Half Dome. Yosemite National Park. California
Half Dome in Yosemite National Park is a veritable landmark and probably the most recognizable rock formation in the country, but reaching its summit is no easy accomplishment. The 8.5-mile hike uphill from the bottom of the valley, plus the hundreds of granite stairs is not for everyone. But the final 400 feet are the trickiest; hikers must climb up the steep slope with two steel cables as their only support. Still, many adventurous climbers done a free-solo straight up the sheer rock wall. Just in case that’s not terrifying enough, two hikers died after getting struck by lightning on Half Dome in 1985.
