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mreardon
Apr 7, 2004, 4:48 AM
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Things have been going well this season and I've been checking out a few options for summertime. Has anyone here done the Northwest Face ("regular route") on Half Dome? I understand it's 23 pitches with a few pitches of 5.12a (I assume they're closer to 12c). I have two partners to choose from, one of which can likely follow me free, the other can follow up to 5.11 for a few pitches but is phenomenal on the aid climbing. Even knowing that, a couple other questions:
1. What's the hike like?
2. Do I need a permit to leave the car in case I epic overnight or want to camp at the base for an early start?
3. Can I camp at the base or are the bears a pain?
4. If the 5.12 sections become a bit much, are they clean aid?
5. Is the route all cracks or are there face/bolted moves?
6. I know it's the NW face, but does the sun hit it? If so, when, and how humid is it going to be during the summertime (I'm a fan of the desert crags for a reason)?
7. How overhanging?
8. How epic is the descent?
Any info is greatly appreciated as well as any guidebooks/topos that can also tell me what to expect.
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fixedpin
Apr 7, 2004, 5:18 AM
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In reply to: 1. What's the hike like?
In reply to: 2. Do I need a permit to leave the car in case I epic overnight or want to camp at the base for an early start?
In reply to: 3. Can I camp at the base or are the bears a pain?
In reply to: 4. If the 5.12 sections become a bit much, are they clean aid?
In reply to: 5. Is the route all cracks or are there face/bolted moves?
In reply to: 6. I know it's the NW face, but does the sun hit it? If so, when, and how humid is it going to be during the summertime (I'm a fan of the desert crags for a reason)?
In reply to: 7. How overhanging?
In reply to: 8. How epic is the descent? |
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bandycoot
Apr 7, 2004, 5:36 AM
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I haven't freed it! With that disclaimer:
1. Worse than you'd think. Do the Death Slabs Approach as described in supertopo. It's much shorter (although much more brutal). Stay the night on the ground. If you're trying to free that thing then you probably want as much rest as possible and that hike + elevation can get to you.
2. I don't remember needing a permit for the car, but YOU need one if you're staying overnight. Not that rangers will harass you or go down there to the base of the route, but it only takes a few minutes and it's free.
3. You can camp at the base. Hang food at least 20' off the ground. I heard there is a bear that can get at least 12-15' off the ground up the route to grab haul bags so BE CAREFUL. There are a plethora of cracks you could hang your food from.
4. ALL of the "Regular" route is clean aid or free climbing. I know that part of the free route leaves between pitches 3-6 so I can't vouch for those parts, but I doubt they are entirely aidable. The Zig-Zags can easily be clean aided with nuts a double set of cams cams and maybe 1 hook.
I'm not sure what happens to get past the Robbins Traverse...
5. There are FEW face moves. There are some that are around 5.9+ that I pulled on fixed gear to move faster through when I did it. Up near the top there is the bolt ladder with a tension traverse, but I saw chalk above this and it is pretty low angle and looked "doable" but I can't vouch for pro above the bolt ladder.
6. The sun hits around 2pm if I remember right. It comes right over the shoulder. I don't remember humidity but the first time I tried was the middle of summer and it was over 100 F and we got annihilated by heat exhaustion and had to bail. Just check for heat waves, they are bad!
7. Not overhanging! It's known for it's crappy hauling because it is lower angle than many other walls. for the first third. After that it is pretty close to vertical most of the way, but still probably not even dead vertical.
8. If I did the 9 mile descent with the pig on the same day I topped out, it's not that bad. It's going UP the damn hill with the pig that kills! (It really was miserable, I'm just saying it is doable).
There is A LOT of fixed pro on the route both at the 5.11c corner to pass the 5.9 "death chimney" and in the zig zags. That can help/speed things up! If you have trouble landing a topo of the actual "regular route" without the details of the free variations, let me know and I'll try to get it to you early next week. I'm actually packing for a trip to Yosemite right now and need to get back to it!
