That’s an optical illusion from Yosemite Valley.
Its rounded top is the result of concentric rock layers eroding away, like layers peeled off of an onion.įinally - to really mess with your head - Half Dome is not, in fact, half of a dome. This caused higher elevation rocks to tumble away, leaving behind a sheer vertical face.īut - and this is very important - glaciers never flowed over Half Dome. During the last Ice Age glaciers flowed past Half Dome, scraping away lower elevation rocks. What happened to the other half of Half Dome? Millions of years later, erosion revealed those granite plumes, one of which was Half Dome. Before reaching the surface, the magma stopped rising and cooled into granite. The story began 80 million years ago, when giant plumes of magma rose under present-day Yosemite. About 10-minutes long, it covers the basics, with an emphasis on safety.īefore we get to the hiking details, let’s take a moment to appreciate the rich history of this geologic marvel. Yosemite National Park made a short hiking Half Dome video. Here I’ll cover the most important details - and share my best tips, including top strategies to obtain a permit. I’ve hiked Half Dome multiple times while researching my bestselling guidebook, Yosemite: The Complete Guide. Mere mortals (and those of us who savor the journey as much as the destination) split the hike into two days.Ĭonquering the permit process might be the hardest challenge of all!
Excellent hikers can summit in 5-6 hours. Starting from Yosemite Valley, the trail to Half Dome’s 8,839-foot summit is 14.2 miles long (21.7 km). And the views from the top are glorious.īut hiking Half Dome is not for everyone. Rising 4,800 feet above Yosemite Valley, it beckons every hiker who sets eyes on it. Half Dome is the best hike in Yosemite National Park.
0 kommentar(er)
