Snake Dike 5.7 R

Currently 5.0/5

Half Dome

Yosemite Valley, California USA

Trip Report

"Snake Dike" on Half Dome. Film instead of written TR

Saturday October 27, 2018 2:41am

Hello everybody,
this May and June my climbing partner Chris and me visited Yosemity. It was our first time there and we had a real great time and liked it very much.

As many beginners, we started with "Snake Dike" on Half Dome as our first longer free route. Instead of a written trip report, I made a little film of the climb and put it on youtube.
[Click to View YouTube Video]


	Credit: juergen_l

I have to appologize, the narration is in German, but I think you can follow the story and enjoy the music and pictures without understanding the narration.

Discussion, questions, comments, helpful hints are welcome.
Concerning the climb and also what I could do better in the next video.
Here our on Youtube. If you like the video, of course you are also welcome to send the link to your frinds, leave thumbs up, ...

I want to thank all the people that helped us while we were in Yosemity, all the people that allowed me to film them and put the material on youtube and everybody who made the trip special for us.
It was a great time!

Trip Report Views: 4,962

juergen_l

About the Author
Juergen is a trad climber from Germany.

Comments

roy

Social climber

NZ -> SB,CA -> Zurich

Oct 27, 2018 - 04:46am PT

Sehr nett! Vielen Dank.

A nice outing and the video gives a very good impression of the route.

Cheers, Roy

Tom Patterson

Trad climber

Seattle

Oct 27, 2018 - 05:01am PT

Ausgezeichnet! Ganz gut, und vielen Dank!

10b4me

Social climber

Lida Junction

Oct 27, 2018 - 08:20am PT

Good job.

EdwardT

Trad climber

Retired

Oct 27, 2018 - 09:26am PT

Nicely done. Enjoyed most of it. However, the go-pro on the helmet.. during the climb... tracking every head turn... was distracting.

Thanks for posting.

Jan

Mountain climber

Colorado & Nepal

Oct 27, 2018 - 09:58am PT

Thanks for the trip report. I've always wanted to do Snake Dike and now I know much more about it.

Jon Beck

Trad climber

Oceanside

Oct 27, 2018 - 11:08am PT

That was fun, the Go-Pro definitely makes it look steeper and harder.

I have no idea what you said when you picked up the cheater stick but it made me laugh.

juergen_l

Trad climber

Germany

Author's Reply

Oct 27, 2018 - 12:18pm PT

Hi Jon,
> I have no idea what you said when you picked up the cheater stick but it made me laugh.

The discussion was about weight saving, the dialoge was roughly as follows:
Chris: "I think we should leave the cheater stick here."
Juergen: "Mhmm, MAGIC Stick. I don't want to miss it and it's only about 50gramm more than the long ones."
Chis: "Okay."

Hardman Knott

Gym climber

Mill Valley, Ca

Oct 27, 2018 - 04:02pm PT

That was fun! Danke.

I have to say, it's hard to imagine anyone falling on Snake Dike.

Oh wait...

http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=30218&msg=30305#msg30305

limpingcrab

Gym climber

Minkler, CA

Oct 27, 2018 - 05:52pm PT

Cool! My wife and I did the same thing and we still enjoy watching our little video together so I like the idea.

Thanks for the share

neebee

Social climber

calif/texas

Oct 27, 2018 - 10:27pm PT

hey there say, juergen_l... wow, thank you so very kindly, :)

Roots

Mountain climber

Somewhere Fun

Oct 29, 2018 - 12:25pm PT

!Gracias!

Alpine Raven

climber

Eugene, Oregon

Dec 13, 2018 - 02:09pm PT

Great trip report. I enjoyed that it was done as a video. I could actually get a feel for the climb. I'd like to do that climb someday with my daughter.

I noticed that you (or your partner) tied your rope directly onto the belay loop of your harness (seen at 4:45 or so). I don't think harness manufacturers recommend doing this. Is that something you always do? Anyone else have thoughts on this? Cheers and be safe. David

Ksolem

Trad climber

Monrovia, California

Dec 13, 2018 - 02:58pm PT

Thanks guys. Kind of a flashback for me, it's been many moons since I climbed that one.

Too much fun!

micronut

Trad climber

Fresno/Clovis, ca

Dec 13, 2018 - 03:17pm PT

Nice work! I saw that you peeled off the slick traverse on the third pitch! Well done. I've never seen anybody fall there but it made me think a bit when leading up and left right there. Thanks for the drama!

Auf veeterzayne!!!!

Scott

Gobie

Trad climber

Northern, Ca.

Dec 14, 2018 - 07:44pm PT

If I had to give any advice I would suggest following the belay loop when you tie in. At 4:49 I see you tied into your belay loop directly. Its pretty strong but in a fall this doesnt give much surface area for the rope.

juergen_l

Trad climber

Germany

Author's Reply

Dec 23, 2018 - 02:02am PT

Hello Scott,
> I saw that you peeled off the slick traverse on the third pitch!
Yes it was very windy and I was hit by a sudden side wind exactly when I really had to trust the friction.
Chris who had been leading the pitch also was hit by a sudden wind, stumbled but could regain his balance.

juergen_l

Trad climber

Germany

Author's Reply

Dec 23, 2018 - 02:19am PT

Hello Gobie,
thanks for your advice.
It's my climbing partner Chris who tied into his belay loop.
He is not reading this forum, I'll let him know.
I always tie in following the belay loop (see 7:23).
An additional advantage: The loop is shorter, it feels more organised, less probability to get tangled or tangling gear.

mouse from merced

Trad climber

The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.

Dec 23, 2018 - 02:49am PT

Don't mind moosedrool, Jurgen.

I have a suggestion for the future, though.

juergen_l

Trad climber

Germany

Author's Reply

Dec 23, 2018 - 07:22am PT

Hello Mouse from Merced,
I got the message.
And my youtube statistics give me a similar hint.
With my climbing and mountaineering related videos, I have more viewers in the US than in Germany.

After christmas I'll fly to Kenya to climb the two highest peaks of Mount Kenya (Nelion and Batian).
If my climbing partner and me are succesfull with the climb and have good enough footage there will be a "Climbing Mount Kenya" video in ENGLISH.