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Re: Hike to Half Dome beginning of May. Possible? Other challenging hikes?

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Hike to Half Dome beginning of May. Possible? Other challenging hikes?
March 23, 2017 12:07PM
I know someone that wants to hike to Half Dome in the first week of May. She finishes her first year of college then, and wants to do it then before summer gets too busy (other trips, college volleyball team training, etc.)
I've been up several times, so I know with all of the snow there will be several issues on the trail.
Mist Trail should be open by then. Will sub-dome still have snow? Cables most likely will still be down?

Suggestions for alternate challenging dayhikes from the valley:
Yosemite Falls Trail(I've done this as well, but last Fall when not much water and no heat.)
Will Glacier Point bus be going yet? If not, Up 4-Mile Trail(will it be open then?), then down the Panorama Trail.
Other suggestions?
avatar Re: Hike to Half Dome beginning of May. Possible? Other challenging hikes?
March 23, 2017 12:43PM
The Upper Yosemite Falls Trail to the top of the falls and then onward and upward to the top of Eagle Peak. Or instead of heading west to Eagle Peak, head east to Yosemite Point and then to North Dome.



Leave No Trace
Re: Hike to Half Dome beginning of May. Possible? Other challenging hikes?
March 23, 2017 12:46PM
I believe the earliest the half dome cables go up is Memorial Day weekend, though I think in the last few years (of low snowfall) they went up before then. This has not been a year of low snowfall.
Re: Hike to Half Dome beginning of May. Possible? Other challenging hikes?
March 24, 2017 04:52AM
IMO it would be very dangerous to do this in early May. People have died on HD because they didn't understand the risks.
Re: Hike to Half Dome beginning of May. Possible? Other challenging hikes?
March 24, 2017 10:15AM
Quote
snorkus
... Will Glacier Point bus be going yet? ...

Unlikely. See the past opening dates at https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/seasonal.htm . The '96-'15 median is mid-may and this heavy snow year will likely push it to late May. Similar story with the 4-mile trail. It didn't open until June in '10-'11 which were semi-heavy snow years (less than this year).
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