Dome Polishers/Deuceldike, Half Dome

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Messages 1 - 39 of total 39 in this topic
Joe

Social climber
Santa Cruz Mountains/Los Gatos
Topic Author's Original Post - May 10, 2009 - 12:31pm PT
anyone done either?
gear beta? 1 each green alien through #1 BD?
would it be unreasonable to do either with only an 8.5 half rope?
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
May 10, 2009 - 01:40pm PT
hah! was just looking at this stuff...


couldn't see the bolts to determine if they had been replaced with decent bolts yet. hrm, wasn't there a deuceldike thread around here somewheres?
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
May 10, 2009 - 01:43pm PT
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=34738&msg=759003#msg759003

Unfortunately, I didn't get to replace anything with Greg, jfyi. After yesterdays's hike, not sure I want to get back out there anytime soon.

We had Snake Dike to ourselves yesterday. All I can say is WOW! What an experience. 2nd time on this route and it was 10x better the second time.
Joe

Social climber
Santa Cruz Mountains/Los Gatos
Topic Author's Reply - May 10, 2009 - 02:16pm PT
yeah, we did the snake last weds. stellar.
that's why I want to go back out and do one of the others.
ß Î Ø T Ç H

Boulder climber
the greasewood ghetto
May 10, 2009 - 05:29pm PT
Good enough rez to see a party on Snake dike http://gigapan.org/viewGigapan.php?id=8189 (launch fullscreen)
Joe

Social climber
Santa Cruz Mountains/Los Gatos
Topic Author's Reply - May 11, 2009 - 04:43pm PT
has anybody done either of these climbs?
deuce4

climber
Hobart, Australia
May 13, 2009 - 10:10pm PT
I've climbed the DeucelDike! Stellar route. People line up all the time, Snake Dike is a ghost town...

just kidding.

I think the single 1/4" taper bolts at the belays have put most folks off. Call out CC3 on that one though, the single 1/4" bolt belays were his idea! I think he was saving his bolt supply for the Autobahn, which we did soon after.
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
May 14, 2009 - 10:53am PT
We went round and round over that quality of effort issue! If Charles does something really heinous in his old age then we will have the perfect punishment. He will simply have to go back and repeat all those nasty face climbs on his scrawny little rusted legacies! LOL
Adamame

Trad climber
El Portal
May 14, 2009 - 12:22pm PT
Joe and I went out there yesterday to have a day before the cables go up event. One more trip up 1/2 Dome before it gets squashed by the Tourons and one week before our annual Tuolumne migration. We wanted "Dome Polishers" but it ended up looking a little more mysterious than we expected so we did "Eye In The Sky" instead. 5.10B is always easier than 5.9 right? Eye In The Sky was great but most of the bolts were pretty risky looking and the unspoken no fall rule was set between us. The 10B pitch up high was brilliant and was such a perfect passage into "The Eye In The Sky". It was a damn good and exciting R rated route.
deuce4

climber
Hobart, Australia
May 14, 2009 - 05:01pm PT
Yes, Steve, it seemd like only CC3 and Bachar who liked those Taper bolts. They're just a little blob of lead with a long tapered threaded bolt screwed into the lead. Dicey! The specs looks good, and they seem firm initially, but I wouldn't trust those old ones...
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
May 14, 2009 - 05:21pm PT
paging Greg Barnes, paging Greg Barnes


next May before cables go up?



then let's go look at this side...


aren't those bad ass looking?!
Greg Barnes

climber
May 14, 2009 - 05:42pm PT
I'm not the only one with a hand drill!

I did in my IT bands running up and down Half Dome years ago - makes me nervous to do another "sure to be running down the trail in the dark" day up that way...
spyork

Social climber
A prison of my own creation
May 14, 2009 - 06:29pm PT
I was just looking at the Reid guide. The 5.9 routes around Snake Dike look like fun. Sounds like they need some bolt replacement though.
Levy

Big Wall climber
So Cal
May 14, 2009 - 06:39pm PT
I did Dome Polisher in 1988 or 1989 by accident! I had helped my then GF move up to UC Davis & stopped in the valley on the way back to So Cal. I thought I'd Solo Snake dike but I had no topo but figured I would find it & it would be no big deal. I passed a party of 4 on the hike in & tried to hurry so I would be above them. I got to the base & looked for a roof like feature I remembered from the topo. I saw such a feature. saw a few bolts leading up to it & started up. I was thinking it was hard for 5.7 but I was well attuned to runout granite slabs so I climbed on. I got to a spot where the wall steepened to near vertical & a steep crack led to a ledge. I now realized my error when I saw the party of 4 way off to the right on the Snake dike. I figured the crack to be 5.9 or 5.10 and from the ledge I saw a dike angling off right, which I realized was part of the Duceldike. I remembered the Duceldike was only 5.8 so I figured if I could get to the ledge I would make it.

