Water Stop

The 4 of us, Joan, Bob, Maxym and I were hiking up the climber's trail between Liberty Cap and Mt. Broderick, as we found 2 Danish climber heading toward us. Where are you headed? To Half Dome they answered, the Snake Dike rout. It was kind of funny, 2 groups headed to the same place going in the opposite directions. We set them in the right direction and as they were faster then us, they quickly disappeared from our sight around Lost Lake. These 2 friendly guys ended up with a center role in our story.

We got the base of the climb in good time, and the first pitch looked easy, so Maxym jumped to lead it just to discover that the 5.7 rating was well justified for the smooth traverse below the roof. Still, he made it look easy and pulled to the big crack above. I took the lead from there for all but the last pitch. The second pitch was well protected. The third has a delicate traverse move which was well protected, at least for the leader, until it reaches the dike proper. There the excitement began.

I was thoroughly scared on the first long runout, but as the climb continued and I got a couple of runout pitches under my belt I got a bit calmer. The key was to work methodically and to pay attention to every move, particularly to my feet, and stop every few moves and scan for bolts. It would have been a bummer to overshoot the only pro I had in a whole pitch.

I felt the first drop of rain as Maxym approached me at the top of the 6th pitch, but it quickly stopped, so we continued on for the 7 and 8 (which is also the last) pitches where the drizzle returned. But it was still not too bad, and we felt we are getting good traction with the rock, so we decided to continue up the third class slabs, but with a running belay. We made a quick progress, but so did the rain which intensified and hit us with hail as well. At some point the whole face looked like a raging river. Over one side, a small water fall had formed where the water was jumping down a short wall, and all the emulsion pockets were filled with water. Still, we were getting good traction, and Maxym was doing a great job setting pros as we were going up. We were finally on the top without a slip.

Just as we though out troubles were over, we realized we have a new one... BZZZZZZZ. Maxym said his beard was feeling funny, and I heard a buzz behind my head. We grabbed our packs, and ran to the lowest point on the summit. I was concerned the gear in my pack would act like a lightning rod, so I held it as close to the ground as possible. Once at the saddle, we set on our packs and waited. What is the insulation value of a wet pack full of climbing gear anyway? We never found out, the buzzing stopped and soon after, the electrical storm had dissipated.

The cables and the rock face underneath where particularly wet and slippery, I had to switch back to rock shoes, which again did a terrific job providing traction on wet rock. With all the excitement we forgot checking the time until we were safe on the dirt trail, now a little before 4 PM, and back by the cars a little after 6-30. But where were Joan and Bob?

We need to return to our Danish friends. They got lost again on the way to the climb only to show up at the base between the arrival of our 2 rope teams, and they insisted to keep their turn after Maxym and I. We explained that our plan was to climb in 2 teams, 1 rope each, so in case we needed to bail out, we had 2 ropes. The Dans had 2 ropes and agreed to help us in case we needed to bail out. Just as I got the "on belay" from Maxym for the final and 8 pitch, the leader of the Danish team popped over the top of the 6th. The weather was getting foul at this point, so, yelling across 60 meter he asked if we wanted to bail out. I said that the last set of bolt are at the top of his pitch, and he should bail out now if he wanted to. We were too high and were going ahead.

The next time we saw the Dans it was 7-45 PM on the road leading from Happy Isle to Curry Village. They told us that after spending some time at the top of the 6th pitch they decided to bail out, and they helped Joan and Bob down too. Once at the base, they quickly made the hike back down. Joan and Bob turned out took the scenic rout and got back to the cars a little before 10-00. Funny thing, had we started driving from Yosemite at 7 PM I would have expected to be home by midnight.Leaving at 10-00 PM and taking no breaks, I got home by 1 AM.

Joan Marshal Writes

To everyone curious as to hear about Bob's and my attempt (joined by Ron Karpel and Maxym Runov) to climb Snake Dike this past Sunday, May 13

Here's my addition to Ron's Snake Dike Story, last on the rock, when the storm hit...Ron's report is at the end of this email...

Bob and I waited until the Danes cleared the first belay station...which gave Ron and Maxym quite a head start over us. We could no longer see them by the time we got on the route. The clouds were moving in, but not directly at us. We had been climbing in Yosemite the day before, and there were clouds and thunder, but nothing serious developed. We were thinking the same thing would be true for today, especially since the weather reports had stated the weather was supposed to improve over yesterday. So, we a little trepidation and some worry we started up.

Bob took some time making that first move over the traverse under the roof, and came off once. Bob rarely comes off, so I got the feeling the weather was making him nervous. Also, he had forgotten his rain jacket, and we were very cognizant of the fact that we had only one rope and were dependent on Ron and Maxym for the second rope, if we had to bail. We knew we had to hurry.

