The only time I hiked to the top of Half Dome was in around 1978. No reservations required — just hike up. There were quite a few people going up the cables, but nothing like it turned into in later years.
I remember fumbling my camera lens cap and watching it roll down the granite. I started to reach for it when I dropped it, but caught myself.
lens caps tended to wander about, back in the day.
In the Yosemite, near back country, bears were very adept in hauling down backbacks and very expertly, diagonally slashing external pockets in the dark to liberate tuna fish cans and other sources of nutrients.
Totally fun nights.