The preseason lottery for permits to hike Yosemite’s Half Dome opened on Tuesday, and applications will be accepted all month.
A similar lottery for Mount Whitney will close on March 15.
HALF DOME
Dates: For the season expected to run from May 27 to Oct. 11, 225 hikers will be allowed each day. Applications can be submitted online or by phone at (877) 444-6777. The preseason deadline is March 31. Successful applicants will be notified in mid-April.
Cost: A non-refundable fee of $10 is charged for an application, which can cover a party of up to six hikers. When the permit is claimed, an additional $10 per hiker will be charged.
The day hike: The round trip from Happy Isles trailhead, in Yosemite Valley, is 16 miles. Elevation gain is 4,800 feet, with the top of the dome at 8,839 feet. The waist-high cables on the steep final approach are expected to be installed before May 27. A permit will not be honored if the cables aren’t installed on its stated date.
Other options: At least 50 additional permits per day will be available in daily lotteries during the hiking season. Backpackers who want to make Half Dome part of a longer trip should apply for the hike permit not through the lottery but as part of their wilderness permit.
Park admission: If you have a Half Dome permit, you do not need to make a reservation to enter Yosemite, but you do need to pay the entrance fee ($35 per car). A day hike permit does not allow you to camp inside the park.
2021 results: About 34,500 applications were received, and 19% were approved for a date of their choice.
MOUNT WHITNEY
Dates: A quota system is in effect for the Mount Whitney Trail from May 1 to Nov. 1. Deadline for the preseason lottery is March 15. Lottery results will be released March 24. The daily maximum is 100 people with day-use permits (midnight to midnight) and 60 with overnight permits.
Cost: The non-refundable application fee is $6. Winners have until April 30 to pay the $15-per-person fee.
The day hike: The round trip from Whitney Portal is 22 miles, with an elevation gain of 6,200 feet to the summit, 14,505 feet. When the trail is free of snow and ice — which, most years, happens by July — no technical gear or expertise is required.
Other options: Dates not filled by the lottery can be reserved online on a first-come, first-served basis starting May 1. Outside of the quota season, permits are still required, but there is no limit.
2021 results: More than 25,000 applications were received, with an average party size of four; 28% of group leaders were approved for a date of their choice.
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