Josh
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kalcario
Apr 7, 2004, 6:10 AM
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I have done it both as a 4 day wall when I was barely 16 years old (don't ask) and as a one day 10 years later. One day without a haul bag is definitely the way to go as hauling the chimneys are a bitch. The approach slabs are shorter but roast in the sun all day, do the trail and bivy at the shoulder, sod the permit, there were bear lines there last time (mid 80's) I did it. If you're going for it in a day go for speed and french free the hard stuff, there is no face climbing except for a short blank thin aid section after Thank God Traverse which hopefully is fixed, there are 2 short bolt ladders below the halfway point which are circuitous to navigate free variations around. The face goes into the sun at 2:30 in the summer. On my one day the second jumared everthing because you'll be carrying a pack with food, water, clothes, hiking shoes etc, we brought 2 pairs of jugs in case there were fixed lines on the first few pitches which you might as well use because they're in the way of the climbing anyway, we simul'ed a little at the start of the chimney pitches but we only had 50 meter ropes in those days...the route is easy and fun with ledges for every belay but topping out near sunset with the descent in front of you makes it a little moaner...
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mreardon
Apr 7, 2004, 6:12 PM
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Thanks Bandy and Joe (16? Yikes!). Definitely helps. Sounds like it would be easier for my partner to carry a small pack and just follow by jumar. Pitch four might be easier going the regular route with aid rather than the Higbee Dihedral, but it will depend on how strong I'm feeling and whether there's another party up there. And the descent sounds like I definitely want tennis shoes :D Going for it in a day sounds reasonable (I'm doing 100+ route days in jtree lately up to 12c but want to get to mid 13s before the heat becomes too much). I'll fire you the photos when we're done!
Fixedpin: Don't bothering answering next time unless you're actually going to provide info (hence the heading). I have a topo, but experience is always the best information. I'm extremely familiar with the sierras and multi-pitch climbing (you'll lose if we compare resumes). And my comment about the bears was because they have a habit of invading my privacy no matter what I do. As for the descent, they always suck, but once in a while there are specific tricks/trails/raps to pay attention to that make life easy. I've had more than one free solo end with me downclimbing what I just came up thanks to finding only rap rings at the top. In this case I just wanted to know if there was anything other than tennis shoes needed.
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piton
Apr 7, 2004, 7:29 PM
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depending on when you do RNW you won't see sun until noon. also will have the last light in the valley. the approach sucks no matter which way you go. try to avoid the pig and climb it in a day
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rockinice
Apr 7, 2004, 7:39 PM
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look for a "in a day" topo
they're not called the death slabs for nothin!
mice were a bigger problem than bears
i was chilled more than i was hot in mid august
make sure you stand up all the way across thank god
that 1st post sounded completely gumbie----do some more research before you post!
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mreardon
Apr 7, 2004, 8:21 PM
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In reply to: that 1st post sounded completely gumbie----do some more research before you post!
You're right, next time I'll make sure to check with porn.com for rockclimbing info :roll:
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fixedpin
Apr 8, 2004, 1:43 AM
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In reply to: Thanks Bandy and Joe (16? Yikes!). Fixedpin: Don't bothering answering next time unless you're actually going to provide info (hence the heading).
In case you didn't notice, I did.
In reply to: I'm extremely familiar with the sierras and multi-pitch climbing (you'll lose if we compare resumes).
I seriously doubt it. Done NW face 3 times, the 1st two times before you were even born; and 12s before you could count that high. If you want to start some comparing private parts contest, your's will end up looking short.
In reply to: I just wanted to know if there was anything other than tennis shoes needed.
Next time, post something that is maybe more specific and doesn't appear to solicit information that would be easily answered by reference to any number of good written resources.
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okinawatricam
Apr 8, 2004, 1:58 AM
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You can french free the 12 stuff if you wan.
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deleted
Deleted
Apr 8, 2004, 2:23 AM
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only bring four nuts
figure the rest out
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mreardon
Apr 8, 2004, 5:53 AM
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In reply to: Done NW face 3 times, the 1st two times before you were even born; and 12s before you could count that high.
Post up the pics! Course if you don't have the pics, I'm sure everyone would understand how to take your wisdoms, especially behind an anonymous name.
To the rest, thanks for the info here and in the PMs, they've been great! See you out there!
Michael
** you may now resume the normal course of hijacking as is all the rage on this site these days.... :D
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rockinice
Apr 8, 2004, 3:59 PM
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In reply to: You're right, next time I'll make sure to check with porn.com for rockclimbing info :roll:
sounds like you already have
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fixedpin
Apr 9, 2004, 5:45 PM
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In reply to: Post up the pics! Course if you don't have the pics, I'm sure everyone would understand how to take your wisdoms, especially behind an anonymous name.
