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Half Dome in Yosemite: Iconic Summit Hike, Steepest Cliff, and Native Legend

Half Dome in Yosemite: Iconic Summit Hike, Steepest Cliff, and Native Legend

Yosemite National Park's most iconic landmark, Half Dome, formed 87 million years ago, boasts North America's sheerest cliff with a 93% vertical grade. Elite climbers tackle its legendary northwest face, while fit hikers summit via a challenging 17-mile round-trip trail from Yosemite Valley, gaining 4,900 feet in elevation. The final 200 yards feature cable handrails for safety.

This demanding hike is feasible in one day but best enjoyed over two with an overnight camp, such as in Little Yosemite Valley.

Native American lore tells of a Yosemite resident who married Paiute woman Tesaiyac from Mono Lake. En route back, she longed to return home, sparking a chase. Enraged spirits transformed them into stone: he into North Dome, she into Half Dome. Her tears formed Mirror Lake.


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