I did some hand & fist in the crack & got to the ledge. The rest was easy. I asked around back at the Deli what was it that I had climbed. Locals told me I did the 2nd ascent of Tucker's new route.Later Tucker Tech approached me with a series of questions designed to catch me in a lie. He asked me if there were two bolts at the ledge. I gave the corect info that there was a fixed hexentric & a sling on a knob. His face grew long & Tucker realized I had indeed done it. I have never gone back to climb it with a rope but it was fun. From what I remember, you would want a couple of hand sized cams & a fist size too. The initial pitches had only a few bolts and were kind of heads up but not too bad.

Levy
Joe

Social climber
Santa Cruz Mountains/Los Gatos
Topic Author's Reply - May 15, 2009 - 10:55am PT
hey levy thanks for the reply. very much interested in dome polishers. as adam said, we went back to HD for the second time in a week intending to do it, but looking up had some questions. but the deciding factor was that it was still in the shade and eye in the sky was in the sun, so we climbed the latter.
the bolts were manky quarter inchers sticking out from the rock about 1/2 inch. we cleaned up some tat, but the bolts looked like they could pull if tested. adam had a piton 'fall out' in his hands up higher. the run out was serious on every pitch.

as soon as I learn how to post photos on st, I'll put some up.

the uprights went up yesterday, going to be more crowded up there now.
androo.daveass

climber
Portland
May 15, 2009 - 11:41am PT
Modernly equipped SW face of Half Dome alternatives:

http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=yohablon

http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=yohatwoh

all bolts 3/8", all of the climbing worth the hike

The second ascents could very well be yours!
Doug Hemken

climber
Madison, WI
May 15, 2009 - 12:06pm PT
For "Dome Polishers" we're only talking eight bolts & hangers, according to Reid (2 lead bolts and 1 belay station on "Dome Polishers", two more belay stations on "Deuceldike"). Someone could do that in a day, not too expensive.
mankymonkey

Trad climber
Oakland, CA
May 23, 2009 - 10:01pm PT
Would love to replace the old mank on a few of snake dike's immediate neighbors. I believe 'Eye in the Sky' also has old 1/4"-ers too (anyone, anyone?).

Cool photo of those magical dikes!

Doug: Do the last few pitches of blondike take reasonable pro? Looks like easy dike and face climbing. Almost convinced someone to try the A0 variation of two hoofers this weekend... maybe sometime soon. I'll let you know if we get up there.
Joe

Social climber
Santa Cruz Mountains/Los Gatos
Topic Author's Reply - Jun 10, 2009 - 02:34pm PT
I screwed up!
Joe

Social climber
Santa Cruz Mountains/Los Gatos
Topic Author's Reply - Jun 10, 2009 - 02:39pm PT
okay, we'll try again. hubris comes before the fall. thinking I was techno savy, boasting that your kids have nothing on me, considering applying for a job in the tech sector, I proceeded to post 4 photos of the same picture.

try again:


some water running on the hike


a walk in the park takes you to the base


there's a little uphill on the hike, but with views like this you hardly notice


not so lost lake

Joe

Social climber
Santa Cruz Mountains/Los Gatos
Topic Author's Reply - Jun 10, 2009 - 02:43pm PT
I'm getting the hang of this.


approaching the base.


first pitch anchor


I forget what pitch. somewhere on eye in the sky


ibid

Joe

Social climber
Santa Cruz Mountains/Los Gatos
Topic Author's Reply - Jun 10, 2009 - 02:48pm PT
kind of like a trip report.


I think this is lower than the last 2.


same here.


bomber pro


scary stuff
Joe

Social climber
Santa Cruz Mountains/Los Gatos
Topic Author's Reply - Jun 10, 2009 - 02:52pm PT

Adam claims this piton "fell out" in his hands.


inside the cave on top.


no one on the cables with the uprights down.


catching rays on the subdome
Joe

Social climber
Santa Cruz Mountains/Los Gatos
Topic Author's Reply - Jun 10, 2009 - 02:54pm PT

pot of gold at the end of the rainbow


contraband on the pizza deck.
bluering

Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
Jun 10, 2009 - 03:16pm PT
Cool stuff, Joe!
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
Jun 10, 2009 - 03:35pm PT
was thinking about this thread not too long ago.

Very nice.


Oh and Greg, soz I'm clear, I wasn't suggesting you have to do the drilling. More of a call to any ASCA volunteer. Sorry, figureheads tend to get the universal 'you' directed at them. :)

"I'm not the only one with a hand drill!"

mtnyoung

Trad climber
Twain Harte, California
Jun 10, 2009 - 03:47pm PT
Wow, what a great job someone did of impersonating Joe on the internet. They made one critical mistake however. One that let's us know that the real Joe didn't post this stuff: those who know Joe know he NEVER climbs with a shirt on.

