Half Dome

Looking down from "The Stairs" at a lone hiker (rare). Clouds Rest and Quarter Domes above Tenaya Canyon are seen above mid picture. If you are coming from Clouds Rest, leave the Clouds Rest trail at a switchback corner at 8080 feet and head southwest towards the trail while staying in the trees as much as possible (and out of the bush in the exposed areas). Its is hard to miss the Half Dome Trail at about 7450 feet.

"The Stairs"

The Hike to Climb Half Dome

Now the real fun begins. If you cannot handle this next section (The "Stairs"!), then you should not be climbing Half Dome. The trail heads up the shoulder of Half Dome on exposed rocky stairs more akin to a fire escape. These stairs climb with a vengeance. All around you is air and everything drops down thousands of feet in all directions except the face you are on, giving you a taste of what is to come. Fortunately, you are already probably too tired to care as you plod up "The Stairs".

The views towards Mt. Clark along the trail below "The Stairs" are very impressive too.

Finally, after the somewhat intimidating climb up "The Stairs" and the mind numbing views along the way, the trail sort of fades away. Not that there is any doubt where to go: you just head for the top of the shoulder and Half Dome looming overhead.