One Best Hike: Yosemite's Half Dome

by Rick Deutsch

Successfully hike Yosemite’s most famous landmark with the guide that helps you prepare and provides the details you need to know.Getting to the top of Yosemite National Park’s Half Dome in California is one of America’s epic day hikes. Starting in Yosemite Valley, you’ll ascend nearly one vertical mile past two impressive waterfalls, through fragrant pine, fir, and cedar forests, then 425 feet up sheer granite on the famed steel cables to the summit, where you’ll enjoy some of the grandest views of your life. If you do it right, you’ll be back down in the valley, celebrating your accomplishment, later that evening.While tremendously rewarding, this hike is also one of the park’s most strenuous. Here’s everything you need to know to successfully make the 15-plus-mile trek. This step-by-step guidebook by Rick Deutsch tells you exactly how to hit the trail with confidence.Inside you’ll specific advice on the proper physical conditioningTrail-tested list of what to wear and bring on the hikeHistorical vignettes and 18 key points of interest along the trail, with GPS markersMore than 100 photos so you know what to expectOne Best Yosemite’s Half Dome, with its can-do approach, nuts-and-bolts advice, and practical tips, will leave you wondering why you’ve waited so long to embark on this truly special hiking adventure.

Genres: Adventure, Nonfiction, Travel

211 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 15, 2007

Reviews

[Aron · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am definitely not in the target audience here, but the Yosemite history was interesting, and the tip about the natural spring was welcome.

[Jill Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good informative read

Great detail for what to expect and planning for hiking half dome, especially for first time hikers in Yosemite. Good visuals too.

[Jeanenne McCloskey · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent guide for preparing to summit Yosemite's Half Dome.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great practical tips for the hike with a dash of history mixed in. My one complaint is that the times seemed a bit sloppy. At one point, they gave you 5 minutes to do a half mile, at another they gave you 30 minutes to do something he said might take you 45 mins to an hour. My takeaway is that 10 hours is just not realistic for most people. Other than that, valuable info on bathrooms, water, what to pack, and what to expect at every stage of the trail. I'll be referring to this frequently in the next couple of months as we prepare. Another plus - the book is compact enough to take with you.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an excellent guide for my recent Half Dome hike. Of course, the trail is so well-marked that you don't need a guide for it, but this book helped me know what to expect, the time frame for how long it would take to get to certain points, etc. I recommend it to anyone who is planning to attempt this hike.

[Desiree · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book to prepare yourself for the Half Dome hike. We went with a guide and took a slightly different route, but knowing what a portion of our hike was like helped me mentally and physically prepare for the trip. I also found the "Hiking Half Dome" video on this page to be very helpful in my trip planning as well.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this 4 days after my first Half Dome hike. Author has some strong opinions, not all of them bad. There is more than one way to make this a fun hike. Bring a filter pump regardless of your hydration solution.

[John Beynon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some useful information here, but I'm not sure this hike merits a book of its own. Hopefully I'll be doing Half Dome on Oct. 9.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book lacks for nothing in the accomplishment of its ambition, so five stars.

[Jenesis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great quick guidebook! The in depth history of Half Dome was a nice bonus. Nice practical guide with helpful tips.