UKC

Planning a trip to Yosemite next year for a few weeks of climbing and a crack at a big wall. I have had a number of people tell me I'll possibly need a climbing permit. Had a quick look on the inter web but can't seem to find an answer. I'm aware there are some places you'll need hiking permits e.g cables on half dome. Can anyone shed any light please.

In reply to Richardhenton:

I didn't need a climbing permit last August for the, admittedly limited, day climbing . Maybe its changed.

I also failed in the March ballot for the Half Dome cables but went for a walk up their anyway. When we got to the shoulder no one was there and about 4 people were on the cables. So we went up anyway. Seems a slightly weird system to me and I have no idea how its policed. The rangers were very hot on back country bivvying without a permit though - I think they don't like you sleeping on a big wall without getting permission first.

In reply to Richardhenton:

If you are bivouacking on a route/wall then you don't need a permit of any sort. If you end up dossing on the top of El Cap, or Sentinel or whatever, then technically you would need a backwoods permit. That said, I've never heard of anyone having a problem with such an eventuality and it's done loads.

The principle is, AFAIK is that if you're 'climbing' overnight, and not hiking you don't need a permit.

Steve

In reply to Babika:
Thanks guys. I'm possibly looking at the prow or south face route on Washington column so a night or 2 on my portaledge would be OK. Does anyone know if you need a permit to climb any of the long routes in the valley. Cheers.

In reply to Richardhenton:

You do not need a permit to climb in Yosemite.

All the big walls (including Washington Column) are designated by the NPS as wilderness and so technically you need a backcountry permit for overnight stays on the walls. In practice, I have never heard of this being enforced (and I've no idea how they would anyway).

As SteveSBlake said, you *may* need a permit if you're bivying below/above a route. I haven't heard of anyone getting cited for bivying at the top of El Cap nor at the base of Washington Column, but I've been checked at the base of Half Dome and known climbers get fined there. I suspect (but don't know) that this is because Half Dome gets so much hiking traffic, whereas the other walls are only really visited by climbers.

In the last few years the NPS has tried to manage Half Dome traffic and limits the number of people on the Cables; I'm not sure if this includes people just descending. During the week you should be able to get a permit from the permit office in Curry Village; weekends are likely to be oversubscribed. To get a permit you will need to prove that you have a bear-proof food container, and that you understand what 'pack it in/pack it out' means (at one point they used to issue you with wag bags, I don't know if they still do though).

In reply to Richardhenton:


You won't need to drag a portaledge up the South Face of Washington Column. I spent a night on a very spacious ledge just underneath the Kor Roof.

A few critters (raccoons) out snuffling at you but otherwise very comfy. And the Rangers did give us a big ticking off for bivvying at the top of Lost Arrow. They're pleasant, but rather fierce!

In reply to Babika:


yes, dinner ledge, very roomy. Big enough for 3-4 easily. Great views of the sunset on Halfdome.

In reply to Richardhenton:

Seems to be some confusion on here.
You don't need a permit to stay overnight on a climb - full stop.
You don't need a permit to do any climb in The Valley.
You do need a permit to go up the tourist path and cables to the summit of Half Dome (think 300 million Americans wanting to do that trail - needs some kind of regulation)
You don't need a permit to come down from the summit of Half Dome.
You do need a back country permit to overnight anywhere else - which you wont get for Yosemite Valley - they don't want people dossing in every bush, and they do enforce this, at night with thermal imaging kit etc but there is only so much ground they can cover.
However people do bivvy on the top of the big walls after topping out (its safer to let people do that than have them come down in the dark), and people do bivvy at the base of routes but sometimes get caught and told off.

That about covers it.

In reply to Richardhenton:
Thanks everyone for the info. Muchos helpful.