Yosemite (Part 3): Half Dome — A twist of fate

Of all the activities in Yosemite, the one that gets the most attention online is the hike up Half Dome.  A social media favorite, it is often labeled as “One of the most dangerous hikes in the US,” and largely contributed to how it landed on my bucket list.  But, as I wrote in Part 1 of this series, it appeared as if hiking Half Dome was not meant to be on my trip to the park this year.  You see, the hike requires a permit, and I learned in April that I was not selected for one in the lottery.  The only other ways to do it would be via a daily lottery or by taking the chance of hiking up to Sub Dome where permits are checked and hoping to find someone with an extra spot on theirs who will bring you along.  But as I approached my Yosemite trip, I spent countless hours with ChatGPT perfecting an itinerary that almost certainly did not leave time to spend a day taking that chance.  I had two rest days baked in that I would very likely need among my four climbing days and the nighttime hike up Cloud’s Rest for sunrise.  Sure, I still brought the gear I would need for Half Dome – since I bought it before I found out I didn’t land a permit – but that was only in the event fate stepped in.