how do Highline Trail and Half Dome stack up against Angels Landing?
 

My daughter and I have done quite a bit of hiking. We are thinking of trying Half Dome mid-June 2011 and Highline Trail in Glacier end of July 2010. Oregon is this year in a couple of weeks. We had no problems with Angels Landing and thoroughly enjoyed it. How do Highline Trail and Half Dome stack up against Angels Landing?

Is the last part of the trail steeper on Half Dome than last part of Angels Land ?
I am also worried about the length. I don't really think I want to spend the night up there.
I have also considered just hiking the Panorama Trail instead of half dome.
Do I need to worry much about bears on this trail?

My main concern with Highline trail in Glacier would be the bears. I might just try and catch it hiking with a ranger-led group.

I think you hiked at the Grand Canyon, right? If so, then the Half Dome hike is very similar to hiking down to the river and back on the south Kaibab as a day hike, except the hard part (up) is done first in Yosemite and it's always cooler. The length is similar, about 14 miles round-trip, and the elevation gain is similar, IIRC about 4,800 ft. I have done the Half Dome hike six times and the Kaibab dozens of times and I think Half Dome is much easier than hiking the GC because of the heat.

Here's an article with a photo of the last pitch up the handrails. The article is asking if they should remove the rails, because of a recent death when someone slipped. He was hiking in the rain, which I would NEVER do up the cables because they are lightning rods and you can't see storms approaching from the far side of the dome. Twice I've turned away at the base of the cables because I thought it might storm while I was up there. I did my HD hiking in the mid-1980's and recall a lightning storm killing two people one night, as an example.

Anyway, the photo makes it look steep but if you have good vibram soles that grip the (dry) granite it's not a problem. My boots gripped well and I just used the cables for balance, not to pull myself up with. With certain soles it can be a real problem getting traction though.

I'm personally afraid of heights (cannot stand near the lip of HD and peer down into the valley, for example) but had no qualms about going up the cables multiple times.

Here's the link: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/outp...ome-down-.html

No, I haven't done any hiking in GC. Rafted on a 3 dayer and and stood at the top of the rim a couple of times with my parents when I was younger. I am into the Lodges of National Parks, and have never been in one at GC. My dad took us on great trips, but sadly he didn't know what to do at National Parks. We went to two or three and spent less than 4 hours at any of them. I had no idea of what all the National Parks offered until about 5 years ago. Wild Cave tour @ carlsbad and then a trip to Arches got me hooked. He took a lot of the CityType Trips- San Fran, DC, etc. I have looked at a lot of photos and there is a lot of videos on youtube about Half Dome. It is hard to tell if the pitch and length of Halfdome is about like Angels Landing or what? Did you do your trips as day hikes or did you stay overnight? Have you hiked Panorama Trail in Yosemite? or any other great ones in Yosemite for that matter (not sure what I want to hike on Tioga Rd/Tuolome area)? Yosemite, Glacier, and Olympic, and Bryce are the last of the biggie national parks that we haven't seen. We have been to 20 of them now, all of them in the past 6 years or so. I guess Yellowstone is my overall favorite, but really loved 5 or 6 of them and enjoyed all of them. Least favorite would be Hot Springs Arkansas, which is about an hour from me.

Bill,
We plan on doing a rim to rim at some point in GC. Haven't been to the northside either. There is so darn much I want to see and do in Utah area alone.

Hi spirobulldog---I have done all three hikes you speak of so can try to compare. (I confess that I didn't go up "the chains" at Angel's Landing as I cannot handle drop-offs like that, but my companions did).

Half Dome is much, much longer than Angel's Landing. Angel's Landing is 5 miles RT, with under 1500 feet of elevation gain. We were up and down in 2 hours. Half Dome is more than triple that distance and the elevation gain as well. So think of it as hiking Angel's Landing three times in a row. It took us more than triple the time---8 hours of hiking plus 2 hours of "hang out time" at the top. There is a looooong stretch in the middle, through Little Yosemite Valley, that is nearly level and very sandy--we call it "the beach" and don't much care for it.

