Doing half dome in 1 day

[divegirl]

(Yosemite)
Any advice? As far as it looks right now, we won't be able to get wilderness permits so I'm planning on doing the whole hike on Saturday. Intermediate speed hiker here...should I leave at 6am or 8am from the trailhead? Any photos to get me all excited? (not THOSE kind). Half dome photos that is, please.

Thanks!

[Clack]

My mama did dome in a day out of shape at 50. You'll have no problems.

Leave early, 7 should be fine. Bring water and a camera (duh).

If you feel like the extra challenge, hike a case of beer to the top and sell them for $5 a pop. Oh, and the cables are for pussies.

[Julio]

I did it this summer in one day...not bad. Actually, it's a funny story. We started at 4am...went the wrong way (Yosemite JONG) hiked 5 miles on the wrong trail. Got back to the trailhead at 8:00 and started then. We hiked up beer, video camera, camping chair, red bulls, and wigs. We make a little red bull commercial at the base of the cables. Point of the story, one day isn't bad. I'd recommend going up the mist trail and down John Muir trail. That way you get to see them both and don't have to come down the mist trail when your tired. Ask a ranger or someone who knows about the spring above little yosemite valley, bring something to treat the water. Have fun.

[Knockneed Man]

Easy... leave at 7am, jog the trail, solo Snike Dike (5.7) dont fall... or get rained on.

[cj001f]

left at 10am. Finished before dark (in August). 8am should be fine this time of year. It's a cool view up there, but Little Yosemite is cooler

[divegirl]

Hey the trip was pretty cool. I enjoyed hiking up the vertical required, and the view from the top was amazing. I just couldn't believe how many people there were doing this hike. I mean, everyone and their freaking mothers were up there!! It made for a great day of chatting up people you don't know, all the while knowing you're trying to hike the same rock. I did it in 9 hours, left at 8am (woke up late) and returned at 5pm. And that was with an hour break at the top, too. I hiked alone, and it was worth the trip. However, next time I'm up in the region, I'll do Clouds Rest. Or at least a hike where an entire town's population doesn't exist!! I'll try to post pictures if I get the chance, especially the ones looking away from the tourist valley.

[cj001f]

Cloud's Rest isn't as crowded as Half Dome (I don't think many trails are in Yosemite) but you won't go more than 10-15minutes max without passing someone.

Winter's the time to hit up Yosemite. Crowds are way, way down. And you can ski. It's almost Ostrander reservation time

[divegirl]

Hey! I was reading about the Ostrander hut in a ski tour book I picked up, and it sounds like a trip for me! I'm definitely going to reserve...when do you usually go cj? Are the trails out there pretty well marked?