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yankeebama
Apr 28, 2007, 10:38 PM
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Has anyone done the the Half Dome Hike? Can it be done on trad instead of using the cables? If so what size gear does it take? I am thinking about taking my wife on it in two weeks.
thanks,
David
ps Any suggestions on easy climbs 5.6 or easier that my wife would enjoy?
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time2clmb
Apr 28, 2007, 11:22 PM
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hahahah...looking forward to the replies this one gets.
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tradrenn
Apr 28, 2007, 11:55 PM
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yankeebama wrote: Has anyone done the the Half Dome Hike? Can it be done on trad instead of using the cables? If so what size gear does it take? I am thinking about taking my wife on it in two weeks. thanks, David ps Any suggestions on easy climbs 5.6 or easier that my wife would enjoy? |
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dynoho
Apr 29, 2007, 12:26 AM
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Is Snake Dike an option? 7r, but close to his 5.6. Is there anything easier than SD besides the cables?
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scuclimber
Apr 29, 2007, 12:32 AM
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The cables are always there, the NPS just doesn't prop them up with the posts and slats until a certain date. They lie flat against the rock when they're "down."
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flamer
Apr 29, 2007, 12:35 AM
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yankeebama wrote: Can it be done on trad instead of using the cables? If so what size gear does it take?
The cables are never taken "down" completely.
They lay them down flat against the rock so the poles won't get wiped out by Avalanches and such....but the cables are always there.
SO...you have a couple of options.
You caould lead it if you want and girth hitch the attachment points of the cables for pro/belay's.
You could hand over hand it. Which you'd proabbly do any way.
You could tie prussiks on the cables them self's to "protect" it.
Lot's of options really, just be careful people have fallen to their deaths when the cables were laying down.
josh
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majid_sabet
Apr 29, 2007, 4:12 AM
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I hope you wait till cables are up and weather gets better. Last week a lady fell 550 feet to her death while 4 other people watch her going down .
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dingus
Apr 29, 2007, 2:54 PM
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Here's a look at the cables when they're down, courtesy Bob Burd and a recent summitpost thread about the same:
Its not hard climbing, not hard at all. But if you slip and you're not attached to something, well, major sabbet was right, a woman died just last week that way.
Here ya go:
http://www.summitpost.org/...?t=27827&start=0
DMT
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limeydave
Apr 29, 2007, 4:31 PM
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I tried it about 4 years ago, in early April - but bailed on the last 50ft or so - just too sketchy.
The picture above is a pretty good one - the cables can be partially buried in the ice, and rest of it is a pretty smooth slab and IMO not easily protectable other than by clipping into the cables if you can see enough of them.
It's a great hike anyway, and the campsite in Little Yosemite Valley is really nice when there aren't too many people up there this time of year.
Have a great trip!
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reg
Apr 30, 2007, 4:00 PM
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flamer wrote: yankeebama wrote: Can it be done on trad instead of using the cables? If so what size gear does it take? The cables are never taken "down" completely. You could tie prussiks on the cables them self's to "protect" it. josh
prussiks on a ridgid steel cable?? 7mm nylon on a steel cable??? i don't think that'll work
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dingus
Apr 30, 2007, 4:21 PM
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reg wrote: flamer wrote: yankeebama wrote: Can it be done on trad instead of using the cables? If so what size gear does it take? The cables are never taken "down" completely. You could tie prussiks on the cables them self's to "protect" it. josh prussiks on a ridgid steel cable?? 7mm nylon on a steel cable??? i don't think that'll work
Read the linked thread then.
DMT
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shoo
Apr 30, 2007, 5:04 PM
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It actually works surprisingly well in some cases, although certainly not nearly as well as nylon-to-nylon prussiking.
I ran a 65 foot climbing and rope course tower this summer, and periodically needed to tighten the guy-cables holding the structure in place. i used a come-along attached to a cemented ground anchor on one end and a 7mm nylon accessory cord on the other, prussiked to the cable. I actually broke a prussik cord once with the amount of force i put on it, but the prussiks never slipped off the cable once they tightened a bit.
The real issue with nylon prussik to steel cable is getting it to catch in the first place. A good solid yank will probably do that, such as in a fall situation. Problems happen if the force is applied slowly.
