Half Dome

John Clark wrote: Harumpster, when was the last time you did the route? Post-rockfall, the route definitely slows down a bit. Count on taking 2 hours a pitch on the new pitches if you aren't an efficient aider. The rope toss isn't hard, but you better have good hand eye coordination (it took my partner over 50 tries to stick). The chimneys would be a bear to haul through. I would say when you get on the route, just bring two day packs with lots of warm layers and emergency bivy sacs and be prepared to shiver. Partner and I did it car to car in 36 hrs with two 16L packs (shiver bivy on big sandy) and it was much better than the popular "big bag" method. Definitely do it in summer btw. did it twice in october with...sub-optimal results (light duty rescued after getting whacked by a snow storm)

Yea, its been a long time but was just talking to a friend who was up there this year and chuckling about the long ledge bivy that fell off. I wouldn't think it would change more than an hour or so overall. No one did that old fearsome Robbins 5.9 no pro chimney that fell off. I never did anyways.

But yea, even this style of taking small packs with puffies and beanies and sacks is vastly preferable to the 3 day haul bag load. Would never recommend anyone do it that way.

Take regular backpacks to the base with everything including pads to sleep on, then blast with cheap light packs like an REI Flash 18 or 20 or w/e with down puffies etc...(newbies have no business being up there with a chance of real rain and the forecasts are really solid in July/August so take down for warmth to weight). If you get wet down low you are going DOWN unless bailing upward is better ie from Big Sandy up if possible is better than down.

Harumpfster Boondoggle wrote:

Yea, its been a long time but was just talking to a friend who was up there this year and chuckling about the long ledge bivy that fell off. I wouldn't think it would change more than an hour or so overall. No one did that old fearsome Robbins 5.9 no pro chimney that fell off. I never did anyways.

But yea, even this style of taking small packs with puffies and beanies and sacks is vastly preferable to the 3 day haul bag load. Would never recommend anyone do it that way.

Take regular backpacks to the base with everything including pads to sleep on, then blast with cheap light packs like an REI Flash 18 or 20 or w/e with down puffies etc...(newbies have no business being up there with a chance of real rain and the forecasts are really solid in July/August so take down for warmth to weight). If you get wet down low you are going DOWN unless bailing upward is better ie from Big Sandy up if possible is better than down.

I wouldn't consider bailing after getting into the Robbins traverse. Once you leave the cozy corner, take the committed stance or have twin/two ropes and lots of big bail gear.

OP this may help you to better visualize the route. Enjoy!

http://www.supertopo.com/tr/Half-Dome-Like-Youre-Never-Seen-it-Before/t12324n.html

maybe because i'm getting older-- but-- I can't believe how lackadaisical everyone is about the rockfall risk on this climb. To Harumpfster, who is "LOL"ing about all the rock that fell off-- if that rockfall event had happened at a different time of the day/season, it could have easily been the deadliest day in yosemite climbing history.  MULTIPLE PITCHES of this climb, literally, fell off of the climb.

here are some pictures, and some perspective from the park geologist:

https://www.climbing.com/news/half-dome-post-rock-fall-conditions-one-year-later/

A choice quote:

"Taking a wider view, there are many examples of partially detached exfoliation sheets throughout the Regular Northwest Face Route, not just around the recent rockfall scar. This puts the recent rockfall in context. Although the 2015 rockfall was certainly large and impressive, it was also completely in character for the Northwest Face of Half Dome, which has been shaped by ongoing exfoliation for thousands of years. Future rockfalls from the route are guaranteed; unfortunately their timing cannot be known."

I've done this climb 3 times before the rockfall event. To the OP, who appears to be a beginner-- please gain some experience climbing and assessing what objective risk you are willing to subject yourself to before deciding to get on this climb.

In a geological time frame it is raining boulders in Yosemite.

In a human time frame its about as safe as rock climbing can get.

