Half Dome Cables and Trail

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.