August 5, 2026
Half Dome just opened up almost the whole season
What dropped this week
Half Dome had a big week: openings now stretch almost every day from July 20 through October 13, so if you've been shut out all summer, worth another look. Middle Fork Salmon opened a similar stretch, with spots showing on Aug 3, 10, 19, 22, and 30, plus nearly every day from October 6 through December 31. Four Pass Loop picked up seven new dates in the back half of August: 8/18, 8/19, and 8/23 through 8/27. St. Helens Climbing opened up on 7/14, 7/16, 7/19, 7/27, 8/1, 8/11, and 8/17, while the separate Summit Climb permit at Mount St. Helens NVM opened 7/27, 8/1, 8/16, and 8/17. Smaller but worth flagging: Mt. Whitney Trail (Overnight) opened for 8/5, and Lyell Canyon opened a single date on 8/14.
Open right now
Right now these permits are showing open availability: Lyell Canyon (Donohue Pass eligible) in Yosemite, Whitney Mountaineer's Route and Mt. Whitney Trail (Overnight) in Inyo National Forest, Lost Coast Trail in the King Range, Summit Climb and St. Helens Climbing at Mount St. Helens NVM, Conundrum Hot Springs in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness, and Middle Fork Salmon on the Idaho Wild Rivers system. Worth checking these directly if you've got dates in mind.
Lotteries opening/closing soon
Angels Landing's lottery window closes August 15, 2026, just under two weeks from now. If Zion is on your radar, get your entry in before then.
This week's data insight
Looking at when openings land this month, Monday is by far the busiest day for availability changes, with 315 logged compared to a weekly low of 178 on Wednesday and 181 on Thursday. If you're hunting for a specific date, checking early in the week gives you better odds of catching something new before it disappears again.