Nice try imposter :)
Joe

Social climber
Santa Cruz Mountains/Los Gatos
Topic Author's Reply - Jun 10, 2009 - 11:59pm PT

I love knowing how to post pictures now.


the end.
Rhodo-Router

Gym climber
a greasy pinscar near you
Jul 7, 2009 - 07:14pm PT
Bump for blindingly white exhibitionist photos!
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
Jul 7, 2009 - 07:48pm PT
LOL!!!


don't worry it's just Brad going for MTE (maximum tanning efficiency)

Joe

Social climber
Santa Cruz Mountains/Los Gatos
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 8, 2009 - 12:59pm PT
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
Feb 7, 2010 - 02:42am PT
bump for summer slabbin
Wayno

Big Wall climber
Seattle, WA
Feb 7, 2010 - 04:01am PT
Way to go, Joe.
Brian B

Trad climber
Oakland
Sep 9, 2013 - 03:16pm PT
Hey all,
Ended up doing Duceldike by accident on Saturday when I went up to do Snake Dike. This was the only post I could find on Duceldike and the only reason I knew what I was on was because I had the topo from the Don Reid which included the route; it's not in the Supertopo. I probably should have known since the only bolts I found were 1/4 rusty horror shows with the rivets half pulled out and burn gear all the way up the first pitch. My instinct is to go up, what can I say. It wasn't till after we got down that we realized the single bolts were meant to be the belay stations. We ended up just simuling after P1 (which we built off route on pro) because there was no place for belays.

What a fun sketch fest though and the 5.9R dike above the big roof was pretty good climbing in fact.

BTW does anybody know who put the FA on the Ducel?
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
Sep 9, 2013 - 03:37pm PT
Charles Cole, Rusty Reno, and John Middendorf 4/85

-per the Reid Free Climbs guide FA info section
Al_Smith

climber
San Francisco, CA
Sep 9, 2013 - 05:56pm PT
http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/34738/Deuceldike-on-half-dome-bolts-and-beta

"deuce4

Social climber
Pagosa Springs CO

Mar 23, 2005 - 08:13am PT
When Charles and I did Deuceldike, as a warm up to the Autobahn, there was an idea that these lousy 1/4" bolts called "taperbolts" were the "shit". In reality, they really were sh#t, not in a good way. (pardon my french). They had a little lead sleeve at the very end of a long shank. Not really sure how the rumor got started that they were good bolts, but it turns out they would loosen after a short while. I later tested them around 1987, and discovered thir flaws (results I think are on my big wall web page somewhere, a .pdf file). I think the idea was that if they loosen, you could easily tighten them again back to full strength, but who's really doing that at the crux of a pitch? I think we placed them on the Autobahn as well (but I think I remember placing good--better, anyway--1/4" Rawldrives when I led the 5.11+ pitch, not really trusting those taperbolts too much even at the time).

Plus, sometimes I think we only placed a single bolt for some belays on Deuceldike. Irresponsibile, I know, but those were the days, that was the era. It would be a great community service to replace all those bolts, maybe someone already has. One good thing about Taperbolts is that they are easy to remove--just unscrew them. Deuceldike would be a nice alternative to the Snake Dike if it was beefed up."

Sounds like the FAist wouldn't mind a retro-bolt to at least improve the belays.

Glad you guys had a fun and mostly-safe mini-epic Brian!
Clint Cummins

Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
Sep 9, 2013 - 06:25pm PT
FYI, the bolts on all the free climbs right of Snake Dike (Eye in the Sky to Autobahn and the original start of Autobahn)
were replaced in summer 2010 by Roger Brown:
http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/1239761/Autobahn-The-Fast-Lane-and-Dreamscape
There was a plan to keep going and replace the routes left of Snake Dike,
but after all the tiring work on the right side in August heat,
that wasn't possible.
So the original bolts on Deuceldike and routes left are still there for the replacing.
Al_Smith

climber
San Francisco, CA
Sep 10, 2013 - 10:00am PT
Clint - Thanks for all the work you, Roger, Greg, et al. do to make it possible for the rest of us to continue to enjoy some of the best adventures on the planet in a reasonably safe way. I am incredibly grateful. Thank you guys!
Greg Barnes

climber
Sep 10, 2013 - 11:47am PT
At least 2 of the 3 bolts in Joe's pics are split shafts (two buttonheads, and in all likelihood the thread-head bolt is a split-shaft as well). None are taper bolts (which usually have a hex head that looks like a "mini" 5-piece head, but sometimes have an allen key head).

With those 1/4" taperbolts, you can try to pull them with tuning forks before just unscrewing them, since you do get the whole lead sleeve out sometimes. If it doesn't come out (or if you just start by unscrewing the bolt - a good idea if the rock is particularly susceptible to scarring by tuning fork), it's easy to hand drill through the lead sleeve as long as you are going up in size (i.e. you wouldn't try drilling through with a 1/4" bit - the bit would get stuck).

Probably a good idea not to blow the lead-sleeve-pieces-containing dust straight into your lungs either...probably be wearing hazmat breathers if it was industrial work!
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