That first pitch seemed to take forever...I watched closely as everyone ahead of me tried to make the undercling move along the base of the roof... ...all cussing and hanging, and trying it over and over...I was not inspired with confidence. Especially with the weight of the pack on my back. When my turn came, I moved up to the right side of the traverse, pulled out the pro, in two places. Took a good hard look at that under cling, and said "No way", came back down a few feet, and pretty much swung over, about three feet below that roof, with Bob basically hoisting me up over the friction move.

Bob took the secondary dike, straight up, from the second pitch, thought about it, didn't like it, came back down and headed more left, in a diagonal move. I gather he still took the hard way, as there was only one bolt at that point, and then ran out the rest of the pitch to the main dike and straight up. He could have gone straight left, it appears, from the route Ron took which would have been less intimidating, and had one more bolt.

Got to the fourth pitch, a hanging belay. Raindrops...just a few...maybe it's going to be okay...no, it's not Kay. The rain is coming down now, and streams are beginning to form running down past our hands and feet. But, still not enough to get soaked.

Now, we can't see anyone. Not a soul. There was a team at the bottom, contemplating the climb. I watched them pack up their stuff, and then they were gone. No help from down below. Rick Booth's words are coming back to me...the last safe place to rap off is at the fourth pitch...it's suicide to try and climb the remainder of the route in rain. Especially the slabs above the last pitch. (#8). We (I am desperately) are hoping Ron and Maxym will wait for us to catch up with them, so we can put our ropes together and rap off. We hadn't made a formal agreement with the Danes to bail together...but, we did tell them we had only one rope and were depending on Ron and Maxym for a second rope, if we had to bail. The implication was that if we had to bail, everyone would be bailing and there would be no problem with getting off the rock.

Bob, normally the unflappable guy, is not too happy now. I'm seeing a very unstoic side of Bob. Words are coming out of his mouth that he rarely utters....The only thing to do is to keep climbing and hope somebody up there is coming back down. Bob starts climbing, the rain is pouring over the rock. Now he's swearing up a storm, making a difficult 5.7 move to get back on the dike. It's slippery. The rope isn't right for me to give him the slack he needs. The rope was coming from under my sling anchors, instead of from the top. And, quite heavy to pull up. Bob is climbing fast, faster than I can pull to give him slack, and he's giving me hell for tensioning him. I'm freaking out now...

He's climbing up the top of the fifth pitch. Just rain....then, thunder. So, loud, it hurt my ears. Two big claps of thunder. I look out over the valley, and there's goes a streak of lightning. Oh, god, we are screwed...I hear a noise getting louder and louder, moving toward me...Hail...Soon, hail is piling up at my feet, and on arm as I am leaning against the rock. Where is Ron and Maxym? Where are the Danes?...please, please, God, make somebody up there come down...I realize that Ron and Maxym cannot come down. They only have one rope. We have to come up to them...

Bob reaches the top of the fifth pitch, and sees the Danes one pitch above him. They haven't yet decided what to do, and Bob yells out, politely, asking them, if they plan to rap down. "Hey, guy! Are you thinking of bailing?" A long silence...I can't hear if they can hear his shouting. Then, Bob yells down to me that the Danes have decided to rap off. If they had said no, Bob is not one to argue, and we would have been committed to follow them up. One of the Danes had only a tshirt, and had not brought a pack. So, that may have influenced their decision to come down. The Danes were strong looking climbers, and appeared to be quite experienced.

I was never so happy in all my life, when I heard Bob yell down to me that the Danes were bailing and we could share their ropes. It seems I hung there forever. Waiting for the Danes to rap from the sixth pitch down to the fifth. Then, the three of them set up the rappel at the fifth. Bob yells down to me, "Joan are you still at the belay station?" I'm thinking that is an odd question to ask...as where else could I be? Starting to worry that Bob is getting hypothermia...but, he does have a habit of always confirming the situation.

More lightning. How to keep from attracting lightning?? Do you lean into the rock and try to lay flat? Lean out, hoping the rubber soles of my rock shoes would act as insulation? My rain jacket and gloves are in my pack. I was too afraid to take my pack off...Must have hung there for 45 minutes...a long time...looking out over the valley...totally alone, in this vast expanse...can't sit down, can't stand, just hang...trying to keep my mind off how cold and wet I was getting. Trying to keep calm. The worst part was the time between the third pitch and Bob making contact, on the top of the fifth, with the Danes. Not knowing if we would have to commit to finishing the climb, or if we would be able to rap off...

