making a dangerous climb that had previously been considered impossible. The ascent took 5 days. On the this moment More than 10 climbing routes have been laid on Half Dome. In addition, one Via Ferrata route leads to the top.

About a thousand tourists storm the Half Dome every day.

Thousands of those who wish, under the control of the rangers of the national park, climb the rock, and from the 12 km of the path, the last one and a half hundred meters to the top they go along a special cable route (created in 1919), holding on to two stretched woven metal ropes.

Yosemite Valley is a national park in the United States, so there are strict rules for the preservation of nature and rocks in their natural form. Climbers must follow the principle: "leave no trace." In other words, they are required to take absolutely everything with them and leave nothing on the route, including waste products. In addition, no water or food should be left for the "next group", for the "next climb", or for any other reason. Hidden (stashed) water and food are garbage!

Fires should not be lit unless absolutely necessary. If, in the event of an emergency, the group needs to start a fire, they must use the existing fire pit and subsequently ensure that the fire is completely extinguished.

Overnight stays are not easy either. Permits for overnight stays on the wall or emergency overnight stays on the summit are not required. But, if the group plans to spend the night on the summit, they must obtain the appropriate permission. Parking under any wall is prohibited in Yosemite Valley, with the exception of Half Dome (“Half Dome”), for parking under which a separate permit is required. Overnight stay at the top of Half Dome is prohibited!

In addition, once the equipment had gone far enough, the ethics of climbing became essential. Climbers should prepare to climb routes without a hammer, i.e. by fitting camhooks and any other equipment that can eliminate the need for pounding. Climbers must also take the time to remove old quickdraws, unusable copperheads, and other useless hardware they find on the routes.

All this greatly increases the number of pleasant impressions from climbing even along the most popular routes.

There are many ways to get to Yosemite. For example, by plane from Moscow to San Francisco. Then by train or bus to Merced station, then to Yosemite Valley by bus, which takes about 3.5 hours. This is the easiest, but expensive way ($1000 for round-trip plane tickets). It is much cheaper to fly to Las Vegas ($700 for tickets), but it can take twice as long to get from there to the park.

Sarah Watson became famous for her amazing climbing career: she started climbing at a rather late age: at the age of 21, but after a year and a half, she, together with Sean Jones, created new route(21 pitches) on the south side of Half Dome, which was called "Growing Up" (5.13a, A0).

Sarah is also considered the first woman to summit Half Dome.

Such high popularity forced the authorities to announce in 2010 the introduction, starting from the 2011 season, of some restrictions (no more than 400 people per day), and permits to be issued in advance (a week) not in the National Park itself, but in the service National Recreation Reservation Service. Those who try to climb to the top "savages" without permission are punished with a fine of up to $ 5,000 and / or imprisonment for 6 months in prison

Kailash:

Q: Is it correct to understand that comrades are sitting on Kailash, somewhat similar to this muzzle (view from above), but they are only servants of those depicted in this “portrait”?

View from above. Rotate 180 degrees

A: Yes, and there are very few of them. There is a base on duty, but Kailash works autonomously, it is set up. They do not have to be there, they are on duty, like a watchman or watchman.
Q: So the invaders themselves built a base there and left?
A: Yes, the base is set up so that strangers won't get through.
Q: Accordingly, they do not let people in?
A: No people, no other beings. Only their own.

Q: What are the plates used for in Kailash? To warp space/time like Kozyrev's mirrors?
Oh yeah. They broadcast signals with programs into space.
Q: So they really rewrote some of the information around the Earth and the solar system, including in the Akashic records?
A: They don't have access to that either. There is access to the collective memory.

Monolithic rock Half Dome (Half Dome) is located in the American national park Yosemite. This popular attraction among tourists is considered one of the symbols of the beautiful reserve. The granite top of Half Dome is located at 2,694 meters above sea level. The rock majestically rises above the valley of Yosemite Park to a height of 1,450 meters and is included in the list of the largest monoliths in North America.

Half Dome has long retained the status unconquered summit. The first person to climb it was George Anderoson in 1875. In many companies and organizations, the picturesque granite rock is used as a logo. Her image can be seen on the 2005 25 cent coin. Since 2010, the rock has been featured on California driver's licenses.

