[pct-l] Half Dome permit

[Nathan Dreon]

In August 2012 you could get a permit to take the cables up Half Dome when you got a Wilderness permit.  I went to the Backcountry office in Tuolumne for a wilderness permit and got a stamp on my permit allowing me and my two companions to go up Half Dome ($4/person, I think).  We could pick our day for Half Dome, no lottery, no waiting.  You can pick any trailhead as long as you can get to Half Dome from it.  You have to start at that trailhead but you can take any trail branch that heads toward HD.

I recommend hiking down from Tuolumne and camping near the branch trail to HD, that way you can get there early and miss the crowd that comes up from the Valley, the cables are better when they are empty.

Then head down to the Valley, see the sights and hit the all you can eat dinner at Curry Village (about $15), it turns out I can eat quite a bit, you probably can also.  You can stay in the Backpacker's campground for $5 the night after your hike, if you have a backcountry permit.

The above info was correct in August of 2012.

Nathan Dreon