Sorry, don’t have any permit.

I'd start with whether you can get into the park, and then what is available. Only one tent site now in Yosemite Valley plus 2 others, as I write on 5 March 2019. Winter. Latest info on their website which I tried to share with you but TA will not allow. (Imagine) National Parks website can be found easily, if not here.

I don't know any little kids that don't like playing in the snow! You do know that there's a ski resort in Yosemite...don't you? Take him skiing/boarding or to just tube down the hill. Try an internet search for "travelyosemite." Then check out the WINTER link in the menu.

Hi I recommend that you use the National Park Service page for many details about the reservation only Half Dome hike. You need to enter the lottery for a permit to make this hike next year. I also recommend that you read the Half Dome topic in the Top Questions on the right side of the Yosemite forum page. My 3rd recommendation is to search for MrHalfDome This person loves hiking Half Dome and has created a great resource. -> is it a beaten dirt trail or loose rocks and gravel? Does the trail pass through the trees? Are there points of support on the way, such as toilets and access to drinking water? {Google translation} Yes, it's paved in one section, it's dirt in some sections, it's loose rocks on dirt in some sections, and it's slippery granite for the final ascent. Yes, some of it is in the trees. Some of the hike is alongside waterfalls. And some is out in the open. Yes, there are a few places with toilets and drinking water at lower elevations. But you should still carry lots of water with you. Many folks begin around 5:30 am.

Is the guided hike to half dome through an outside tour agency? If so, yes it’s possible that the permit will be included. Would ask the tour agency directly.

Gloves are a must, but you may want a harness to clip in when you are resting (as you will need to). The cables can get crowded and you may be forced to step outside the cables. Try to avoid doing so. The trail is EXTREMELY steep and the granite is polished in places leaving little in the way of traction. Great effort will be required to keep from slipping downwards. Clipping in all the way up and down is not practical, but it is better to have the harness and not use it than it is to not have it and wish you did. Congratulations on securing a rare permit!

Hi This is the seldom viewed Q&A feature for Half Dome. General questions like yours will get immediate attention if you ask on the active Yosemite forum. Yosemite is still quite busy in September. Expect it to be crowded pretty much like June or maybe early July. August is the busiest time.

Hi These are great questions to ask on the TripAdvisor forum. (This is a Q&A feature about the big rock!) When you post a new thread on that forum, include your travel dates & interests. If you want to start with some research, I recommend the Top Questions on the right side of the Yosemite forum page. Some seniors are backpacking, some are traveling with an extended family group, some are just buddies on a lightly active sight-seeing trip, and some are something else. If you share information about your travel style, that will help forum members to give you the most relevant replies.