Does anyone know of any actual testing on this?
(This post was edited by shoo on Apr 30, 2007, 5:06 PM)
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reg
Apr 30, 2007, 5:47 PM
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dingus wrote: reg wrote: flamer wrote: yankeebama wrote: Can it be done on trad instead of using the cables? If so what size gear does it take? The cables are never taken "down" completely. You could tie prussiks on the cables them self's to "protect" it. josh prussiks on a ridgid steel cable?? 7mm nylon on a steel cable??? i don't think that'll work Read the linked thread then. DMT
shoo wrote: "The real issue with nylon prussik to steel cable is getting it to catch in the first place. A good solid yank will probably do that, such as in a fall situation. Problems happen if the force is applied slowly."
this was one of my concerns - i read the link but it just said they used them - i'd thought they wouldn't catch and worst - any burrs/rust/corrosion/etc would break um - sounds like a cool walk
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flamer
Apr 30, 2007, 10:05 PM
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reg wrote: flamer wrote: yankeebama wrote: Can it be done on trad instead of using the cables? If so what size gear does it take? The cables are never taken "down" completely. You could tie prussiks on the cables them self's to "protect" it. josh prussiks on a ridgid steel cable?? 7mm nylon on a steel cable??? i don't think that'll work
You too much "thinking" not enough trying.
josh
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hummm
Apr 30, 2007, 11:38 PM
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A friend just went up Half Dome last Sat. He is not a climber, but he did tied a rope to the cable since his group knew a woman just die last week. It is pretty dried now, and most of the snow and ice off to the side had melted by last weekend's fine weather.
I would use slings with binners to back up the prussiks in case the steel burn through the nylon. Doubt that would happen since it is not exactly a straight fall. Plus the cable is tied down to the rock every 100' or so, you might get some bruises if you slipped, but you won't be sliding down 500' to your death.
Have fun, and remember to bring some gloves. They usually have gloves at the bottom of the cable, but I don't think they are out since the cable is down. 
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shoo
May 1, 2007, 1:06 AM
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shoo wrote: I ran a 65 foot climbing and rope course tower this summer, and periodically needed to tighten the guy-cables holding the structure in place. i used a come-along attached to a cemented ground anchor on one end and a 7mm nylon accessory cord on the other, prussiked to the cable. I actually broke a prussik cord once with the amount of force i put on it, but the prussiks never slipped off the cable once they tightened a bit.
I just realized that I actually misstated myself. Originally, I was originally using 4mm prussik. I put enough tension on that prussik (rated to around 4kn, about half as strong as the 7mm I originally stated) that it broke. After that, I started using 7mm, so I have no idea the amount of force I put on it, only that it was likely greater than 4kn and less than 7.8kn.
To help answer the question in the least helpful way ever, prussiking on cable is, in most cases, pretty safe. If the cable is icy, it might slip more, if it's corroded it may eat through your cord as you move it, and so on, so you should use a backup.
You probably want to use thinner accessory cord (5mm) and maybe an extra wrap so it grips a little better. You also probably should use a carabiner as a backup instead of a second prussik, as you want to yank on the cord with as much initial force as possible (so long as it's well below the cord rating) so it locks up in the case of a fall.
(This post was edited by shoo on May 1, 2007, 1:16 AM)
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reg
May 1, 2007, 12:00 PM
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flamer wrote: reg wrote: flamer wrote: yankeebama wrote: Can it be done on trad instead of using the cables? If so what size gear does it take? The cables are never taken "down" completely. You could tie prussiks on the cables them self's to "protect" it. josh prussiks on a ridgid steel cable?? 7mm nylon on a steel cable??? i don't think that'll work You too much "thinking" not enough trying. josh
so true - hate to say it
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yankeebama
May 2, 2007, 7:44 PM
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Thanks for all the help.
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nornicotine
Sep 26, 2008, 2:06 AM
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Hi, haven't seen this previously.
While climbing the cables on half dome, and using swami belt, slings and carabiners to clip into the cables it becomes quickly obvious that the carabiners become 'cross loaded' when resting against the pole caps which support the cable. That is, if one fell, when the carabiner stops sliding along the cable and it hits the pole cap, the carabiner will be loaded across the spine...(not longitudinally along the long axis of the spine). The carabiner ultimately rests at about a 60 degree angle to the cable. Would a carabiner hold under such conditions, or is it likely to crack apart?