The pitch of the cable section---the last 400 feet---is very different from Angel's Landing. It is a solid and fairly smooth slab of steep granite. They say it is no more than 45 degrees at any point, but it sure looks and feels steeper. Nevertheless, the cables and cross-bars on the rock make it very doable and even fun. Like Bill_H, I have a fear of heights, but the cables did not bother me. Think of it as a 400-foot ladder with giant steps.

Two factors can make it complicated and downright dangerous: other people, and the weather. It can get very crowded and sometimes people freeze in fear; you have to wait or go around them somehow. As for weather, you absolutely must not attempt it in wet weather. There were two accidents up there within a week earlier in June; one was immediately fatal, and the other resulted in a helicopter rescue. I never heard if the woman survived or not. Both falls occurred in bad weather on wet rock.

Panorama Trail is a great Yosemite hike, but it has been many years since I did that one an don't remember it much. I can't imagine you would have any bear issues on that trail. The Yosemite black bears are not a problem for day hikers; it is backpackers who have to exercise care with their food storage. And in all the hiking I have done in Yosemite over the years, hundreds of miles, I have never once seen a bear on the trails---only in campgrounds and parking lots.

As for the Highline Trail in glacier, it is totally different from the Half Dome/Angels Landing hikes. It is a spectacular, nearly level walk traversing a steep slope, with green and wildflowers to brighten the way. Some people mind the first part where you walk a narrow ledge in a cliff, but it isn't bad. We did go with the ranger and stayed with her the whole way---out to Granite Park Chalet and then down the Loop trail. You drop more than 2000 feet on that part and I dislike hiking downhill, so next time we will probably go out and back from Logan Pass.

Hiking with the rangers does give you a sense of security, but I wouldn't have qualms about hiking that particular trail with my own group. You can see a long way along most of the trail, and there are always other hikers about. It is an unlikely place to find a bear. We did see lots of goats (including one standing in the middle of the trail) and sheep.

Can't help you with the others ones, but definitely hike the Panorama Trail. If you want you can hike the 4 mile trail up to Glacier Point and then back the Panorama Trail. We took the hiker's bus up. I can't imagine bear issues on that trail because there are so many people on it. There were times we were alone, but they didn't last long.

Have done the Highline Trail twice. Once by going to Granite Park Chalet and then taking the trail down to The Loop where you can now pick up the free shuttle and take it back to your car at Logan Pass. Have also continued on past the chalet and gone down into the Many Glacier area via Swiftcurrent Pass, where I already had a site at the campground. You have a spectacular view of the lakes you will soon be passing but seen from up high as you come down the nicely switchbacked trail. This trail is much nicer (though longer & far less steep) than taking The Loop Trail. You can take a shuttle (you pay for this one) from Many Glacier back to Logan Pass. If you don't have a campsite you will have to be sure to be at the departure point in time to make the last shuttle back to Logan Pass. The Highline follows the Going to the Sun Rd for a distance so get a great view of the road going back towards Lake McDonald. There are a couple of places which get narrow along cliff faces but wire ropes have been installed to hold onto if you need them. Can almost guarantee sharing the trail or at least seeing mountain goats and possibly big horn sheep. Have never seen bears. If you arrive at right time the Swiftcurrent Pass Trail passes through fields of Beargrass.

There is a backcountry site about .5m from Granite Park Chalet that if not taken the rangers will sometimes let you have for the night. Usually has to be part of a multi-day trip however. For view of trail check out http://www.nps.gov/archive/glac/gallery/082005b.htm

The trail is very popular so will be walking in the company of others most of the way to the chalet.

If you are up to the additional mileage and height gain there is a very steep trail off to the right leading to a spectacular view looking down onto Grinnell Glacier and Lake which cuts off the Highline Trail about mile before getting to the chalet.

