Routes : North America : United States : California : Yosemite National Park : Yosemite Valley : Half Dome : South West Face : Snake Dike
Snake Dike - 5.7 popular
Average Rating : 4.69 out of 5
Route sequence (left to right): 1
Route Summary | Ascent Notes (124)
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Rock
X
bolts, very few other to 1"
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Description:
A long class 3 or 4 approach from Lost Lake leads to the base of the climb. Go up the right side of the slabs, then move left past a prominent bulge with trees, and then go right and up to the start of the climb. You can ascend the right side of the bulge by climbing into and past a tree; easy class 5 climbing. Look for a pine tree below a roof. Go left, go over the small roof, then move right. Go up a bit, then move left (5.7, protected by a bolt) to the dike. Watch out for the off-route dike and bolt to the right. Three pitches up the dike (belay bolts only, plus the odd runner or piece), and a couple more lead to class 3 slabs leading to the summit. Almost all of the climbing after the 5.7 friction move is 5.3 or less. The runouts are long, but the climbing is easy. This route is much easier than the Royal Arches, except for the approach and descent hikes. The 5.7 friction step crux is about two moves, well protected by a bolt. I led that part in 1983, and followed it in the same shoes 19 years later (no resole). 1st p. place a cam in a horizontal crack at the right side of the overhang to protect the friction moves. Then downclimb about 20 feet and do the friction moves diagonaly to the left corner of the overhang, gain the finger crack above the overhang back to the right, place a second pro in vertical cracks above the first pro and climb up a steep ledge to the bolts. 2nd p. Go right and then up to the right corner of the overhang. Place a pro below then step over and clip the bolt. Climb the dike to a 2 bolt ancor. 3rd p. Leave the dike by going up and left to a brake in the angle of the face. Clip in a hard to see bolt to the left. Observe and ignore an easy to see rusty bolt up by the dike. Do the friction moves to the left, step on the dike, enjoy, do not clip the 2 bolts, go up the dike to the next set of bolts after clipping a bolt on the right. The rest is obvious. When the bolts runout go up and to the left. On the slabs unroped (and exposed) follow the line of dry waterbeds in the granite to the top. Enjoy the view!
Submitted by: marius on 2002-08-10
Views: 8058
Route ID: 5022
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124 Ascents Recorded
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Read all 124 ascent notes
| Ratings | |
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| Difficulty | |
| Safety Rating | G |
Onsight ascent by:
i will agree with the X rating
dang i had to accept more risk on this thing than I realized. it was fun doing it once but I don't think i'll ever get on it again!
Added: 2017-06-02
| Ratings | |
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| Difficulty | |
| Safety Rating | G |
| Exposure |  |
| Rock Quality |  |
| Scenery | |
| Fun Factor | |
Great climb
good times!
Added: 2013-07-15
| Ratings | |
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| Difficulty | 5.7 |
| Safety Rating | G |
| Exposure | |
| Rock Quality | |
| Scenery | |
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Second ascent by:
Snake Hike
Fun fun fun...lighten the load with 2 short and 2 double draws, and select 4 cams .25 - 1" and one black alien...
Added: 2013-04-01
| Ratings | |
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| Difficulty | 5.7 |
| Safety Rating | X |
I'll be back...
I now understand why people call this "Snake Hike". We did it in two days. Camped at little Yosemite Valley (The hike is strenuous), and left camp at 7am, got a little lost but finally made it to the base at 9am. The climbing is not hard (but don't fall) cruxes at the two traverses P1, P2 and the friction slabby moves of P7. We did not see a single soul on the route that day. A couple of guys passed us on the way down the cables since we decided to rap instead of using the cables (I won't be doing that again). I'd like to be able to do this climb car to car some day.
Added: 2012-06-27
| Ratings | |
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| Difficulty | 5.7 |
| Safety Rating | R |
Only 3 pitches
Followed Katie O P1, flash led P2 and 3. Rapped off since we were running late and losing light.
Added: 2012-05-14
