Yosemite National Park, California
When To Go: Half Dome Cables
Apply to the Half Dome preseason lottery in March for a cable-route permit, and plan for late May through early October when the cables are up.
Preseason lottery the full month of March; daily lotteries two days ahead all season
Results: Mid-April for the preseason lottery
June and September
Month by month at Half Dome Cables
- JanuaryClosed
Cables down; the route is a technical climb.
- FebruaryClosed
Cables down.
- MarchClosed
Cables down. Preseason lottery is open this month.
- AprilClosed
Cables typically still down.
- MayShoulder
Cables usually go up before Memorial Day; snow can linger on the subdome.
- JunePrime
Waterfalls are still running and the day is long.
- JulyShoulder
Hot on the lower trail; thunderstorm risk builds.
- AugustShoulder
Hot, dry, and smoky in bad fire years.
- SeptemberPrime
Cooler, quieter, stable weather.
- OctoberShoulder
Cables come down after Columbus Day; short daylight.
- NovemberClosed
Cables down.
- DecemberClosed
Cables down.
Crowds
300 hikers per day are permitted on the cables. Weekends draw far more applicants than weekdays.
Weather
The cables are typically up from the Friday before Memorial Day to the day after Columbus Day, weather permitting. Afternoon thunderstorms make the granite lethal — off the cables by early afternoon.
What actually decides the trip
- It is a 14–16 mile day with 4,800 feet of gain. Start between 4 and 5 a.m.
- Bring your own gloves; the park no longer leaves a pile at the base.
- Permits are non-transferable and are checked at the subdome by a ranger.
- If a storm is building, turn around. People have died on wet cables.
Activities: Day hiking · Climbing & scrambling
Size it yourself
Free Wild10 calculators for this kit — no signup, formulas published.