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sungam
Sep 26, 2008, 12:14 PM
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nornicotine wrote: Hi, haven't seen this previously. While climbing the cables on half dome, and using swami belt, slings and carabiners to clip into the cables it becomes quickly obvious that the carabiners become 'cross loaded' when resting against the pole caps which support the cable. That is, if one fell, when the carabiner stops sliding along the cable and it hits the pole cap, the carabiner will be loaded across the spine...(not longitudinally along the long axis of the spine). The carabiner ultimately rests at about a 60 degree angle to the cable. Would a carabiner hold under such conditions, or is it likely to crack apart?
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gunkiemike
Sep 26, 2008, 9:06 PM
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nornicotine wrote: Hi, haven't seen this previously. While climbing the cables on half dome, and using swami belt, slings and carabiners to clip into the cables it becomes quickly obvious that the carabiners become 'cross loaded' when resting against the pole caps which support the cable. That is, if one fell, when the carabiner stops sliding along the cable and it hits the pole cap, the carabiner will be loaded across the spine...(not longitudinally along the long axis of the spine). The carabiner ultimately rests at about a 60 degree angle to the cable. Would a carabiner hold under such conditions, or is it likely to crack apart?
Long fall, instant stop = shattered biner and/or broken bones/organs. Classic via ferrata type set-up (read up on it).
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dingus
Sep 26, 2008, 9:41 PM
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Its worth noting that Huell Howser along with thousands of chubby tourists every year make it up and down the cables sans incident.
DMT
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yokese
Sep 26, 2008, 9:47 PM
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gunkiemike wrote: nornicotine wrote: Hi, haven't seen this previously. While climbing the cables on half dome, and using swami belt, slings and carabiners to clip into the cables it becomes quickly obvious that the carabiners become 'cross loaded' when resting against the pole caps which support the cable. That is, if one fell, when the carabiner stops sliding along the cable and it hits the pole cap, the carabiner will be loaded across the spine...(not longitudinally along the long axis of the spine). The carabiner ultimately rests at about a 60 degree angle to the cable. Would a carabiner hold under such conditions, or is it likely to crack apart? Long fall, instant stop = shattered biner and/or broken bones/organs. Classic via ferrata type set-up (read up on it).
^^^
that's correct.
Use something like this:
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majid_sabet
Sep 26, 2008, 11:18 PM
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yokese wrote: gunkiemike wrote: nornicotine wrote: Hi, haven't seen this previously. While climbing the cables on half dome, and using swami belt, slings and carabiners to clip into the cables it becomes quickly obvious that the carabiners become 'cross loaded' when resting against the pole caps which support the cable. That is, if one fell, when the carabiner stops sliding along the cable and it hits the pole cap, the carabiner will be loaded across the spine...(not longitudinally along the long axis of the spine). The carabiner ultimately rests at about a 60 degree angle to the cable. Would a carabiner hold under such conditions, or is it likely to crack apart? Long fall, instant stop = shattered biner and/or broken bones/organs. Classic via ferrata type set-up (read up on it). ^^^ that's correct. Use something like this: [image]http://en.petzl.com/images/Produits/Produit_Image_325.jpg[/image]
Yosko
that toy is good if you are in Europe climbing cables that are anchored every 10 feet of so.if you use that thing in HD and take a fall, you still die but it makes it easier for clean up crew to bag you cause you will end up at the end of the cable instead of falling off some other edge.
(This post was edited by majid_sabet on Sep 26, 2008, 11:19 PM)
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nornicotine
Sep 27, 2008, 12:10 AM
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Majid, others,
Thanks...I'm not an expert, but from what I've seen of via ferrata, the setup shown would work because a fall would load the carabiner correctly, as designed. If we agree as noted by gunkiemike that on HD this is a setup for failure, is there an appropriate alternative?
I do appreciate that thousands make it up and down without incident, but I'm (mostly) worried about me...others are free to do what they will. You do see a lot of slipping and sliding up on HD, and if you clip in, it allows you to rest at each pole without having to white knuckle the cable.
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