<b>"Did you do your trips as day hikes or did you stay overnight?"</b>

I did the Half Dome hikes as a day trip, starting out as early as I could see my feet. In those days it took about 3 hours to reach the top and the only people I would see on Half Dome were a few who had camped overnight at the top of the falls and then hiked up that morning, or a few who might have actually camped on the flat area on top (I don't know if this is allowed any longer).

Enzian is right about the crowds being dangerous ... I wouldn't want to hike up the rails with 200 people clogging it up! A couple of times there were just 4-8 people on top when I was there, once I remember counting around 25 and thinking that was a lot. On the hike down I'd see the armies heading up, but I missed out on that. Another reason to hike early is that in the summer a typical weather pattern is for afternoon storms, which you want to avoid at any cost on the top of Half Dome.

<b>"Have you hiked Panorama Trail in Yosemite?"</b>

Once I did the Half Dome hike, then instead of hiking straight out I took the Panorama Trail over to Glacier Point, then down to the valley and back to the jeep. I think this was 26 miles, about 7,000 ft vertical. That was about my limit, I remember my legs feeling wooden on the drive back to the Bay area.

This is a nice trail and you can actually eliminate the vertical by taking a bus to Glacier Point and hiking down, but I don't think it compares to the sense of accomplishment you get going up to the top of Half Dome.

Bill,
I had read some article online (can't remember exactly where) that other than the sense of accomplishment,taking the shuttle up, then hiking the Panorama Trail down was as good as hiking Half Dome. I just don't want to get in something over my head. At least I have a long time to make my decisions on these hikes. I just hate to go to a park and come back home wishing I had hiked a certain trail.
I think it would take me a lot longer than 3 hours to hike up. You hiked that via the Mist Trail? I assume you started at Happy Isles? I was thinking that if I started at 6:00am, it might very well be dark when we returned that evening.

Photodog,
If I were spending the night @ Granite Chalet, I think heading over to Many Glacier would be good. Don't think I could do it all in a single day though. I can't talk my wife into spending the night @ Granite. I don't think she we will hike the Highline Trail at all. The mileage is scaring her. My daughter is generally up for anything. She and I will probably just do the Ranger Hike to Granite and then back out on the loop.

Enzian,
My daughter is usually not afraid and I usually am. The chains and dropoffs on Angels Landing didn't phase me at all. She crawled along several sections. The worst part was when trying to go up and pass someone coming down. Somebody has to let go of the chain for a few seconds in order to pass. The chains are only 400 ft on Half Dome and they seem to go on for ever on Angels Landing.

I wouldn't try Half Dome if I thought weather would play any part. I would be extremely disappointed to make it to the chains and not be able to continue up.

When we went up Half Dome the last time, we caught the first shuttle to get an early start, but it was still 8:00 by the time we left Happy Isles. We were back at 6:00. We were motivated to get back because we still had to drive up to tuolumne for a dinner reservation. . . Much better than the first time when we didn't geet down until after dark.

Half Dome is indeed something you do for the challenge and sense of accomplishment. The hike actually is not all that scenic once you leave Nevada Fall, until you approach the shoulder of Half Dome and can see out to the north and west. After that the views geet better and better.

But as a great hike, I much prefer Cloud's Rest. You end up 1000 feet higher, looking down ont Half Dome. The top part is a fun scramble on big pillow-shaped rocks, and you'll meet very few other people on the hike.

<b>I had read some article online ... that other than the sense of accomplishment,taking the shuttle up, then hiking the Panorama Trail down was as good as hiking Half Dome</b>

My recollection of the PT is that it was a long traverse thru the forest without many views of the valley floor. I had no urge to hike it a 2nd time, whereas the views from Half Dome make it worth the hike and climb, many times over. So I wouldn't agree that it was "as good as hiking Half Dome". But different folks are looking for different things. I can certainly understand taking the shuttle bus to Glacier Point and hiking down via the two falls (instead of straight down from Glacier). You could hit the good spots (like the falls) without the exertion of hiking up.