And that would make it any more true? Or more to the point, your post any less lame?
Not everyone is into the shameless self aggrandizement you seem to favor.
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rockitjeff
Apr 9, 2004, 6:19 PM
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got me wondering who the illustrious fixed pin, is too..
screw hiding behind a moniker. who ARE you?
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thomaskeefer
Apr 9, 2004, 6:31 PM
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One thing that I am sure that you know but if not... Dont lug any water on the approach aside from what you are drinking on the way in. There is a spring that is pretty reliable (flowing heavy when I did the route in lat may of 98) that is about 100ft right of the start of the route.
Also, when we did the death slabs there was a series of fixed ropes that were manky (to put it kindly).
Another tip... and this is kind of to chance but chances are good~ if you run into some problems with time you can probably press to big sandy and find people bivvying there. We did it regular (read slow hauling) style and there were some frenchies doing it in a day and did not make it so we pulled out our bivvy sacks for them and made some good friends!
Good luck and BTW, if you were the one in the Josh video int he climb on series, nice job on that video (and the climbing!!)
Good luck
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hazael
Apr 9, 2004, 7:17 PM
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I don't get it some times. Around the crag i visit the most, all the climbers help each other, when I got to visit different places, I noticed that all the climbers help each other, and I come to think that maybe in all the world, climbers are like brothers and help one another.
Then I started to visit this place, and most of the users help other users, but then there are persons like fixedpin that usually answer "READ THAT", "BUY THAT BOOK", "HAVEN'T YOU READ"....
OF COURSE WE HAVEN'T READ IT , CAUSE IF WE DID, WE wouldn't be asking. OF COURSE WE DON'T KNOW IT, CAUSE IF WE DID, WE wouldn't be asking...
What's the point of a site like this if all the info you are going to give is: GO TO SOME STORE AND READ THE BOOKS IN IT!????
If you are as good as you presume you are, why keeping all that knowledge for yourself instead of helping other climbers?
What's the point of even answering a post like u did?: "I CAN, YOU CANNOT", "I KNOW, YOU DON'T AND I WON'T TELL, GO BUY A BOOK AND FIND IT YOURSELF".... I can post like that to every question in the site without even knowing a shit about the answer many people want, but then, what's the point of doing that?
you know, don't even answer my questions, go and solo the Everest in half an hour for your sixth time... maybe you can do it in 20 minutes and beat your own score... then, tell nobody about it, cause maybe there's a book in wallmart which front says: HOW TO SOLO THE EVEREST IN 30 MINUTES.
Still, everyone can believe what they want, and I chosse to believe that climbers are like brothers and help each other... the thing is that he's not a climber... he's just spiderman showing off his mutant powers.
have a nice day.
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bellatoris
Apr 9, 2004, 8:07 PM
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Hey Mike,
1. What's the hike like? 2.5 - 3 hrs. probably more in the dark. 3/4 sections of batmanning up fixed ropes scattered over the approach.
2. Do I need a permit to leave the car in case I epic overnight or want to camp at the base for an early start? leave the car at curry
3. Can I camp at the base or are the bears a pain? carefull of rockfall. i got pelted by a few scraps. bears...didn't see em but i doubt it.
4. If the 5.12 sections become a bit much, are they clean aid? yes. btw, the zigzags one of the best pitches of crack in the universe. At 11d pretty sandbagged...more like 12c. Freed em on tr....would have cried if i had to jug em.
5. Is the route all cracks or are there face/bolted moves? a few bolts. P4 has a ladder, but could be freed at 11c or so. pretty short. P10 has a ladder too, clip and pull on draws if you have to. Same for P21.
6. I know it's the NW face, but does the sun hit it? Yes.
If so, when, At about 3PM or so when you get to Big Sandy
and how humid is it going to be during the summertime (I'm a fan of the desert crags for a reason)? Nowhere near as bad as lower down. We did it on 6-9 last year. Lots of daylight (thank God) and cool temps till we hit B.S.L.
7. How overhanging? None really
8. How epic is the descent? Epic....depending on snow conditions. Go down the cables, then down to the mule point, then skirt down left along the base following a faint trail. Get good beta prior to your send.
Also, water is obtainable at the base till early July....again check. Aid parties usually allow free parties to go first. Watch for rockfall, esp. from the tourons above. Move fast, and light, and enjoy the trip.
