If you are going to go up the cables, bring gloves. I have no idea how people do that **** without gloves.

Wear the most comfortable grippy shoes you have and nice hiking socks help too. Bring lots and lots of water. Oh yeah, flash lights too in case you run out of daylight -- you don't want that to happen while you are on a trail.

Stan

 

Hiking Poles Hiking Poles Hiking Poles Hiking Poles. They save your muscles going up. They save your joints going down. I can't say enough about how useful a set of hiking poles can be for doing longer hikes. And every person who has tried hiking poles has never regretted using them.

I've done Halfdome a few times (usually leave a midnight, arrive at the top at sunrise, then hike back down). A bunch of my friends did the 22+ mile Clouds Rest hike (I was too tired from Lemons Racing that weekend to go )

Hiking to Nevada Falls is pretty fun. As people have mentioned, usually, people go UP the 2.5mile Mist Trail and then go back down the 4.3mile Muir Trail as that the muir trail doesn't have the stone "steps" that the mist trail has. It is generally more fun going up the Mist Trail in the spring when the falls are at full force. Here was a small clip of us back in may, having gotten past the "wet" part of the trail. Hiking Up The Mist Trail - YouTube

It goes without saying but bring water, I drink up a ton and will go thru my camelback and a few bottles but other people don't use as much; the only place to fill up is about 1 mile in at Vernal Falls (unless you have a pump&filter in which case you can fill up at the various falls or a few creeks in spring time).

 

I've seen people on the Mist Trail in everything from flip flops to $300 Vasque boots. I recommend a good pair of hiking boots for traction and ankle support.

I'd recommend leaving earlier in the day if possible, that way you avoid the mid-day heat as well as the mid-day crowds. It's a pretty popular trail.

I'll add some pics when I get to my home puter.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/superglue/5934054944/http://www.flickr.com/photos/superglue/5934054944/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/superglue/, on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/superglue/5934055006/http://www.flickr.com/photos/superglue/5934055006/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/superglue/, on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/superglue/4800076154/http://www.flickr.com/photos/superglue/4800076154/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/superglue/, on Flickr



And for the hell of it.....


http://www.flickr.com/photos/superglue/5933494689/http://www.flickr.com/photos/superglue/5933494689/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/superglue/, on Flickr

 

Is it true for half dome, one needs a permit now? I heard they are enforcing stricter rules eversince the deaths for this year. I'm just wondering coz we were thinking of hiking half dome.

 

Yes, you need a permit to do the last part. There's a ranger checking off names/reservation #s.

 

I've gone up half-dome twice, and I recommend hiking boots, just because of the slipperiness of the granite staircases. I've almost slipped before going up.

In terms of the mist trail:

Another +1 going down the john muir trail, it's way too slippery going down the mist trail. Definitely do not recommend going up in tevas, you WILL want closed toe shoes. It shouldn't be too hard, as a pretty large group went up with me, which included some 40+ year olds. Needed a few breaks towards the latter part of the hike, but they had no problem getting up.

If you want to go to half-dome:

You do need permits to go up the last part of half-dome because of overcrowding and people being stupid, falling, and dying.

Bring a LOT of water, especially if you go during the day. I used over 3L of water, and I leave at midnight so it's much cooler, and I still ran out near the top (overhydrated early on though). There is a small spring (read nice puddle of water) near the top, but you need water treatment tablets if you.

If going up half-dome I 100% recommend leaving around midnight, so the hike is cool while heading up. Plus, get to the top, rest a little, and see a BEAUTIFUL sunrise. (Kind of missed it due to the group needing to take breaks towards the end, but it's pretty dang close) Then, as you go down, you get to see all the people suffering as they hike up the trail in the heat .

 

I wouldn't want to traverse the mist trail @night. Easy to miss a step and "Game over man!!! Game over!"

 

+2. Mist Trail is a pain to go back down due to the fact its wet and there usually a lot of people going in the opposite direction as you. On a side note I would recommend bringing either a bell or hang your keys from your waist or something of this sort if you are going into an area that does not have as many people as the mist trail does. There have been several bear attacks this year and most of the time it is due to the fact the the bear is startled and feels the need to defend its self. Have fun tho man this is a great time of year!

 

This.

 

Man, that water at that station tasted SO ****ING GOOD on the way back down.

 

I bought a damn $90 filter/pump unit cause I ran out of water on last year's.... Didn't even finish the water in my camelbak by the time I finished the hike this year. I'm still pissed cause I wanted to use the filter pump thingy.

Enjoy the Mist Trail dude. The Four-Mile Trail to Glacier Point has some great views of the dome as well.

 

If you're JUST doing mist trail then coming back down, wear whatever. But if you're going to the top of half dome, be prepared as people said.

On our way up to the top of half dome, we started up the mist trail... and a 72 year old indian woman wearing sandals and traditional garb was hiking up it. She made good pace and made it to the falls. We were impressed.

 

I had two camelbak bladders and I was the only one with water on the way back. I ran out just before the water station. My pack was like 15lbs of water.

Some ****ing tree-trunk legged Germans were the only ones to the top before us... they had one little 16 oz. Arrowhead water bottle each.

 

 

That's all German's really need for water as they are beer based life forms.