<b>You hiked that via the Mist Trail?</b>

I generally took the longer, less steep trail a bit to the west, I think it's called Muir Trail. Once in May, with very high run-off in the river, I went down Mist Trail with a heavy pack and it was miserable and dangerous. Sheets of water pounding on your back and blowing into your eyes, slippery rocks, narrow, too many people ... so that cured me of the Mist Trail. I think later in the summer, when water levels are low enough that the trail isn't wet, it would be a nicer hike, especially if not crowded. But I think it's always crowded.

<b>I assume you started at Happy Isles? </b>

Yes, at the time there was a parking lot about a mile from Happy Isles and I'd pull in there about 5 AM and head out. Only takes 12-15 minutes to walk to Happy Isles from the lot, then you have a 2.5 - 3 hour head start on the people waiting for the first shuttle.

<b>I just don't want to get in something over my head ... I was thinking that if I started at 6:00am, it might very well be dark when we returned that evening. </b>

A good thing about hiking up and then down is you can stop when you are tired and head down (unlike the Grand Canyon, where the hard part is getting out). If you wanted to try the Half Dome hike what I'd do is just put a time limit on the 'up' part, say 4 hours ... if after 4 hours you're near the base of the dome and feeling good then go for it. If you're still in the valley above the two water falls then just relax and enjoy that area and plan on heading back down without pushing for the summit of Half Dome.

Your plan of bussing to Glacier and traversing across Panorama Trail to the waterfalls and then descending is a good one if you are not sure you want to tackle HD though. But if you're looking at doing rim-to-rim across the Grand Canyon (which you mentioned) then the Half Dome hike should be well within your capability. It's a lot easier than rim-to-rim.

Bill,
Thanks, I had thought that the Panorama trail, would be, well, panoramic. I'll have to check it out a little more.
We can go as early as the 3rd week in May, schools in Oklahoma are generally out about May 15, my daughter is in HS and my wife teaches. I don't really want to miss Tioga/Tuolomne, so that concerns me to go that early. Do you think Mid- June is ideal? Or would you go earlier and try to miss some of the crowd? I don't want to go any later, because it will be more crowded and I do want to see the waterfalls going decent. May be tired of waterfalls, we are doing the Columba River Gorge in a couple of weeks. Eagle Creek Trail. Have you hiked that one by chance? We will probably be in Yosemite 5 nights, allowing day in Wawonna, day on Tioga, couple days in the valley and one big hiking day. The high sierra tent camps look interesting. Don't think my wife would like that. I think I should keep my plans as indicated and maybe do the high ground a few years later? A really good option would to be hike Panorama on day 1, camp, and then you are not far from Half Dome for a really early start, then hike down the waterfalls the next day. Probably would be back fairly early doing it that way. We are fairly fast hikers.

<b>We can go as early as the 3rd week in May ... Do you think Mid- June is ideal? Or would you go earlier and try to miss some of the crowd? </b>

If they have a wet winter & spring then mid-May will probably be too early for hiking the high country. Once in late May, for example, we hiked into the Merced Lake High Sierra camp to "beat the crowds" and the lake was still iced over. The last 5 miles of the hike in were in snow. We did beat the crowds, no one there except three black bears stealing food, but conditions were too difficult to make it an enjoyable trip.

Mid-June is probably ideal (there are a lot of people here on Fodors with more Yosemite experience than me, hopefully they will chime in about now with more info about when the high country typically is clear. I only lived in the area a couple of years).

Unfortunately it seems to be crowded in Yosemite all summer, but at least try to avoid weekends if possible.

<b>A really good option would to be hike Panorama on day 1, camp, and then you are not far from Half Dome for a really early start, then hike down the waterfalls the next day. </b>

Yes, start from Glacier to get rid of the elevation gain, camp in the valley above the falls and then the hike to the top of Half Dome will be relatively short the next day, plus you will probably finish before the massive hordes of day-hikers.

You will probably have bears sniffing around your campsite trying to steal food, try to rent a BRC (bear-resistant container) to store your food! I've also seen two rattlesnakes in that area while hiking, so just be aware.