About 50,000 people a year regularly climb Half Dome. A special cable route, created back in the 1919th century, leads to the very top of the monolith. To make the ascent, you need to take a special permit from the authorities. Now, due to the great popularity among tourists, no more than 400 people are allowed to climb the rock per day. The fine for getting up without a permit will be $5,000 or an alternative term in jail for 6 months.

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It is very difficult to write anything about Yosemite. I just want to pop out somewhere with a hundred photos, the most successful of the thousand that I made in three days on a soap box and phone. However, when I look at my photos, I understand that they are not up to par ... So then, be sure to look at some more professional ones. Actually, I have been to many beautiful places, and it’s not so easy to surprise me, but Yosemite impressed me to the fullest.

It is located in California, in the Sierra Nevada mountains, about 250 kilometers from San Francisco. Yosemite only competes with Yellowstone for the title of the most famous national park in the US. (Do not confuse them - although both names begin with "y", the parks are very different.)

The park is huge, but most of the most recognizable natural wonders are located in its center, in Yosemite Valley. The Merced River flows along the bottom of the valley, but it was not she who carved such a deep groove in the granite rocks - glaciers worked here, which have been covering this area for 30 million years, every few tens of thousands of years. Yosemite Valley meanders for 11 km with an average width of just over one and a half km.

The most beautiful peaks of gray bare granite rise on the sides 900-1200 meters above her bed.

Where the rocks are not too steep, they are covered with beautiful coniferous forests.

As often happened in America, Indians lived in these places for many centuries, until gold was found in the surrounding mountains in the late 1840s. A gold rush began, and the European population of the area jumped at times. The Indians came into conflict with the white settlers, the conflict ended with the fact that their tribe was dispersed.

One of the most famous rocks in Yosemite is the monolith El Capitan (the name is often abbreviated "El Cap"). Its sheer walls rise 900 meters above the valley.

Climbers consider El Cap one of the most technical climbs in the world. It is said that many of the modern rock climbing techniques and technologies were developed right here in Yosemite by people who dreamed of one day conquering this peak by climbing up its bare facade.

The first successful climb was completed in 1958, and took 47 days - Warren Harding gradually conquered the wall, climbing higher and higher. Today, experienced climbers can climb to the top in 4-5 days, sleeping in hanging cradles right on the wall. The current world record is 2 hours and 24 minutes.

In addition to rock climbers, the monolith also attracts other extreme sports enthusiasts - base jumpers who jump from this peak with parachutes.

For ordinary tourists best view on El Capitan opens from here, from the point of Tunnel View, at the entrance to the valley. (He is on the left in the photo.)

Another famous Yosemite rock - Half-Dome (Half-Dome, or half-dome), like El Cap is a granite monolith. From the bottom of the valley it really looks as if someone had carefully sawed off the top of a round stone dome.

The cut looks incredibly smooth. The rock itself, at a height of 1,400m above the valley, is higher than the Captain, but the height of the cut is about 600 meters.

If you look at Half Dome from the side, it becomes clear that this is not a dome at all - its "back" wall is almost as vertical as the facade:

Due to its very recognizable shape, the Half Dome, in a stylized form, appears in some logos:

Whoever recognizes the logo on the right, write down 1,024 bonus points for yourself

You don't have to be a super hard climber to climb Captain and Half Dome - you just need to be in good physical shape. Hiking trails lead to the peaks of both rocks. True, in the case of Half Dome, you will have to plan in advance - for climbing, due to popularity, a permit has been needed for several years now, and they are issued in limited quantities during the lottery process ...

In addition to the incredible rocks, Yosemite is also famous for its waterfalls. The most famous of them bear the name of the park. In fact, Yosemite Falls is a series of waterfalls that collectively exceed 730 meters in height, giving local guides the right to call them the highest in North America. Their interesting feature is that they do not feed on a river or lake, but on melted snow. In the spring, after a particularly snowy winter, Yosemite Falls looks like this:

We were less fortunate - we arrived already at the height of summer, and in general there is a drought in California. The upper segment of Yosemite seemed to us a rather pathetic sight:

But the lower segment falls in the middle of a beautiful pine grove, and is very easily accessible to tourists.

They say that it happens that by the end of summer the waterfalls dry up entirely. But we were lucky, on the very first day of our stay in Yosemite, downpours hit the park, and the waterfalls became a little hot.

This difference was very noticeable at the Vernal and Nevada waterfalls - it leads past them hiking trail, they are simply not visible from the valley.

