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BrassNuts
Trad climber
Boulder Colorado
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Nov 20, 2008 - 12:41pm PT
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Hey Scott, great TR, fun pix! For the death slab approach to HD, count on about 3 hours if you know how to pick up the 'trail' in the dark (recon trip recommended) and don't have a real heavy load. Take care on the ghost ropes and slab sections...
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the Fet
Knackered climber
A bivy sack in the secret campground
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Nov 20, 2008 - 02:13pm PT
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Yeah 2-4 hours on the slabs.
The Snake Dike approach is kinda tricky IMO. After lost lake the trail splits from many people going different ways. The sandy switchbacks are draining. I didn't mind the endless slabs to the summit compared to the approach.
For some speed climbing is sometimes about competition and pushing your physical limits. But most of the time trying to incorporate speed into your climbing makes things just better all the way around. You can climb MORE routes or MORE pitches the quicker you climb. When you climb faster you often feel LESS worked, e.g. if you climb snake dike in 10 hours instead of 20 you are exposed to the elements for less time, need to carry less food and water, and are just moving and working for 1/2 the time. The main thing that speeds up your climbing is being efficient, NOT pushing hard or rushing. When you get to the end of a pitch and put your partner on belay it's SOOO much nicer when your partner starts climbing in 1-2 minutes instead of waiting 10+ minutes while they dick around. I enjoyed Royal Arches much more when I did it in 4 hours vs. 15 hours when it was my 3rd multi-pitch climb.
Some people get hung up on times or ratings which isn't good, but paying attention to them really helps you improve your climbing which means you can get on more climbs.
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
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Nov 20, 2008 - 02:26pm PT
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cable descent skeeves me out also
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Crimpergirl
Social climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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Nov 20, 2008 - 07:41pm PT
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Very fun read as usual from you Micronut. You need to get out many times a week - we need more of your fun TRs!
Never touched Half Dome myself...someday...
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micronut
Trad climber
fresno, ca
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 20, 2008 - 07:47pm PT
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Thanks guys. Glad to share the adventure. You know, everybody says, "Oh you guys can still cruise down the cables even if the supports are down, it's cake." What part of this isn't skeery?
I thought with the yack trains of folks who chug up and down daily in high season it would be like thirty degrees. Its kinda steep! And without the posts in place you got nothin' to slow you down if you slip.
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