Half Dome Cables To Come Down For Winter

Yosemite, CA – The Half Dome cables in Yosemite National Park will come down tomorrow.

Crews will remove the metal poles and cables on Wednesday, October 16, for the winter. Although climbing is still allowed once the cables come down, climbing should only be attempted by those with lots of experience who are very familiar with the ascent, according to state park officials, adding, “We recommend that people do not attempt the route when the cables are down.”

The cables typically go up around the Memorial Day weekend in May and come down in October. A preseason lottery system is used for those permitted to climb the cables each year, limiting the route up the cables to 300 people a day—225 hikers and 75 backpackers.

Here is a brief history of the cables, which were installed by the Sierra Club in 1920. In 1934, they were rebuilt and reinforced by the Civilian Conservation Corps as a New Deal project. Around 50,000 people hike Half Dome every year. During the past 126 years, probably well over 2 million people have used the cables to hike to the top of this famous peak.