A
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fixedpin
Apr 9, 2004, 11:35 PM
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In reply to: I don't get it some times. Around the crag i visit the most, all the climbers help each other.... Then I started to visit this place, and most of the users help other users, but then there are persons like fixedpin that usually answer "READ THAT", "BUY THAT BOOK", "HAVEN'T YOU READ".....
A point well taken. And perhaps my response got a bit too much. Nevertheless, Mr. Reardon is no neophyte and he seemed to be asking a lot of questions that could be not only more easily answered by referencing several written resources, but the answers would probably be more reliable.
Here is some helpful advice:
Take a look at Rock & Ice 122 (March, 2003) as it has a very good article on doing 1/2 dome in a day. It should answer most of the questions you might have. Then you can focus on clarifying or asking more pointed inquiries.
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karlbaba
Apr 10, 2004, 12:20 AM
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One thing you want to keep in mind is that the route can be way crowded. I've showed up and seen nobody but I've also seen three parties hauling low on the route and three waiting to start at the base. We weren't hauling so folks were kind enought to let us pass. Your results may vary.
The problem is also that there aren't many great alternatives once you've hiked all the way up there. The direct would be much harder to get in a day. (good route though)
Peacee
Karl
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mreardon
Apr 12, 2004, 1:42 AM
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In reply to: got me wondering who the illustrious fixed pin, is too.. screw hiding behind a moniker. who ARE you?
He's a little boy with nothing better to do than masturbate to my pictures and follow my every post. It's cool having a groupie.
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mreardon
Apr 12, 2004, 1:54 AM
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In reply to: One thing that I am sure that you know but if not... Dont lug any water on the approach aside from what you are drinking on the way in. There is a spring that is pretty reliable (flowing heavy when I did the route in lat may of 98) that is about 100ft right of the start of the route. Also, when we did the death slabs there was a series of fixed ropes that were manky (to put it kindly). Another tip... and this is kind of to chance but chances are good~ if you run into some problems with time you can probably press to big sandy and find people bivvying there. We did it regular (read slow hauling) style and there were some frenchies doing it in a day and did not make it so we pulled out our bivvy sacks for them and made some good friends! Good luck and BTW, if you were the one in the Josh video int he climb on series, nice job on that video (and the climbing!!) Good luck
Heard about the water thing, but still prefer to lug our own in. Probably will hike up to the base to scout things out first and store stuff, then camp out when it's time. As for the death slabs, definitely heard good and bad about those things. I'll definitely pay attention.
And yup, that was me in the vids. Heard a rumor that I've been soloing a bit harder stuff since then, but you may have to wait for another video for that :D Glad you liked it, it was definitely a blast making it!
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mreardon
Apr 12, 2004, 1:56 AM
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In reply to: One thing you want to keep in mind is that the route can be way crowded. I've showed up and seen nobody but I've also seen three parties hauling low on the route and three waiting to start at the base. We weren't hauling so folks were kind enought to let us pass. Your results may vary. The problem is also that there aren't many great alternatives once you've hiked all the way up there. The direct would be much harder to get in a day. (good route though) Peacee Karl
My biggest fear which is why I've avoided many routes like this in the past. Maybe we'll get lucky if we head that way. Find out this summer.... :D
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mreardon
Apr 12, 2004, 2:00 AM
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In reply to: Mr. Reardon is no neophyte and he seemed to be asking a lot of questions that could be not only more easily answered by referencing several written resources, but the answers would probably be more reliable. Here is some helpful advice: Take a look at Rock & Ice 122 (March, 2003) as it has a very good article on doing 1/2 dome in a day. It should answer most of the questions you might have. Then you can focus on clarifying or asking more pointed inquiries.
I already have most of the written stuff on the route, but as you said, I'm not new at this game and experience is always better than the written words. My questions were pointed directly to get confirmation on some points and clarification on others. More to the point, I was really curious to see if everyone was as negative to an experienced climber as they have been to the noobs and gumbs, and you proved my suspicions correct. That's the real shame of it.
Climbers on this site used to be proud to help, now they're acting like little children, or more commonly, sport climbers who can't get their project.
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bandycoot
Apr 12, 2004, 2:06 AM
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If you go up the slabs, just bring a filter and use the spring. It was still flowing last October when my wife and I climbed it. If you do the trails, then bring your own water and camp on the shoulder. The supertopo slabs approach picture/beta was PERFECT.
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