Yosemite will require permits for Half Dome hikes, starting in May

In an effort to better regulate the number of hikers using the cable system to the top of Half Dome, Yosemite National Park will begin requiring day-use permits for the popular climb when the cables are put back up in May.

This interim program, implemented by the National Park Service, is being done in an effort to address safety issues that have arisen from crowding, which has led to unsafe conditions and long waits.

The Half Dome day-use permits will only be required on weekends, including Fridays, as well as holidays. Four hundred will be issued per day, with 100 of those to be included in wilderness permits. The permits are required for the use of the trail from the base of the subdome to the summit of Half Dome and include the Half Dome cable route.

The hike has become extremely popular, and crowded. About 84,000 people climbed to the top of Half Dome in 2008. Last summer, daily visitor numbers on peak days were estimated to be 1,100 to 1,200.

This overcrowding on the cables has led to unsafe conditions and long waits. Last year, Manoj Kumar, 40, of San Ramon, Calif., fell to his death from the cables. The previous weekend, a woman fell during a rainstorm and sustained serious injury.

Permits are available by advance reservation only, and can be purchased online or by calling (877) 444-6777. Up to four may be obtained per reservation, with each person required to have his or her own.

Permits are free, but there will be a $1.50 non-refundable service charge for each one.

The permits for May and June will be available beginning March 1; July and August permits will be available for reservation April 1, and on May 1, the permits for September and October will be released.

Here are a few of the frequently asked questions, and answers, on the Yosemite National Park website regarding the interim system:

Question: What is the penalty for not having a permit?

Answer: If you attempt to hike beyond the subdome or up the cables without a valid permit, a ranger will turn you away at or near the subdome. Additionally, you could face misdemeanor charges -- up to a $5,000 fine and/or six months in jail. 

Q: How long will this interim program continue?

A: This program is being implemented as an emergency safety measure for 2010. If significant crowding or other major issues are observed, modifications to the program will be effected during the 2010 and 2011 seasons.

Q: Why is the quota 400 people per day?

A: Free-flowing conditions prevent additional fatigue to hikers waiting on the cables and allow an orderly evacuation down the cables if a fast-moving storm approaches. Free-flowing conditions generally occur on weekdays, during which time, an average of 390 people per day use the cables. The quota includes 300 day hikers and 100 backpackers.

Q: Why aren’t permits available in Yosemite on a first-come, first-served basis?

A: The very high demand we would expect for the relatively few first-come, first-served permits available would lead to a frustrating experience for visitors and would be difficult to manage. However, we may consider offering some permits on a first-come, first-served basis (one day in advance) in the future, as well as other changes to the permit system, based on our experiences this year.

Q: Can I stay at the base of the cables and wait for other members of my group to hike to the top of the cables and back?

A: No -- hikers without a permit cannot go beyond the base of the subdome.

Q: Why not redesign the cables to accommodate more people?

A: Any long-term solutions or permanent changes will be addressed in the planning process that will be initiated in spring 2010 and all reasonable and feasible options will be evaluated in the environmental assessment.

-- Kelly Burgess

Photos:

(top) A view of Half Dome and climbers using the cable. Credit: Scott Gediman

(bottom) The cables to ascend and descend Half Dome have become so crowded on some days that waits can be up to an hour. Credit: National Park Service

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Comments

[Rick Deutsch - Mr Half Dome]

You meant to write: The PREVIOUS weekend, a woman fell during a rainstorm and sustained serious injury.

M. Kumar fell and died on June 13; Gina B. fell and lived on June 6. In both cases the weather was the pits and folks should not have been there. I was there June 13 and a cloud moved in from a blue sky about noon; we got down; then hail, then rain. Yet people in TShirts and shorts continued up.

You can't legislate bad judgement.

[y_p_w]

I did it on a Thursday on my first full day of a backpacking trip. It was made more manageable since I only hiked about 3 miles from where I set up camp. I didn't find it crowded at all. Then I did Clouds Rest the next day and took pictures of Half Dome at between 1-2 PM. The Friday crowd was much more crowded. I don't think I could have handled it with the climbers "bumper to bumper".

I'm thinking this will push more people to do the HD hike on days where the day use permit isn't required. At that point don't be surprised if the permits are then required 7 days a week as people try to get around the quotas. The NPS said that they may change the policy depending on use patterns.

There are already signs at the Happy Isles Trailhead about the Half Dome hike that describe the conditions and the recommended equipment. While I suppose a park ranger could attempt to discourage someone from going up without proper footwear (I've even heard of suggestions to use climbing or approach shoes) there is no requirement that a permit holder do so. I don't think the NPS could keep someone from going up HS barefoot.

[Bret Waters]

I did the Half Dome hike during the last weekend in September, thinking the crowds would be long-gone by then. Imagine my surprise when we had an hour-long line to wait in at the base of the cables! Crazy. It's too bad that backcountry hiking (which is supposed to be the essence of unstructured freedom!) ends up being something which the NPS regulates and requires permits for, but in this case I think they are probably doing the right thing. 1,000 people per day on that trail isn't in anyone's best interests, unfortunately...

[Kelly Burgess]

It is 400 permits issued per day, with each person requiring one. People may purchase up to four passes at once, but each pass is for one person. Thus the limit on each Fri., Sat., Sun. and holiday is 400 people.

Thanks for reading, and commenting,

Kelly

[dr]

JS: Where did you get 4 hikers per pass x 400 passes?
I'm reading "300 day hikers and 100 backpackers"
What am I missing?

[James Stephens]

This system really won't help with the backlog of hikers on the cables. Why? There will be 400 passes available per day and each pass will allow 4 hikers. This results in 1600 people a day being allowed on the dome, more even than the estimated daily traffic listed in the article. Living close to YNP and personally climbed Half Dome multiple times per year, the park would be better suited to recommend alternet hikes for visitors and post a ranger at the top of Nevada Falls to discourage or prevent the dimwits who try to hike up in the wrong type of shoes or without the proper equipment and/or amount of water. Additionally, posting restricitions on equipment (or lack of) at the beginning of the trail might prevent the amount of traffic back ups as well. Finally, ticketing people who pose a hazard to others by moving up and down the outside of the cables would help as well. In short, check out the multiple other peaks in and around the park before considering Half Dome. It is a VERY demanding hike for anyone.

[BM]

It is long overdue. Last summer witnessed someone tumble down and almost get killed due to she slipped going on the outside part of the cables to avoid the overcrowding. People were acting like animals trying to crawl over each other to get ahead. It was about an hour wait to get to the cable and about an hour and 1/2 to climb. Waterbottles were falling, people with improper shoes were slipping etc. The rain clouds were overhead and we decided to get off the cables before everyone starts slipping and panicking. Hopefully this article will just remind people to be better prepared when climbing and not risk their life and those of others. If one person falls it can be like a domino effect...

[Dave9]

Glad to see they're starting some program of control. Though I would feel comfortable with my skills and level of fitness, I can't predict what some guy a few people ahead of me would do. It's a miracle that someone hasn't fallen and knocked several people off.

To be safer, people should consider treating this as a via ferrata route and climb the cables with harness and lanyards...

[PT1]

WAY overdue, unfortunately. The number of fat people in bad sneakers risking everyone's lives up there is out of control. I was shocked at the lines of poorly equipped fatalities-in-waiting on the cables last summer.

That said, it's unfortunate that it has to be regulated and the lack of first-come permits is inexcusable. The number of people who reserve but don't go up is going to be huge and that deprives everyone of this public wonder.

[JM]

This will be good for safety and for the experience. It is not much fun to have to wait in long line to go up and down the cables. Good for the NPS.