Snake Dike is an easy route of 5.7 for a few moments, and lower grade 5 climbing for the rest of it's 8 roped pitches. The crux of this climb is avoiding confrontation with mountain lions and bears, and staying on the trail in the dark. It's a long way to go up Half Dome, even if you just go up the standard route with the cables.

long string of photos here. Hey, It's Yosemite. I hadn't been to the valley before, and now I know why it's a zoo there in some ways. Even if you don't go on a hike, you're looking around in total awe from the campgrounds.

started at 5am. It's about 6 miles to the base of the climb, 4800' to the summit, and 8.5 miles back. We weren't sure how long this would take, or how crowded the climb would be. We were back to the valley floor by 2-3pm, and stopped plenty for taking pictures and hanging out on top. Simul climbing the upper 5.4 pitches and getting there first helped.

The sun hit the rock just about as we started. Snake Dike follows the left skyline in this shot. Other than the cable route on the other side of the dome, this is basically the lowest angle spot on the thing. The "Dike" sure helps you run up there too, with an amazingly long ribbon of pockets for your feet and hands. Bolted hangers are evenly spread out through the 5th class terrain. Look at the guidebook for this info, I forget how many there were. After the first 100', there is no option for pro other than clipping established bolt hangers. So bring a few cams and nuts if you want to protect the 5.7 crack at the start.

After 8 pitches you get to class 4 and 3 goes on for over 1000' more to the summit. we unroped here. The going gets lower angle as you progress, so once you're comfortable, you can put the rope away.

The cable route is how you climb Half Dome without ropes. Not that it's safer. Apparently there are boards every 12" to step on during the summer. At this time, there were boards at every pole, which were about 15' apart. The rock is pretty slick, and most hikers wouldn't have sticky shoes or anything. Gloves are mandatory to grip the cables You have to play some tricks with your stance and grip to safely descend once they take the extra boards away. With climbing shoes and gloves, descending the cable route without boards was no problem. You can always clip the cable if you're still wearing your harness. Remember 70 year old hikers do this in tennis shoes sometimes.

Trees in Yosemite are unreal. Walking around the campgrounds, you can't help but stare straight up a lot. I know the more veteran National Park goers are saying "no duh..." I'm used to the trees on the east side of the Sierra.

This is the south side as seen from the trail during the return hike. Snake Dike is along the left skyline, and is kind of like a ladder of small pockets to step on and grab with ease.


You need to start early and beat the crowds to do any hike of this size. You'll move a LOT slower going around people, and in the hotter portion of the day.


Here's the north side of Half Dome from near Mirror Lake, taken on a different day. Expert climbing only on this side.


Here is the cable route climb/descent on Half Dome. This is late fall, when the extra foot boards have been taken down.


































Check out this trail formed with granite blocks.



























Mike Schwartz
www.thebackcountry.net
mike@thebackcountry.net

Climbed the classic Northwest Face route in 1996 in 2-1/2 days with a friend. It took us three separate attempts just to get to the start of the route without a waiting line. It was a splendid climb in a wonderful setting. When we got to the top ,we threw everything in our single haulbag and my partner ran down the cables to the Start to pick up our hiking boots and some other stuff we had left there to lighten the load. I hosted the heavy bag on and started down the cables facing downward . Holy *** ! It was slippery even with climbing shoes and I had stupidly thrown my harness,slings, and evrything else in the haul bag. The people watching were taking bets and no one sarted up the cables until I had made the bottom. Big time brain fade. Hard to believe that you haven't been to the Valley before.

Thanks for the great beta mike. here's some pics from our trip in late september '06

I actually did a family trip the weekend prior to going to snake dyke, and we went to glacier point and did a camp trip from there. It gave a great view of our route, and with my new cannon S80 8mege jiggle camera, i got some great beta shots of the route:





the climb it self took 3 hrs, all simulclimbed after pitch 1 & 2. if you haven't climbed 5.7 slab before, definitely don't free solo this route. one of those things where you know it's secure, but it that smear on the smooth granite just doesn't feel secure...

i think round trip it took us 10 1/2 hours, but we started at 4:30 to avoid the 3hr wait horror stories that our buddies told us.

pitch1:


pitch2:


2nd to last pitch. 5.2. lower angle smear.



The runouts on lead never bothered me, but for some reason after we unroped for the low angle slabs, i couldn't stop thinking about if anyone ever tripped and tumbled down.

_________________
More BC action next week, right here on ESPN 8, "The OCHO" :)

I've climbed the Dike before. Back in the late 90's I think. We ran out of water at the top and had to bum water off of all the tourists. Good times!
Thanx for posting all those pics. Brings back memories.

_________________
Coastal Crest Snow Patrol
http://www.zazzle.com/jibmaster
http://www.earnyourturns.com/3878/ccsp-guide-2-mendocino/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jibmaster/