Half Dome via Cables

The cables on Half Dome are pulled for the season by early November, which means this route is off the table as a technical summit bid. If your plan was the cables route to the top, that's a no-go — the hardware is gone and the granite slab above the shoulder is unprotected and will be wet or icy after Tuesday's system. If you're planning a backpacking loop through the Valley or Little Yosemite Valley corridor without summit ambitions, conditions are actually pretty reasonable.

Tuesday is the weather story. There's a 55% chance of light rain at valley elevation, transitioning to mixed rain and snow Tuesday night with a low of 32°F. At 8,800 ft (summit), that's a snow event — expect accumulation on exposed terrain. Wednesday flips completely: sunny, calm winds 0-5 mph NNE, high 49°F. Thursday is equally clean at 52°F. If you can shelter Tuesday and push your big miles Wednesday and Thursday, you'll have excellent conditions.

Daylight is the silent operational hazard here. Sunset hits at 4:59 PM and you lose usable light by 4:22 PM. That's a short working day, especially if you're gaining elevation toward the subdome or anywhere above treeline. Plan to be at camp or well into descent by 3:30 PM. Starting early matters — 6:26 AM sunrise means you can be moving by first light if you're disciplined.

Stream crossing data flagged for the region doesn't map directly to Yosemite Valley drainages — the gauges listed are coastal watershed stations. Merced River conditions in November are typically low and stable with no snowmelt driving flows, so crossings in Little Yosemite Valley should be a non-issue. No fires within 50 miles, air quality is clean. Snow depth at nearby SNOTEL stations is zero, so trail to Little Yosemite Valley is bare — just be ready for frozen ground and potentially icy shaded sections Wednesday morning after the Tuesday night low of 32°F.