What recent events on Half Dome, El Cap, Rixon's area, GPA, Cookie et all have shown is that no one has any idea just what large feature in a geological time frame may be teetering on the brink. In a human time scale it is extremely unlikely that any of these events is going to happen to you with modest precaution. Despite the millions of climbers that have come to Yosemite very, very few have met any tragedy from rock fall, may they rest in peace. On HD you cross above the active zone, but who knows, maybe the whole thing up to Big Sandy will go, and I have no doubt it will...someday.

Inshallah.

Yep, might as well stay home and watch football on the couch. Rock Climbing...skeery.

YGD™

Abdullah Mourad wrote: OP this may help you to better visualize the route. Enjoy!

http://www.supertopo.com/tr/Half-Dome-Like-Youre-Never-Seen-it-Before/t12324n.html

That's beautiful, and very helpful. Just what I was looking for. Thanks! 

And to mpech, I understand what you're saying, but I did make it clear that I'm not experienced or skilled enough at the moment to attempt it. It is an aspiration of mine, and I was just looking to get more info about the climb, which I did get. Just talking about it gets me stoked. But I appreciate your concern and thanks for informing me about the dangers of the rockfall. 

And thanks for that article post, that was good to read

Harumpfster Boondoggle wrote: In a geological time frame it is raining boulders in Yosemite.

In a human time frame its about as safe as rock climbing can get.

What recent events on Half Dome, El Cap, Rixon's area, GPA, Cookie et all have shown is that no one has any idea just what large feature in a geological time frame may be teetering on the brink. In a human time scale it is extremely unlikely that any of these events is going to happen to you with modest precaution. Despite the millions of climbers that have come to Yosemite very, very few have met any tragedy from rock fall, may they rest in peace. On HD you cross above the active zone, but who knows, maybe the whole thing up to Big Sandy will go, and I have no doubt it will...someday.

Inshallah.

Yep, might as well stay home and watch football on the couch. Rock Climbing...skeery.

YGD™

You're being disingenuous and nihilistic. You're simplifying rockfall risk way too much. Yes, there is a basal level of rockfall risk across Yosemite-- but there are absolutely areas with higher rockfall risk. RNWFHD is  one of those areas. It is exfoliating in a way that a lot of other features in the valley aren't.   People generally avoid areas that have experienced major rockfall recently. Given that the OP is a beginner, I think it's important to warn him that the objective hazard on this route is higher than elsewhere in the valley. 

If the OP wanted to go to parkline slab, or the southeast face of el cap, wouldn't it be reasonable to warn them about recent rockfall activity there? Or would you just LOL and YGD? 

mpech wrote:

You're being disingenuous and nihilistic. You're simplifying rockfall risk way too much. Yes, there is a basal level of rockfall risk across Yosemite-- but there are absolutely areas with higher rockfall risk. RNWFHD is  one of those areas. It is exfoliating in a way that a lot of other features in the valley aren't.   People generally avoid areas that have experienced major rockfall recently. Given that the OP is a beginner, I think it's important to warn him that the objective hazard on this route is higher than elsewhere in the valley. 

If the OP wanted to go to parkline slab, or the southeast face of el cap, wouldn't it be reasonable to warn them about recent rockfall activity there? Or would you just LOL and YGD? 

...must....not....troll....:P

Pretty sure the OP is well aware of the hazard and isn't going up there anytime soon, so....settle down there bub, its gonna be ok...:P

I guess its just me that sees talus at the base of stuff and knows how it got there (looks up)?

BTW, fact of the matter is its ALL exfoliating and the giant thing that fell off The Waterfall Route is evidence that we have zero idea what's falling off next despite the best efforts of Park geologists. No one would have predicted that one.

Anyways, the stuff to worry about, imo, is the stuff peeling off above the slabs approach. So there's that to keep you moving quick.

Harumpfster Boondoggle wrote:

...must....not....troll....:P

words to live by, then ignore when work gets slow