Visible from a great distance, this steep, rugged half-sphere soars high above the Yosemite Valley. Originally named “Tis-sa-ack”, a native American phrase for “cleft rock”, it witnessed many famous climbs. The first known ascent was by George Anderson in 1875, who drilled holes into the smooth granite to successfully conquer the rock face. Since then, hikers reach the summit each year by following a trail starting from the valley floor.
Thanks to its distinctive shape, Half Dome ranks among America’s most iconic mountains and through a combination of selective coloring and smartminting® ultra-high relief, this 2 oz silver coin captures the majesty and awe of this impressive mountain in all of its sheer face details.