[pct-l] Half Dome

[Christopher Sussman]

As thru hikers with a Wilderness permit this year we did not have to
deal with the lottery process on Recreation.gov. My assumption is that
it would be the same for a thru hiker on the PCT this year.

My wife and I finished the JMT and did Half Dome on the 4th of July.
We did it in the evening and were the only people up there and camped
below Sub dome that night. We were worried about the logistics and
made several phone calls to park offices at Yosemite and were told to
just show up at the Tuolumne Meadows wilderness permit office (which
is pretty much on the PCT) when arriving in Tuolumne.

Can you do Half Dome and finish the JMT during your thru? Definitely.
Could you also wait and enjoy it (and possibly enjoy it more) at a
later date. Totally. But it can be done and I wouldn't sweat it until
you get to Tuolumne meadows -- you will save yourself needless worry.
Again, the backcountry permit office is right on the trail and we
walked in,
explained we were thru hikers wanting to finish the JMT and hike Half
Dome, and we got a permit for the next day. No line. No confusion. No
problem!

We worried about it for a week in advance and even called the
office, but didn't need to fret or call ahead. As hikers with a
Wilderness Permit already they were very understanding and the permit
was $5. After asking us how long we would take, where approximately we
would camp, and confirming we had bear canisters, the ranger gave us a
print out for completing the JMT and it included a Half Dome permit on
the same sheet. Even if you don't plan to finish the
JMT I would approach doing Half Dome by saying you are going to
complete the JMT and it will make the process simple.

Have an awesome hike,
Shivers & BAM (PCT '12)