{"nrhp_refnum":"12000494","name":"Half Dome Cables and Trail","other_names":["South Dome Cables and Trail","Tissiack Cables and Trail"],"category":"district","location":{"address":"P.O. Box 577","address_restricted":false,"city":"Yosemite","county":"Mariposa County","state":"CA","lat":37.75058559100006,"lon":-119.52811216199996,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"2012-08-15","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Entertainment/Recreation","Landscape Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A historic climbing route and trail corridor, about 3,800 feet long, on the eastern flank of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park, Mariposa County, California. It combines George Anderson's 1875 ascent route with the 1919 Sierra Club stone switchbacks and steel cables.","why_significant":"The route is argued to be locally significant under Criterion A for recreation and transportation, as one of the earliest and most difficult trail projects to a high summit above Yosemite Valley. It is also tied to George Anderson, the first person to reach Half Dome's summit (Criterion B). Criterion C rests on its use of specialized rock climbing tools and techniques not previously used in U.S. climbing.","narrative":"Half Dome Cables and Trail is a historic climbing route and present-day trail that climbs the eastern side of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park. It runs roughly 3,800 feet in three segments: the Sub Dome switchbacks, a saddle of exposed bedrock, and a pair of steel cables over slopes that sometimes exceed 50 degrees. George Anderson first reached the summit in 1875 using drilled holes and eyebolts. In 1919 the Sierra Club built the dry-laid granite steps and retaining walls and installed the cables. Contributing resources are the trail alignment, the stonework, and the ruins of a memorial arch honoring Anderson. The current cables and stanchions date from 1984 and are counted as non-contributing but compatible, since they follow the original design and alignment. The route is considered locally significant for recreation, transportation, its association with Anderson, and its early use of specialized climbing techniques. The period of significance runs from 1875 to 1919.","period_of_significance":"1875 - 1919","architect_builder":"George G. Anderson; C. T. Gutleben","architectural_style":"Other: Naturalistic Landscape Design","criteria":["A","B","C"],"status_note":"Described as in good condition and still a popular hiking route. The steel cables were replaced in 1934 and 1984, and the cables and stanchions are taken down each winter.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:54:29.645857-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_CA/12000494.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/12000494/477c5a2d06-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/12000494/477c5a2d06-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 4.0","author":"Lucas·G","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:California,_Yosemite_National_Park,_Half_Dome,_hiking_up.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Lucas·G</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 4.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:California,_Yosemite_National_Park,_Half_Dome,_hiking_up.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/123859744","wikipedia":null,"wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q96053096"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/california/mariposa-county/half-dome-cables-and-trail-12000494/"}