When we got to it, Vernal was blowing in powerful streams.

Tonya said that when she saw him six years ago, he was a pitiful wisp in comparison.

Regarding the legalization of same-sex marriages in the country, the park administration turned on a rainbow at the foot of the waterfall. Tourists, not embarrassed by the loss of family values, immediately began to photograph her.

The Nevada Falls, located above, also looked very impressive.

But upon closer inspection, it turned out that it was full of dirt washed up by rain the day before.

I have never seen such a dirty waterfall. Disorder...

As if mountains and waterfalls weren't enough, Yosemite still has groves of giant sequoias.

Back in September last year, sitting on the pebbles at Glacier Point in Yosemite, we admired big rock Half Dome, which looks like a half dome (hence the name), and then we firmly decided to climb to the top of it next year. And now the goal is achieved - we are at the top.

Half Dome was originally called " Tis-sa-ack“, which in Ahwahnechee language means Cleft Rock (cracked rock). This huge granite ridge rises 4,737 feet (1,444 m) above Yosemite Valley and 8,844 feet (2,695 m) above sea level.

Unfortunately, the courageous impulse to climb Half Dome can be immediately extinguished due to the problematic organization of this trip.

First, you need to win a lottery permit to climb The Cable Route (the last section of the route on which tourists use cables to climb to the very top). The lottery is held only once a year in March, and only 300 permits are issued per day (including 75 permits for backpackers who stay overnight at the campsite). Those. this very impulse came to you to climb the rock, say in May, but it wasn’t there, you have to wait a year to participate in the lottery, win, and only then climb or test your luck and participate in the Daily Lottery (daily lottery), which plays 50 additional climbing permits. The rule to have permission to climb The Cable Route 7 days a week was introduced only in 2011, before that, an average of 500-1000 tourists climbed the rock every day, which sometimes led to severe congestion on the trail, as shown in the photo below.

Here is how to participate in the lottery.

What if you don't have a permit and still climb the rock on The Cable Route? There can be 3 situations here:

1. You are very lucky, and you will not meet a ranger on the way, checking permissions, then you will calmly climb up and down the cliff;
2. You will meet a kind ranger who will simply turn you back;
3. You will meet an evil ranger who can fine you $5000 and/or send you to jail for 6 months. Cheerful prospect, isn't it?

Secondly, you need to book a campsite or a hotel, which is not always easy in a popular place like Yosemite. And some kind of accommodation is needed, because. the ascent takes 8-12 hours, and after it you don’t really want to get behind the wheel and go home. There is a list of all campsites in the park here http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/campgrounds.htm.

So, now about the path itself.

The Yosemite Rangers, as always, love to play scary stories and sometimes even say that the difficulty level of this path is 11 on a scale from 0 to 10. But you don’t need to have any superpowers to climb Half Dome, the only difficulty lies in the duration of the path itself - 14-23 miles depending on the chosen route. Yes, there have been accidents along the way, the last one was July 31, 2011, but almost always the cause of death is bad weather: lightning, slippery rock surfaces, cold rain, etc. Therefore, in order to protect yourself as much as possible, you should go here in good weather.

There are several trails to climb to Half Dome. Here is detailed description all routes. Some backpackers stay at the Little Yosemite Valley backpacker camp, which is only 7 miles (11 km) to the top of Half Dome. A permit is also required to stop at this campsite.

Length of routes there and back:

14.2 miles (22.7 km) via the Mist Trail
16.5 miles (26.5 km) via the John Muir Trail
20 miles (32 km) via Glacier Point
23 miles (37 km) through Tenaya Lake.

We decided to go up via the John Muir Trail, as it is more gentle, and go down the shorter route via the Mist Trail. The whole trail is quite comfortable, lined with pebbles in places, it is always clearly visible, so it is simply impossible to get lost.

And now the target is already visible - the Half Dome rock, however, it is difficult to recognize it from the side of the Nevada Fall waterfall: it is the last one in the photo below. The first rock is Liberty Cap. Well, you must admit that the view of these 3 rocks and the Nevada Fall deserves to sit here for an hour, just be silent and enjoy the beauty given to us by Mother Nature. Amazing place! Many tourists "mattress" (as Sasha says) only go up to this waterfall, rest and go back. By the way, here is the last civilized toilet, garbage cans and water.

