One Best Hike: Yosemite's Half Dome (Paperback)

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Key Phrases: cumulative distance, trekking poles, tent cabins, Half Dome, Mist Trail, Yosemite Valley (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Of all the hiking adventures in Yosemite National Park, probably the single most compelling to visitors from all over the world is the hike to the summit of Half Dome, the 8842-foot granite rock that stands as the Park's signature landmark. For many, it's a much anticipated once-in-a-lifetime achievement. The most popular route to Half Dome's summit is a grueling 16-mile round-trip trek with 10,800 feet in elevation gain and loss. Although the hike is non-technical, with hikers climbing fixed cables up the granite side of the rock, many would-be hikers are hesitant about this potentially risky trip. How fit should you be? What preparations do you need beforehand? What should you bring? How should you pace yourself during the day? From pre-trip advice to on-the-trail tips, this guide is aimed at both casual and experienced hikers. An estimated 50,000 people attempt the Half-Dome hike each year--up to 800 per day during peak season.

Product Details

• Paperback: 111 pages
• Publisher: Wilderness Press; 1 edition (April 15, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0899974430
• ISBN-13: 978-0899974439
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #231,658 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Pilgrim's Guide to the Hiker's Mecca, May 20, 2007

By	Fritz R. Ward "dayhiker" (Crestline, CA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

When I first saw this book advertised on Amazon, I was a bit surprised. An entire hiking guide devoted to a single trail? But Half Dome is more than just a trail. It is for many people the hike of their lifetimes and probably the single most popular adventure in Yosemite. A trip to the top of Half Dome is more of a pigrimage for those who relish hiking and this book is the guide to get if you want to prepare for this journey.

The author, Rick Deutsch, has climbed Half Dome 17 times by his own account and certainly knows the route. I found most of his advice pretty sound. You should leave early, drink lots of water (filtering on the way is an excellent suggestion) and try to get to the cables before noon. I strongly agree with his suggestion that, as you ascend the cables, you breathe deeply and focus on the rock 10 feet in front of you rather than take in the "scenery" on the 45 degree ascent. Speaking as someone who does not enjoy vertical relief, I can attest that I would not have made it to the summit had a ranger not given me similar advice. The trail description was also well written.

On the whole this is a great little book. Obviously its narrow focus will mean that the book is not for everyone, but even casual readers will find the first portion of the book useful for trip planning. Deutsch includes a lot of helpful information on how to get reservations on the valley floor and some general history of Yosemite. In all, this book does what it sets out to do very well and the author should be commended. So should Wilderness Press for taking a chance on a book that is focused on a very specific audience. I hope they will consider expanding the "Best One Hike" series to include the Mt. Whitney Trail, the summit of San Gorgonio, and similar trails worthy of a guide like this one.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A "must read" if considering Half Dome., June 25, 2007

By	M. Bylicki "OU Bobcat" (North Canton, OH) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is an education for anyone considering the Half Dome hike. This hike is NOT a "stroll in the park' or something to do "spur of the moment". It requires physical training/endurance, proper gear & attitude (the cables are not the place to fool around, they require your full attention). If you are physically fit, properly outfitted & ready to give it the attention it demands, almost anyone COULD do it & do it safely. If you want to experience the hike of a lifetime, enjoy every step of the way, then read then re-read Rick's book, follow his advice & he'll get you there safely! We followed his advice & found our recent hike easier than anticipated (we trained wearing our packs loaded w/ more weight than we knew we'd actually carry). We (Mom age 56, Dad age 58, son age 27) have 3 suggestions in addition to all of Rick's. #1. Full finger, tacky (good gripping) gloves would make pulling yourself up the very smooth cables easier & more secure. #2. Do some upper body strength training, simulate the action of pulling your weight up a 45 degree incline. #3. Check the weather. The day we did Half Dome was prefect! Next day began cloudy, we had hiked the 1.1 mile to Sentinle Dome (a spectacluar 360 degree view!)& were waiting for clouds to move to get a clear picture of Half Dome, instead, around noon, low dark clouds moved in very quickly, became very windy & chilly & it started to sprinkle. We felt bad for all those who were doing the dome that day. We just got back to the trailhead/parking lot & in the car when it started to rain. It rained off & on all day.

His brief history of Yosemite & the hike (trail, cables & first hikers)makes for an interesting, quick read. The information on accomodations, preparations & the pictuires are right on!

Our thanks to Rick for putting together such a valuable 'tool' & makiing our hike so successful. Our thanks also to Wilderness Press for publishing his book. Kudos to the Mountaineerign Store, in the park, run by Delaware North for putting his book on the shelf! We certainly hope the Yosemite Assoc. will approve his book & promote it. Eduaction is key for safety & there is a great need for it on this very popular & very strenuous hike.

Take the book on your hike (it's small enough for your pack), you may want to check exactly where you can pump water & where the field toilets are & how much farther you have to go.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST-HAVE for Half Dome hikers., July 21, 2008

By	T. Martin (Davenport, IA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

My friends, if you plan on hiking Half Dome, this is your bible! It goes into every single little detail you can think of regarding this hike. It's well-written, well organized and extremely informative/helpful.

Half Dome is a hike that needs to be taken seriously and this book will walk through it with you. Be sure to read this well before your trip so you can prepare mentally and physically (especially if you have never been). Following Rick Deutsch's advice will make your hike a wonderful and pleasant experience! Going to Half Dome unprepared will most likely lead to misery.