First climbed in 1957, the Regular Northwest Face of Half Dome stills draws climbers from around the world over 60 years later. In the last decade, it has become a popular (and challenging) in-a-day objective. This route sees the majority of it’s traffic in the early summer as it is shaded most of the day, and at higher elevation than other Valley formations. Climber Steward Alexa wrote a vivid account of what it’s like to climb this incredible wall.
That familiar, awaited alarm cut the restless silence. The stars silently burned stories in the still night sky as my climbing partner Jeff and I stirred in our sleeping bags. We were both already awake- a muddle of excitement for the day and discomfort from sleeping in a sloping cave ten minutes from the base of the Regular Northwest Face on Half Dome. Two days prior, substantial rock fall rained down for hours, causing multiple parties to bail. With this knowledge, we chose to sleep in a cave west of our route, along the right side of the approach trail. The standard bivouac sites are flat and spacious, closer to the route, however not fully protected from the elements. Fortunately the night was calm and quiet, only disturbed by wind running its fingers through flora, the call of a lonely bat.
I had never hiked the death slabs nor summited Half Dome. My partner had climbed this route once, years ago. Hiking up the night before gave us additional time to find and hike the approach in leisure as well as feel fresh for climbing the following morning. The steep approach takes between two and three hours, consisting of a well-traveled climber’s trail with three major steep sections that sometimes have fixed lines in place. There were frequent cairns to help us stay on route. The approach generally ascends the climbers’ left side of the slabs, the Sloan/Putnam big wall guide provides additional details.
The Regular Northwest Face of Half Dome is a widely held tick for any Yosemite climber, and can also be a telling milestone for those with big wall aspirations. For these reasons, it is common to find multiple parties climbing the route in the same day(s). Jeff and I arrived at our cave just as the sun was setting. Darkness rolled through the valley below while Half Dome remained bathed in the sun’s final shimmer. The hero hour was almost over and soon even the granite giants would turn a ghostlike gray, merging with the heart of the night. We dropped our packs off at the cave and continued to the base with gear and water bottles. Three other parties were tucked in for the night, two climbing the route in a day and the other in two. After collaboration, we all had set times to start the route in effort to give each party space. I felt satisfied with the early onset because it would mean more climbing in the shade.
The hero hour was almost over and soon even the granite giants would turn a ghostlike gray, merging with the heart of the night.
The crisp spring water at the base flowed into the small pool as we filled up our water bottles. We left our bivouac gear on a ledge near the cave, but made sure to pack all food with us up on the route. The base of Half Dome is infamous for having animals break into improperly stored food. There is an active bear that frequently skirts the base, and countless other critters sidling nearby with a watchful eye. It is important to respect the wildlife and bring all food with you on the climb, leave it at least one pitch up the wall, or in a bear proof canister.
Birds sang quietly and each distinct feature of Half Dome’s granite face illuminated as our adventure began. We found ourselves to be faster than the parties in front of us. Fortunately, all climbers were very courteous and we were able to slip by quickly. The valley’s sweltering summer heat wasn’t hot on our heels until the final few pitches, at around 2:30 pm. We continued escaping up in the granite’s shade, content and energized, finally climbing the last pitch among Half Dome’s fiery blaze. At 3 p.m., the last shadow disappeared from the granite face.
We brought four liters of water, which wasn’t quite enough. After hiking down the Cables Route and cutting left along the climber’s trail back to the base, we were relieved knowing that the spring was running. Once there, we saw parties were milling about at the base, fixing pitches for their climb the following day. The friendly climbers and spring water were invigorating and just enough to keep us in high spirits for our steep descent.
We walked leisurely down the death slabs, in the same style as we came up- laughing at recent memories, retracing the footsteps in which they began.
Overall Tips for Climbing the Regular Northwest Face of Half Dome
- Be wary of rock fall if you bivy directly at the base
- If planning to sleep at the base, acquire a permit at the Wilderness Center. It is free and only takes five minutes…so why not?
- Store all food properly, when getting your permit to sleep at the base, rent a bear can for $5. It’s easier and more effective than hanging your food a pitch up the wall (the other option).
- Be conscientious of the current climate and your own climbing ability when choosing how much water to bring
- If climbing later in the season, ask others for more recent updates on the conditions of the spring
- Be courteous to other climbers…we are all here for the same thing