Since our whole adventure took place at the end of May, the rivers and waterfalls pleased us with their turbulent waters, which are fed by melted snow from the tops of the mountains. Of course, not everyone can swim in such water, but it is quite possible to wash.

Already on the approach to Sub Dome, a gorgeous view opens up of the neighboring mountains covered with snow, the trees burnt by last year's fire. But you can not stop, ahead of the last section of the path before the ascent. The weather is getting worse, you need to hurry. It's a pity.

Sub Dome- the penultimate section of the path, when you need to go through the steps carved into the rock. You have to look down! To make your head spin from the crazy view below, to appreciate the scale of the mountains, to think about how well done you are that you could overcome such a section of the path. You need to look down.

Well, and then, in fact, around which all the hype - The cable route. The cable was installed on a rock back in 1919 and became so popular that it was included in the National Register in 2012. Historic Places USA (National Register of Historic Places). The Cable Route is open approximately from May to October, it all depends on weather conditions how quickly the snow will melt, etc.

Is it difficult to climb The Cable Route? No. These are all the latest ranger myths that, with their inherent American security mania, scare tourists. It was a little more difficult to go on the way back when the feet slid along the rock. To flatten possible risk to break off the cable to zero, as well as make your life easier and not stand in line for climbing, you can take harnesses and carabiners with you, which will allow you to safely climb on the side of the main path. Which we safely did (thanks to Misha).

And here is the top of Half Dome. It is quite wide and flat, not at all what it seems from below. You can even play football here. Why not? There will be the most extreme football in the world.

Most popular place at the top is the Diving Board, from where not only chic, but simply mind-blowing photos are obtained.

From above, everything seems so small, even you yourself seem somehow small, insignificant.

We rejoiced, ate, rested, were proud of ourselves, took pictures and went back.

We returned to the Nevada Fall by the same path, then turned onto the Mist trail, which led along the stone steps on the side of the waterfall. It was even very pleasant to cool off with splashes from a powerful stream of water, which breaks with furious force from 180 meters and hits the ground.

Then the trail led to another waterfall, Vernal Fall, it is slightly lower than Nevada Fall, but its power still commands respect.

The spray from the waterfall creates a slight mist in the gorge, which makes this part of the path mystical, and slippery steps do not let you relax. Probably, on a hot day, we would have appreciated this life-giving moisture more, but when our feet set foot on the Mist trail, the sun did not please us with its rays, so we wanted to go through the waterfall faster.

And so, tired, but pleased with ourselves, we returned to the parking lot. The whole journey took not much, not a little, but 10 hours.

What do you remember about climbing Half Dome? First of all, beautiful and neatly laid out paths, deer constantly roaming everywhere, waterfalls, fun while climbing the cables, delicious lard (yes, we ate lard at the top) and, of course, a cheerful company, which is the most important thing. Should I go to Half Dome? Of course, it’s worth it, it’s not for nothing that this path is so popular, although by and large the popularity of this trail is due to good advertising.

Parking. The nearest parking lot near the start of the trail is behind Curry Village, near the "Service Vehicles Only" sign, turn right. There are several iron boxes in the parking lot where you should hide all the food and smelly things from the car so that the bears walking around suddenly do not want to look at your car from the inside. You can also park in Curry Village itself if the first car park is full. You can park anywhere in Yosemite Valley, then take the bus to the start of the trail. Those who start their journey from Glacier Point, respectively, need to go there and park in the main parking lot.

Water. Rangers advise taking 4 liters of water with you. If you have a filter with you, then you can collect water in the river. The last water source will be near Nevada Fall.

Gloves. It is worth taking gloves with a rubberized palm with you, they will prevent slipping while climbing the cables, and also save your hands from cuts and scratches.

Clothing. It is worth taking something warm with you, because. it can be cold and windy upstairs.

Squirrels. These little pests will not leave any backpack unattended, having gained experience in tearing off any locks, they will steal any ration from any backpack in a matter of minutes. Moral: If you don't want to lose your rations or get a ripped backpack, don't leave your things downstairs while climbing The cable route.

Shower. Showers are available at Curry Village. Treat your body - take a shower after a 10-12 hour hike, especially since it's free, you only need to pay for a towel ($5) if you don't have one.

Here is a video of the ascent to Half Dome recorded by caring rangers. Not everything here should be taken seriously.