Descending down the Half Dome Cables while they are down and w/o steps. Good idea to bring gloves

All Locations > California > Yosemite NP > Yosemite Valley > Valley S Side > Half Dome > Southwest Face > Snake Dike (5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b R)

Descending down the Half Dome Cables while they are down and w/o steps. Good idea to bring gloves

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My dad and a view of the bottom half of the route... many parties wait at the base... glad we got an early start...

Multiple parties on Snake Dike

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Zac Heiliger

Aug 30, 2016

“Descending down the Half Dome Cables while they are down and w/o steps. Good idea to bring gloves”

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Nearby Photos

Extreme stemming on Snake Dike. Thanks Jason Halladay for the beta!

High Res photo of the route, as well as top slabs as shot from Glacier Point. Most accurate perspective you can get of the route at large. Although my topo drawing may wander near the top. Note the party on route and people on the top for scale.
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The west face of Half Dome, home of the Snake Dike.

Stemming two dikes up high on Snake Dike. Sometimes it pays to be 6'5". September 2007.

The real reason for climbing Snake Dike - standing on the summit of Half Dome. If you're scared of exposure, I wouldn't recommend looking over the edge :). April 24, 2013

Showing that the angle and the texture of the rock make the runouts feel very comfortable.

Length of the actual climb, and a more accurate look at the NEVER ENDING SLAB that you hike up after the 8th pitch

Start of p 4

DK leading up the fourth pitch.

Coming up the slabs after the technical climbing was done. The smoke from the El Portal fire that started while we were up there is visible in the background.

Descending--late May 2011

Approach beta from Clint Cummins

Dike hikin' on Snake Dike

8/29/15 - Overlooking El Cap from the half-dome summit as the sun set and the full moon rose for our decent.

Midnight climbing on the dike

Atop half a dome, via S.D. 17 Sep 2011.

Adam standing on the "Diving Board" at the Half Dome summit after climbing Snake Dike, April 24, 2013

The huge arch on the upper 5.easy pitches really shows the different layers of granite.

A really cool feature we found while scrambling the upper part of Halfdome El Cap is in the back ground...

This is one of the exposed sections of the approach. There is over 100 feet of exposure. You can't fall here. There are several exposed sections like this. This is located at 37.738456, -119.538115 Photo taken March 19, 2015.

Safer alternate start for Snake Dike. Photo borrowed from "looks easy from here" at SuperTopo and edited.

Almost a full view of the route.

NOT COOL!!!! a hueco at a belay stance that is filled with PISS!!! This is gross and un acceptable... piss on the face off to the side of the route where it can evaporate and rinse in the rain... or in a bottle or whatever, the piss in the hole here has been cooking in the sun for weeks!!!

I got engaged on the top of SnakeDike. I clipped the engagement ring to the back of her harness as we were walking up the endless slabs! Amazing route worthy of a life long memory!

DK on pitch 4

DK on Pitch 2.

My dad and a view of the bottom half of the route... many parties wait at the base... glad we got an early start...

Descending down the Half Dome Cables while they are down and w/o steps. Good idea to bring gloves

Multiple parties on Snake Dike

Big run out on easy rock FUN

Trav Strong leading out pitch 2.

Lost in the Sea of Slab on Snake Dike..John Dull

Looking down the route to the base of the climb.

As you start the 2nd Pitch from the 60 meter rope belay, there is a scenic traverse. From the climbers position you begin to ascend up and right to the next belay station. It'a a great place for a hero picture. This is located at 37.739662, -119.539587 March 19, 2015

The approach, quite gorgeous really.

Rope gunners scrambling to protect our followers near the top. Shot with my film camera.

View of the base of Snake Dike after exiting the treeline.

Getting a calf workout

Me and J on the Visor!

The Tree: starting point for Snake Dike

The descent. Honestly this is the worst part of the climb. Hordes of people, early season with the cables laying on the rock. Dangerous, to say the least.

This is the 5.5 section on the 1st Pitch if you are going to the 60 meter rope belay station. If you have a short rope, it would be the start of the second pitch. The photo shows the crack at 37.739681, -119.539680

Aerial image showing the approach from Little Yosemite trail. Cut left of Lost Lake, then follow cairns up and to the right almost to the base of Half Dome. Then cut across the base to the left.

Top of P2!!!

A bunch of parties on Snake Hike

The traverse

3 pitch

End of the the pitch 2 traverse before the diagonal dike up to the belay. Climb straight up from here to link pitches 2 and 3 with a 60m or longer.

Pitch 6<br>

Pitch 5

Adam leading up Pitch 4 of Snake Dike, April 24, 2013. Once you are on the dike, the routefinding is minimal for pitches 4-6 - just follow the singular, massive vertical dike, resting to take in the amazing Valley views below.

First pitch. Run it out and get moving.

On da dike

Snake Dike topo

Marcy leading one of the upper pitches

Snake Dike

The Tree: starting point for Snake Dike

Looking up from the base.

Yellow is what line I took because my partner made me. I was pretty scared for 2-3 moves. Ground fall potential but wasn't to bad. Traverse right when you're at the tree

Bring LOTS of water...