I would bring a medium sized pack to bring sufficient amount of water/food during the half dome hike. It's a really big one. If you have any technical climbing shoes, those might help a little bit too when you're doing the last bit of half dome hike.

Otherwise you don't really need any other equipment other than normal hiking gear.

16 miles with 5000 feet of elevation gain is a lot. You and your friend would need to train or be in really good shape.

+1 on half dome. You probably can't get permits right now, but you never know. If you feel OK hiking at night you can get up on the dome before anyone is at the bottom checking permits. Can catch an epic sunrise of course. At your own risk of course, it's definitely not as safe as in the light.

This weekend I did Tuolumne to Yosemite Valley by way of Vogelsang and Merced Lake. About 30 miles, will post some pics later.

Haha those numbers mean nothing to me. Training seems a bit much. Surely it's just walking, how hard can it be?
(Famous last words?)

It's hard to say since I don't know anything about you but orange and BG are pretty seasoned hikers so I thought their recommendations might be too much for someone who isn't (if you're not, no idea). It's probably harder than you think simply because if you're not used to walking a ton your legs and feet will get sore and that makes it painful.

Permits?? I don't remember needing a permit to hike half dome. I know you need permits for overnight camping but I never use permits for anything in the woods. Just go hike it and play dumb if some ranger douche tries to check you. Just don't give them your real name and tell them you don't have I.D. They can't do **** to you. And anyone checking you won't have any law enforcement authority most likely. Those rangers never leave their cop cars down in the valley. Having to have a permit to day hike Half Dome is a ****ing joke.


We were supposed to have an overnight camping permit, a trailhead parking pass, and a $20 summit permit on Mt Adams but we didn't bother as we were on the remote side of the mountain. I've had rangers try to check my passes on Mt Shasta and I would just out hike them and pretend I didn't hear them lol. Seriously, **** permits to walk in the woods.

Yes, it's walking, but the elevation gain is going to get you. Additionally, if you have a decent sized pack on (for all your food/water/other stuff), it really adds up. The last part is especially tough because it's a mile or two pretty much straight up with tons of switch backs.

Also, Brooks, you're wrong- they changed their policy recently (within the last few years) and you need to get a $2 permit in order to hike the last part of Half Dome. You can do pretty much the entire thing up until the actual granite part, though.

There is a ranger at the top who checks your registration number. I believe they did this because they wanted to lower the number of people who do the actual hike.

With regards to getting this permit, I would recommend checking online or just calling, as stated before.

Also, cakewalk, that sounds good. Tuolumne is really cool. BG and I climbed there a few years ago. Two apes:

Though, as a side note, BG is also pretty rogue when it comes to ranger/backwoods authority, so that's something to keep in mind when he says "**** them". If you're sort of a nancy like me (or not as bold), then I'd recommend getting the permit.

Cheers for the advice, I imagine it will be hard, I've never actually hiked before in my life, but on the other hand I'm in reasonable shape. Only one way to find out

Appreciate all the advice guys, that looks amazing, can't wait

Also make sure to keep most of your net worth in gold in case the US dollar collapses

I sold all my gold @ $1600/oz +
Ready to buy more!

where do you buy/sell gold?

Does he/she have a gun? I'd love to see what they'd do if you just ignored them and walked on by them. I doubt much, unless a seasonal ranger wanted to risk getting pushed off a 3k foot cliff by a disgruntled gold hoarder. The illusion of authority 8 miles into the wilderness.

Coin shops for buying/selling but I mostly buy online. APMEX is where I bought most of mine. Providentmetals.com is supposed to be good too.
I sell silver on craigslist cuz it's free and you can charge a premium and your not dealing with too much cash as far as getting ganked.

so you buy actually physical gold coins and then store them somewhere?

I wonder what % of people actually value their hike from $0 to $2 more than it used to cost them.

BUT HOW MUCH DID YOU LOSE?

So I'm going to Vegas for my 30th end of August. My buddy and his girlfriend who are outdoorsie types are pushing to do the Grand Canyon trip. I've been to Vegas 10+ times and never done it. Is it worth it? Should we do the 10 mile hike to the Havasu Falls in the middle? Would I even make it? (physically fit but we're by no means "in shape" hiking wise in August heat). Is it dangerous?

Also, I'm thinking about choosing between dune buggies, zip lining, etc. Any recommendations on these activities outside of Vegas? I know there are options, I'm looking for which would be the most fun.

Is that new water park any good?

Thanks

Grand Canyon is pretty cool but honestly, I enjoyed Zion national park more. Zion is only about 3 hours from Vegas and is a pretty easily accessible. As stated earlier, terp/carrotsnake/me drove there from Vegas and bought some cheap camping gear at Walmart for a few days in Zion.

Anyways, the GC is definitely still pretty cool and definitely worth it if you like that stuff. It's going to be brutal wherever you go in the SW U.S. during that time though, so remember that. I've only done the north rim and not the south one, but IMO you would be okay to hike that 10 miles. It might take you a bit longer since you might not be used to the switchbacks/heat/etc, but you would eventually get it.

I wouldn't say it's really too dangerous. The GC main trails are pretty well traveled and there are always going to be people. If you're an idiot like me, though, and go off on random trails alone, THEN it starts to get sketchier (I almost died once in Moab doing that, ha).

Another option is to simply go to Red Rocks Canyon right in Vegas. That area is very cool and I really enjoyed it. It's brutal hot in Vegas though during that time so you'd have to leave around like 7 am or earlier if you wanted to spend any significant time hiking there.

I just did the touristy stuff at grand canyon and really enjoyed it. The views really are breathtaking. I would definitely recommend it. Can easily be done in a day even if you drive so may as well

re permits for half dome, mate just called up and apparently:

"It's done by a daily lottery, two days before the hiking date, so I just need to remember to enter on the third"

Finished up Yosemite. Was awesome. Didnt get permit for half some unfortunately.

Did the Nevada falls (basically half of half dome) and cathedral lakes based on recommendations there. Cathedral lakes was just average though did climb some random peak at the end of it which was fun.

Nevada falls was really cool. I think half dome would have been fine, we did Nevada (8m, 2000 feet) in 3.5 hours.

Really wish I had done half done but oh we'll. will post pics when I'm back home

$400 USD NL Texas Hold'em

Seat 6 is the button
Total number of players : 6/6
Seat 6: $400 USD
Seat 2: $445.30 USD
Seat 5: TERP ( $498.50 USD )
Seat 3: APE ( $375.34 USD )
Seat 1: $469.90 USD
Seat 4: $400 USD

seat 1 posts small blind [$2 USD].
Seat 2 posts big blind [$4 USD].

** Dealing down cards **

Dealt to TERP [ 7 7 ]

APE raises [$8 USD], 1 fold, TERP raises [$28 USD], 2 folds, BB calls [$24 USD], APE calls [$20 USD]

** Dealing Flop ** [ 2, A, A ]

BB checks, APE bets [$32 USD], TERP calls [$32 USD], BB folds

** Dealing Turn ** [ Q ]

APE bets [$52 USD], TERP calls [$52 USD]

** Dealing River ** [ 7 ]

APE is all-In [$263.34 USD], TERP calls [$263.34 USD]

APE shows [ 9, 6 ]a pair of Aces.
TERP shows [ 7, 7 ]a full house, Sevens full of Aces.

TERP wins $777.68 USD from the main pot with a full house, Sevens full of Aces.

Lucky river bro!

Those aren't apes in the picture Terp

How dare you

seems like a reasonable hand from his end?