Does anyone have updates on Half Dome conditions? I'm going to be in Yosemite this coming weekend (April 1-3) and would like to climb either the standard route or Snake Dike (if conditions permit). I have ice tools and crampons so some snow is fine, but I want to avoid avy danger...

Also, I'm looking for a partner to do Snake Dike if conditions permit, so if you'd like to go out next weekend drop me a line. I'll be in Yosemite Valley April 1-3.

Best regards,

-Mike

http://intheexpanse.com

http://www.yosemiteconservancy.org/webcams

Good luck

It does look pretty white right now But looking at the weather patterns thru the end of the week it might melt off? I saw this picture from earlier in the month where the route seems mostly melted, especially the steeper parts: http://photoblog.eye2eyephotostudio.com ... -in-march/

Was up there for spring break last year and a storm rolled in. We sat in the valley and watched the avalanches roll off the edge of the valley for about four days. It was pretty dry when we had got there, but took a couple days to melt off. I would be leary of snake dike unless you plan on rapping that route.(I have heard the cables freeze to the rock when they are down)

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but you're not going to climb Snake Dike this time of year. The conditions just don't permit it. Lots of other great climbs in the Valley that might be dry though.

fatdad wrote:Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but you're not going to climb Snake Dike this time of year. The conditions just don't permit it.

More accurately, the conditions aren't currently favorable. If there's a dry spell of about two weeks the snow on the Snake Dike side melts off and it can be climbed quite readily. Unfortunately, the current storms are unlikely to allow it to dry by the time you arrive next weekend. The cable side generally holds snow all winter (NE facing) and it can be downright scary no matter what gear you bring since there's nothing but smooth rock underlying it. It's been skied and snowboarded by a few brave individuals, so it can definitely be done by the motivated and somewhat fearless (or foolish?).

Bob,

I was thinking about more than just the route being dry. First, you have to get to the base, which is involved even during the summer. I imagine there'd be lots of postholing to get there. Assuming the route itself is dry, you've got the possibility that the 1000' of slabs you have to climb after you unrope might not be dry since they're lower angled and would likely hold snow longer. Then you you'd have to find the cables, assuming they're not buried in snow. Then you'd have to possibly rap down snow covered slabs, which could cut loose and hammer. Then you'd have 8.5 miles of trail, some of it thru deep snow to get back down to the Valley. I don't know vetmike's skill or experience, but that's more than what most people would expect from the route.

I didn't mean to trivialize it - certainly there's a bit more involved this time of year as opposed to summertime, but I also don't think it's all that bad if you wait for the right opportunity. Shortly after a snow it is indeed as you describe it. The route can be dry but the upper part is still holding snow:


But with about two weeks of no snow, it looks more like this photo (Feb, 2003):


Generally the route to the top of Nevada Fall is boot packed from moderate traffic. From there to base of the route is about two miles that may or may not require snowshoes. Getting down from the summit can be done by rapping Snake Dike if going down the cable route is too daunting.

Assuming you can even get into the park.

Yosemite Valley has been closed and without power much of the week. The storm dumped a bunch of snow on the 120/41 entrances and a mudslide took out the 140 route along with the power lines leading to the valley.

Last I checked they had some of the roads open during daylight hours only "conditions permitting" and they hope to have stuff open again this weekend.
Check the nps website before heading up there.

Thanks for the info guys, I really appreciate it. I completely understand that these routes are a significantly different beast in the winter. Last year at this time I was actually in Yosemite Valley and hiked to Clouds Rest in the snow. As was mentioned, there was moderate boot pack up to Nevada falls, then snowshoes are helpful. I'm not really concerned about the approach (as long as the park is open), as I'm from the north and am used to long snowy approaches. I noticed that the Snake Dike route was pretty dry during that trip, although there was some lower angle portions of the route that had some snow on it.

I haven't found a partner yet, so I'm guessing Snake Dike is probably out. Also, the route is still snow covered judging by the webcams (which may change, this week it is forecast to get into the 60's). Maybe I can attack this route next year if conditions permit.

