Climbing Half Dome w/ New Permit Regulations

Looking to climb half dome this July with a buddy (been his climbing dream for a while) and we are planning to climb then descend via the Half Dome Cables.
However, all the Half Dome cable permits are taken for the time. Does anyone have experience with this? Do we need permits to descend the cables on our way down? If so, is there alternative routes we could repel down instead? 

Climbers don't need a permit to go down the cables.

I presume you’re talking about Snake Dike? If so, you do not need a permit to descend the cables, only to ascend. I’d advise using a PAS with a biner and stay outside the cables to pass the conga line of tourists 

You guys are awesome! Thanks so much! 

we are climbers.. we dont need permits for anything. Screw the system XD

I climbed Half Dome (Snake Dike route) the day before yesterday. It was the fantastic experience and, as others have stated, no permit is needed to descend the cables but in July be prepared to deal with hordes of hikers (there was noone when we got to the top of Half Dome on May 11). 

I want to climb HD soon. I live in a Walnut Creek, need to make better outdoorsy friends 

Snake Dike is great.  Be aware of the mandatory runouts though.  Easy but run.  BTW, it's "rappel".

Zach S wrote: I want to climb HD soon. I live in a Walnut Creek, need to make better outdoorsy friends 

I was just all like WTF I didn't post anything!  ...Oh

Many peaks that require a permit or ticket to go up don't require one to go down. Or at least there's nobody checking at the top. Because...think about it.

Haha