Half Dome skied

[powdork]

I was initially thinking, there's nowhere that I know they can ski the actual half dome on any aspect, as it's steep drop off all around. Then I read the article, '...skied the iconic shoulder of Half Dome'. Shoulder.

Even though it was not what I was thinking at first, yet it is still bad ass.

They skied down the same cable line people hike up, from the top.

[bodywhomper]

Is this the same route that zellars (sp?) rode in the 90s?

Wild!

[powdrhound]

I still remember watching someone’s camera bouncing down near the cable.
One of the best nights of my life on top. The sunrise shadow on Glacier Point - yes.

[powdork]

Is this the same route that zellars (sp?) rode in the 90s?

Wild!

except did he continue past the saddle?

[9922]

They skied down the same cable line people hike up, from the top.

oh!

[old goat]

I was initially thinking, there's nowhere that I know they can ski the actual half dome on any aspect, as it's steep drop off all around. Then I read the article, '...skied the iconic shoulder of Half Dome'. Shoulder.

Even though it was not what I was thinking at first, yet it is still bad ass.

Nope. The video shows them on the west face of Half Dome--the cable route. They continued along the hiking route over the shoulder and then left the hiking route and rappelled the steep slabs that climbers use to approach the N face routes, until they reach gentler ground and snow. There's a drawing of their route in the Fresno Bee article.

[Meadow Skipper]

The video shows them on the east face of Half Dome--the cable route.

FIFY

[old goat]

FIFY

Of course. Doh. Thank you.

[whipski]

my phone reveals 42 degrees

[bobz]

Damn. Aside from the steepness (yeah, I've watched a smartphone zing down past me while "hiking" up that), it's a granite slab; just counting on the snow staying attached to the rock is a serious challenge.

The rest of the descent, first descent all the way to the valley floor, seems like a bit of a gimmick, given that they rapped the cliff sections; I've gone from the base of the sub-dome to the base of the NW face (and back), and it's kind of steep, but hardly crazy. And really, if you're on some kind of boards, you'd might as well stay on them all the way down for as long as the snow lasts, whichever way you go. But holy shit on the descent of the dome itself.

I seem to recall a snowboarder did what might have been the first unprotected glisse descent of Half Dome. And, as far as I'm aware, Eric Perlman and (my college friend) Bob Bellman did the first ski descent, in belayed (utilizing the cable) stages, back in 1980ish.

[old goat]

Damn. Aside from the steepness (yeah, I've watched a smartphone zing down past me while "hiking" up that), it's a granite slab; just counting on the snow staying attached to the rock is a serious challenge.

The rest of the descent, first descent all the way to the valley floor, seems like a bit of a gimmick, given that they rapped the cliff sections; I've gone from the base of the sub-dome to the base of the NW face (and back), and it's kind of steep, but hardly crazy. And really, if you're on some kind of boards, you'd might as well stay on them all the way down for as long as the snow lasts, whichever way you go. But holy shit on the descent of the dome itself.

I seem to recall a snowboarder did what might have been the first unprotected glisse descent of Half Dome. And, as far as I'm aware, Eric Perlman and (my college friend) Bob Bellman did the first ski descent, in belayed (utilizing the cable) stages, back in 1980ish.

According to my son who's made a couple of half-assed attempts on the NW face the hard part is below the NW face, hard enough that a lot of climbers do what you did--take the trail the long way around the back side of the dome (Harding didn't consider it the back side but everyone else does) and drop down to the base of the NW face, rather than climb the death slabs directly up from Tenaya Ck, (Also according to my son, if you really fuck up and go up the canyon to the Porcelain Wall by mistake and then traverse across to the base of the NW face it's REALLY hairy. On one of his half-assed attempts he left a rope which was gone when he came back. The joke will be on anyone who takes a fall on that rope, because it was a static line.)

[bobz]

I just looked up the topo view, and you're right, HD's skirt is serious stuff for sure (though, again, that cable route, with a thin layer of snow clinging to smooth steep granite remains the whoa attraction). Perhaps not as classic a line as the Death Slabs, but it looks like the north-facing gully off of Ahwiyah Point (class 3, FA by David Brower) might have been an interesting alternative (though with what looks like an extra steep bit half-way down it, that and possibly huge slide hazard from above and within).

[hutash]

meh.. saving my enthusiasm for "El cap the Nose skied switch to the meadow" head line

[crazy... especially the climber guy would just sort of decided to ski it on a whim!]

Hope it's done by a woman..."It goes, boys."

[ktnewcom]

I skied half dome years ago on snow skates with tele bindings. If I wasn't a new member here then I'd be able to post the vid...

[splat]

I thought Rick Sylvester did this.

[zackcrawler]

Hope it's done by a woman..."It goes, boys."

That was so funny of you mate

[Trackhead]

According to my son who's made a couple of half-assed attempts on the NW face the hard part is below the NW face, hard enough that a lot of climbers do what you did--take the trail the long way around the back side of the dome (Harding didn't consider it the back side but everyone else does) and drop down to the base of the NW face

I agree. I climbed the NW Face a thousand years ago. Hiked up trail, descended slabs. The descent down the slabs are aptly named. Route finding was not easy, and fall potential quite high. A guy died on the death slabs a couple weeks before we descended, then Derek Hersey died soloing the Steck Salathe a week before we climbed it.

[BFD]

not quite half dome but kind of a visionary ski for Oregon
https://turns-all-year.com/trip-reports/ride-the-wolf