Half Dome is the most recognizable granite formation in the United States, a 1,500-foot vertical face on its northwest side and a 45-degree granite ramp on its northeast, ascended by two parallel steel cables installed in 1919. The summit sits at 8,846 feet, roughly 4,800 vertical feet above the Yosemite Valley floor. Standing on it is one of the iconic American outdoor experiences.
It is also the most permit-gated experience in the park. The cables go up once a year (typically the Friday before Memorial Day weekend) and come down the day after Columbus Day. Inside that window, every hiker (day or overnight) needs both a wilderness permit (for backpackers) and a Half Dome cables permit.
How we do Half Dome.
For the 2026 season we secured permits across six trip windows, June, August, September (two), Labor Day weekend, and the final cables weekend in October. Every trip on this page already has its permit. Read further in our Half Dome Permits 2026 Guide if you want the full system explained.
Why a guided Half Dome trip.
You don't need a guide to hike Half Dome. People do it solo every day. But three things make a guided trip materially different: the permit problem is solved before you arrive; the trip is built around overnight camping at basecamps near Half Dome, instead of one brutal 16-hour day push. And you have someone with you on the cables who has done them numerous times and knows when is the best time to be at the cables, what weather patterns are a sign of trouble, and when to turn around. If Half Dome scares you a little, that's the right amount of respect. That's the trip we want to lead you on.
