Looking for as much beta on Half Dome's Regular Northwest Face. What's the weather like there in late May? What pitches can be combined together with 60 m rope. Are there alternate cracks for passing slow climbers? Other bivy ledges besides p6 p11 and big Sandy? What ledges should be avoided for bivys? What pro is needed? It sounds like that big gear can be left behind eg. 4 camolot.. oh and retreat beta.

Also I don't know much on the history of the climb but that Royal Robbins was the 1st ascent. All other history I would also like to know. Anything on the route that is historical that I might come across.

Thanks.

http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=ybharegu This is a good start if you haven't already been there. I think you may have to buy the actual guide but it may be worth it. You can check out some sample ones and see if its worth it first. Good luck.

Toby

A friend of mine have done it recently, and he says:

- ratings are stiff if you free it;
- must be done with one bivy on Big Sandy, or you will carry too much; fix couple pitches the day before and start early;
- SuperTopo is great, but even with it in hands route-finding may be tricky;
- Do-it-in-a-day parties will figure out how to pass you;

Weather is OK in may in general, may be a bit cold as the wall does not get much sun.

I figured I would eventually write something for this depending on what else was given. VI 5.12 or 5.9 C1. I don't know how hard you climb or what your plan is. Personally, I think the light and lucky approack to the regular route is the best. The route has a lot of chimneys, traverses, ledge systems etc which makes for terrible hauling. Some people do it in 3-4 days and I commend them for their extreme fortitude. The bivy ledges at 6 and 11 are both poor, good for sitting, not great for sleeping. The bivy is good at big sandy. If you are unsure of how quick you are going to go, spend a day getting to the base. Fix the first two pitches (or three if you come back to the base and can drop your third rope). Then go to big sandy which I don't recall actually being sandy, but do remember being large. If it gets dark just keep going with a light. If you haul you will be significantly slower. I would recommend fixing and then just going for the top and continue climbing with a headlamp if it gets dark. If you don't have a haul bag, have the second jummar each pitch with the pack and lead in blocks. This allows the leader to either short fix or rest a bit while the second bring up some more gear. If you can climb 5.10 ro harder efficiently this route will be tons more fun as the climbing is generally solid for the grade. You can link 13 and 14 and do the Zig Zags in 3 pitches. There is a lot of fixed stuff on the route. If you are going to be aiding a bunch I would follow the book recommendation for 2-3 each in the .5-3.5 inch range and an optional 4.5 piece.

This all being said, I will give a few general thoughts that make the route faster The route is generally moderate with a few easy points of aid through p17. With not much aid before this it lends itself to simo-climbing. Short fixing would be the next best thing, lastly the leader leading and fixing, the second jugs with the pack. If you are For pendulumns, I just ask my partner to sit on the rope and climb upwards if I need more slack. We simo-climbed to pitch 17. Short fixed more or less to the top. For this method a shorter rope works best most likely something in the 120 foot range. Anytime I yard on a piece, I leave it for my partner to yard on. Some people like to leave a extra runner on any piece in which they stood on (like the bolts on p4). I don't like to carry extra 2 foot runners so I just carry two entriers and expect my partner to use them in the same spots. I use the method whereby each partner has two entries and The route is highly fixed and I think that is a lot of gear. We brought a small set of stoppers with a few extra offsets, two camhooks, three pieces in the blue and yellow tcu range. 2 pieces in the .5 camalot to .75 range, and one piece each in the #1 to #3 camalot range. I really don't think a larger piece helps much and its heavy.

There are plenty of options to pass which you will work out by pitch. The only other beta I would say is take the 5.11 variation on p11 rather than the 5.9 chimney. For some odd reason the 5.11 thin crack is extremely fixed with old cams and gear. A bunch of it is quick free climbing and otherwise you can yard through this pitch in moments.

Other than that, take it easy on the tourists when you pop your head over. On the way down the cables, the outside is much less polished than inside the cables. It rains in May, so bring some warm stuff. If you think you will spend a whole day on it and go into the night or possibly longer without a big back take a one of those bivy blankets if you get benighted on big sandy.

If you have a haul bag wouldn't recommend the death slabs. If you do it in a day take the death slabs. If your bags aren't too bad, take the death slabs. If you want to help get a jump, ride bikes as far as you can and then stash them in the woods.In May you can fill up your water bottles at the spring at the base. A shirt should suffice if you need a strainer. Did, I also mention cam hooks, up with cam hooks. I usually leave one on each daisy chain along with a few small light cams of varied sizes on each one. If you need some more, send me a note.

Half Dome is still a bit chilly in May - you are climbing high above the valley floor and in the shade most of thetime. The suggestions give below are good (the post re: fixing and going light). The one peice of beta that you should find out, there is a trick to getting past the short offwidth after Thank God ledge. If you face toward the valley, I beleive it is harder. You need to face the opposite direction to reach a key hold. Also, the bear activity is high at the base.
Good luck.
DF

Great info thankyou