My current hope is to climb the cables route. I've been reading that you can dig in with an ice tool and "clip in" to the cables with a runner. I have some experience roping up solo and using a modified Gri-Gri to belay with. Since the Half Dome standard route is only about a 45 degree angle this should keep me on the mountain (although I may slide down a ways if I lose my footing).

My biggest concern is avalanches on the cables route. If there are large slabs still on the route that might sketch me out - I don't like messing with objective risk like that. I guess it depends on what the conditions look like when I get to the route.

-Mike

Mike,

The problem with ascending the route is actually reaching the cables. Check out the last photo above that I posted. You can see where the climber is circled, that was the last place that we were able to reach the cables on the way down. Just getting to that point involved a lot of heaving the cables out from the snow. On the way up, you won't know exactly where to find them, so you are likely to have to climb significantly higher to reach them. Obviously conditions can be different, but we found little ice, but maybe a foot and a half of snow where we attached the rope to the cable for the rappel, and deeper snow the lower one goes. In other words, I doubt your ice tool will offer anything beyond an ordinary axe. It's definitely intimidating. Here's another photo with even more snow, which is more like what you would find this coming weekend:

As you can see, the cable are hard to spot. Here's a closeup photo showing the little bit of cable you can see.

Bob -

Thanks for the photos - that helps me get an idea of what the bottom of the route will look like. Based on your feedback, I'm planning to bring summer pictures of the cables route with me to aid in finding the bottom of the cables. I'll also bring my avy shovel to aid in digging down to the cables since the snow could be deeper.

The plan is to do the approach hike on Saturday and camp at Little Yosemite Valley. I'll get an early start on Sunday so I have plenty of time to dig around and find cables and make sure the snow is hard as possible.

I did look at conditions, and in the valley it will be in the 60's all week, so some melting should occur. I guess we'll see how things go...these kind of things are an adventure to begin with

Thoughts?

-Mike

vetmike wrote:I did look at conditions, and in the valley it will be in the 60's all week, so some melting should occur. I guess we'll see how things go...these kind of things are an adventure to begin with

Thoughts?

The weather is definitely looking up, so it will start melting on the south and southwest (Snake Dike) faces. Not very much on the cable side, though. I don't want to discourage you because no matter how things turn out it will be an adventure. But I do think your plan to dig down to the cables is fraught with much work for little gain. If you find the cables under more than about a foot of snow, it will still be hard to do anything with them. The cables themselves are very heavy, and pulling up on them with the weight of the snow on top would require superman strength. Additionally, the cables are periodically bolted down to the rock about every 30 yards or so. That means that if you do manage to get a hold of the cables and attach a prussik or similar, you'll have to dig extra deep in these locations and switch your prussik from one side to the other, until you're high enough on the face where the snow is considerably thinner. For all that work, I think you'll find it more than tempting to just climb the face without bothering to use the cables until you are more than halfway up the route. The weather forecast looks like there will be enough freeze/thaw at that altitude this week to help settle the snow and reduce avalanche danger, so you have that in your favor. However it goes, I hope you post some photos and let us know how you fared. Sounds like a fun time.

Bob,

Thanks for your insight on digging down to the cables...looks like I might have to climb with snow pickets or a deadman on the beginning of the route, then switch to cables for pro further up.

Things are definitely melting out as the week goes on, but there is still a lot of snow up there. I think with settling/melting avy conditions will be better by the weekend, and it looks like it will cool off as well on Sunday (my planned summit day). Saturday looks like it could be kind of wet...but I guess that's why you bring rain gear

Should be a fun adventure no matter what the outcome. I'll take pictures and post them on a TR here.

Best regards,

-Mike

Curious to hear details of your excursion.

Here's a shot of Half Dome when it briefly poked out of the clouds last Saturday, 4/2, from a comfortable distance below:



More photos here: http://www.qitnl.com/v/040111/