Half Dome
Half Dome is an iconic 2,694-metre granite dome rising majestically over 1,440 metres above the floor of eastern Yosemite Valley in California. Characterized by its distinctively sheared, sheer vertical northwest cliff face, Half Dome was once deemed perfectly inaccessible until pioneers opened technical big-wall routes on its massive precipice.
Mountain Safety & Conditions Disclaimer: High-altitude climbing, glacial travel, and technical ascents entail severe objective risks including avalanches, serac collapses, rapid weather collapse, and altitude illness. Historical route descriptions and summit claims on Mountanity reflect documented archival sources and must not be used as live operational safety assessments. Local regulations, permits, and physical glacial topography change continuously.
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Geographical Setting & Topography
Formed through deep-seated granitic intrusion followed by tectonic uplift and Pleistocene glacial scouring that sheared away half the original dome structure. Its sheer 600-metre vertical Northwest Face is one of the classic big walls of North America.
Historic First Ascent
Date: 1957-06-28
Ascent Team: Royal Robbins, Mike Sherrick, and Jerry Gallwas (Technical Northwest Face First Ascent)
Key Statistics & Topographic Figures
- Summit Elevation
- 2,694 metres (8,842 feet)
- Northwest Face Vertical Drop
- 600 metres (2,000 feet)
- First Ascent Date
- October 1875 (George Anderson)
- First Face Ascent
- June 1957 (Robbins, Gallwas, Sherrick)
- First Grade VI in USA
- Regular Northwest Face (1957)
Archival Primary Source Quotations
“Half Dome was the supreme test of our generation, demanding a commitment unlike anything previously faced on American rock.”
Defined Alpine Terminology & Concepts
- Grade VI Climbing
- A big-wall commitment grade denoting climbs requiring multiple days of continuous effort on massive vertical precipices.
- Exfoliation
- A geological process where curved sheets of rock peel away from a granitic dome due to release of confining pressure.
Half Dome Mountain Weather Forecast
Detailed 14-Day Summit Window & Weather Timeline
Explore day-by-day summit push safety windows, wind shear analysis, and extended multi-day forecasts for Half Dome.
Explore Half Dome (2,694 m) in Interactive 3D
Inspect steep glacial walls, hanging seracs, ridge approaches, and elevation relief with 360° rotation and terrain tilt in WebGL.
Historical Expeditions (1)
1957 First Ascent of the Northwest Face of Half Dome
In late June 1957, Royal Robbins, Mike Sherrick, and Jerry Gallwas conquered the sheer 600-metre Northwest Face of Half Dome in five continuous days, establishing the first Grade VI climb in North America.
Summit Chronicles & Stories (1)
The Sheer Horizon: Royal Robbins and the 1957 Northwest Face of Half Dome
In June 1957, Royal Robbins, Mike Sherrick, and Jerry Gallwas conquered the sheer 600-metre Northwest Face of Half Dome in five continuous days, establishing the first Grade VI climb in North America.
Frequently Asked Questions: Half Dome
What is Half Dome and where is it located in Yosemite?
Half Dome is an iconic granite dome situated at the eastern end of Yosemite Valley in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California.
What is the elevation and sheer face height of Half Dome?
Half Dome rises to 2,694 metres above sea level with a sheer northwest vertical precipice dropping 600 metres into the valley.
Who made the first ascent of Half Dome?
George Anderson climbed the rounded southern face in October 1875 by drilling iron eye-bolts into the smooth granite.
Who climbed the sheer Northwest Face of Half Dome first?
Royal Robbins, Mike Sherrick, and Jerry Gallwas conquered the 600-metre Northwest Face in June 1957, establishing North America's first Grade VI climb.
What is the standard hiking route up Half Dome?
The Half Dome Cables route, installed by the Sierra Club in 1919, allows non-technical hikers to ascend the steep granite slope in summer.
How did Half Dome obtain its distinctive sheared shape?
Glacial plucking during the Pleistocene ice ages stripped away fractured joint sheets, leaving a clean vertical northern precipice.
Who completed the first free solo of the Regular Northwest Face of Half Dome?
Alex Honnold completed the historic first free solo ascent of the Northwest Face on September 6, 2008, in two hours and 50 minutes.
Why was Half Dome once considered completely unclimbable?
California State Geologist Josiah Whitney famously declared in the 1870s that Half Dome would never be trodden by human foot.
Documented Sources & Archival Citations
- American Alpine Journal: Northwest Face of Half Dome (1958)(American Alpine Club)
Supporting claim: Official expedition journal by Royal Robbins documenting the first Grade VI ascent
Accessed/Documented: 2026 - Yosemite Climbs: Big Walls(Don Reid / Chockstone Press)
Supporting claim: Technical route history and topographic data for Half Dome
Accessed/Documented: 2026