Former ASJ contributor Rick Deutsch, just released a free iPhone and Android phone app as a companion to his popular book โ€œOne Best Hike: Yosemiteโ€™s Half Dome.โ€

The app provides users with info on the interesting things to see on the Half Dome hike. Included are a trail map and 19 points of interest, with detailed text and narration of key spots on the hike, along with vintage and current photos to help interpret the history of Yosemiteโ€™s signature landmark.

The app also includes a video of ascending the cables and an interview with Royal Robbins, the first person to climb the 2,000- foot vertical face of Half Dome in 1957. Additional narratives and other clips will help motivate you to do the hike.

To download the new free Half Dome Hike Guide:

1. Search for โ€œEveryTrailโ€ in the Apple App Store or Android Market as appropriate. Click on the FREE> slider. (The Pro version provides enhanced map features for a fee.)

2. Create an account within the EveryTrail app on your device.

3. Search for the โ€œHalf Dome Hikeโ€ GUIDE in the app and click download.