One Best Hike: Yosemite's Half Dome

I had an opportunity to hike up to Half Dome recently and purchased this book to help me be prepared for what was ahead. A failed attempt 30 years ago became a bucket list reality with the help of this book.Overall, I like the book. Lots of good history information on Yosemite and Half Dome but what is most important is information regarding preparing for and executing the hike itself. The book does a great job in breaking the hike down into sections, what to look for, bathrooms, water stops, trail markers, etc. The author's timeline for the various stops along the way is pretty spot on. Unfortunately my Garmin GPS watch distances did not match up with the author's, no biggie though. At the start I found myself to be way ahead of his schedule but by the time I reached Sub Dome and the top of Half Dome, his schedule was inline with my own. Using this schedule should give one a good idea of where they need to be.Two Huge Recommendations from this booked helped me "Hike Half Dome." An Early Start - The author recommends departing at 0530 in the morning. I highly agree with this. With headlamp in place I departed around this time and was thankful because when I headed back down the cables before noon, the crowds or the line going up looked like a miserable wait. Little Spring Recommendation - I was able to fill up with water from this small spring and thanks to the author's recommendation of leaving water at the base of the cables I had less water to carry to the top and plenty of water for the trek back down the hill.My only complaint or more like what the book could have used are charted training plan examples. There are mentions that you need to be in great shape and generic examples of what you can do to get ready for this challenging hike. But it would have been nice to see a chart showing a weekly workout program and what you need to accomplish say 6 months out, 3 months out, etc. I run Half Marathons and training via a schedule for the race is what gives you a goal or focus for what will be ahead. I want to emphasize this is only a minor complaint and comes from my Half Marathon training background.You can't go wrong with this book to give insight into what the hike up to Half Dome is all about. And again, I can't say it enough, being in tip top shape and planning to leave early will make for a most rewarding climb up to one of the most beautiful views in the world.

Is more a book for a novice hiker trying to climb Half Dome. The part that I found unrealistic is the times that the author uses to calculate the hikes between sections. I consider myself fit but I took longer than the stated times because those are more the times that a very young fit individual would do. On top of that, if you do those times you wouldn’t have time to admire the sights which are quite a lot considering the beauty of Yosemite. So yes, the book is valuable but a regular person would take longer to reach Half Dome. Oh, and the author’s website is inactive as of July 2021 which is ok because you can find up to date info about this hike in any other website. I bought this book a few years ago but just recently read it because until now I was able to win the lottery to climb the rock and even though there are other methods to be able to get a spot my job does not allow me that flexibility.

When I first saw this book advertised on Amazon, I was a bit surprised. An entire hiking guide devoted to a single trail? But Half Dome is more than just a trail. It is for many people the hike of their lifetimes and probably the single most popular adventure in Yosemite. A trip to the top of Half Dome is more of a pigrimage for those who relish hiking and this book is the guide to get if you want to prepare for this journey.The author, Rick Deutsch, has climbed Half Dome 17 times by his own account and certainly knows the route. I found most of his advice pretty sound. You should leave early, drink lots of water (filtering on the way is an excellent suggestion) and try to get to the cables before noon. I strongly agree with his suggestion that, as you ascend the cables, you breathe deeply and focus on the rock 10 feet in front of you rather than take in the "scenery" on the 45 degree ascent. Speaking as someone who does not enjoy vertical relief, I can attest that I would not have made it to the summit had a ranger not given me similar advice. The trail description was also well written.On the whole this is a great little book. Obviously its narrow focus will mean that the book is not for everyone, but even casual readers will find the first portion of the book useful for trip planning. Deutsch includes a lot of helpful information on how to get reservations on the valley floor and some general history of Yosemite. In all, this book does what it sets out to do very well and the author should be commended. So should Wilderness Press for taking a chance on a book that is focused on a very specific audience. I hope they will consider expanding the "Best One Hike" series to include the Mt. Whitney Trail, the summit of San Gorgonio, and similar trails worthy of a guide like this one.