Finally, the first Dane, Paul reaches my station. He's coming down on a single rope, using a gri gri. To me, he was like an angel dropping down from heaven. I'm not a terribly brave person, not a hard core climber. My first time to be on the rock in bad weather, and having to bail. I have nightmares of dropping my belay device...Paul offered to carry my pack, and gave me a hand with my rain jacket. Now, I was warm. But, neither Bob nor Paul had protection from the cold and rain. Thankfully, the wind was minimal. The air temperature seemed to change from warm to cold and back again.

Now, all four of us, Paul, Lars, Bob, and myself are at the fourth pitch, all tied into the two anchor bolts. We all introduce ourselves while hanging on that pitch. Paul and Lars are in the Bay Area for a short time, working on post doc stuff. Lars lives in Mountain View. Paul is staying in Santa Cruz. Were talking about the winters in Denmark, and how the climbing is. It's better in Sweden.

We made three rappels, on 60 meter ropes, from what could have been four or five. The rope is cold, ice crystals spray off, as it slides through my ATC device. Paul was the first to rap down each time...he got to a set of bolts just above the second belay, and realized, he could have gone farther. But, by this time, he had anchored himself in. So, there he is on anchor, and then, Lars rappelled down past him, to a stance much farther down. Now Paul is looking rather stranded, with the rope going off at least twenty feet to his left. I came down next, and then Bob. Bob rapped down to Paul, and then, did some rope maneuvering, which I couldn't see, except they used my exceptionally long cordalette, ( that rarely has been used) and then, continued down to where Lars and I were anchored. Now, three of us were daisy chained to the anchor, spread out horizontally across this crack in the rock.

From there, we made the last rap down. The weather suddenly improved, turning warm. Changed our shoes, thanked each other profusely, and headed down for the walk off.

The return was just about as adventurous as the rappel...Bob thought it would be better to try and avoid the slabs we had come up on, which he said were class 4, but I think were class five...so we headed off to the right, hoping to work around the slabs. Instead, there were more slabs, and cliffs. We kept traversing right, trying in vain, to find a way down to the level gully below. By now, it was nearly 6 pm. Thundering in the distance. We found ourselves in thick brush, climbing under and over bushes. Balancing rock traverses. I'm getting the feeling that we are hopelessly lost. We can see Nevada Falls and the northwest side of Broderick in clear view. Which we shouldn't be able to see if we are anywhere close to where we should be. I'm making my bivy plans, looking for places that might afford shelter from the cold. Hoping Bob will not insist on bushwhacking in the dark.

Bob wants to try and go down the outside of Broderick, around the south side, rather than between Liberty and Broderick...but, changes his mind, since he hasn't got any beta for the route.

Bob decides to take my suggestion and find a place to rappel down over the cliffs. That works! And we are saved...We make it to the cut off by Lost Lake after two hours of bushwhacking. I'm begging to take the trail back, not the gully between Broderick and Liberty Dome...it's going to be dark in an hour. My logic -- how can an hour of cross country be shorter than a nice wide trail? But, he insists we have plenty of daylight left, and we can save at least a mile by taking the same route back. So, I finally agree, provided he doesn't walk TOO FAST. Which he dutifully promises, but of course, has much difficulty keeping. We did make it to the main trail, still with plenty of light. Pulled out the flashlights just as we were reaching Vernal Falls.

My fears are subsiding, except for thinking of having to go down the Mist Trail in the dark. Bob's flashlight was fading fast. Weak batteries. Mine was okay. The spray from the falls was at our backs, so it wasn't nearly so uncomfortable, as it had been facing it in the morning. The steps were flooded in quite a few places, and slippery, but, we were happy in the thought, that we would be down to the cars soon.

We reached the road around 9-30 pm. Saw someone with a very bright headlamp walking toward us. It was Maxym! Ron and Maxym had been worriedly waiting for our return, for three hours. And all the time, Bob and I were thinking we would have to contact the rangers as soon as possible regarding two stranded climbers on the slabs of Snake Dike.

So, it all turned out well. I don't think I want to try Snake Dike again, for a long time. Certainly never attempt it, if there's the least hint of bad weather. I did get some good experience from the ordeal. Always carry two ropes. Don't depend on anyone else. Radios would have been very useful. We did do a few things right...had enough water, and plenty of power bars. Plenty of slings. I was so glad to have taken my rain jacket and warm enough clothing, even though, it seemed warm enough the day before. Most important, is to keep one's wits about them, work as a team, and not fall into blaming each other for mistakes or poor judgment.

I was very thankful that Bob didn't lose his cool and remained confident throughout, having me, a newbie, on the verge of freaking out, and definitely freaking out on some moves. Bob did know where he was going and where he wanted to be...I'm still awed by his incredible ability to find his way, through every difficult situation I've had the honor of following...He took the convoluted route, trying to make it easier for me.

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger...the PCS motto....

Joan

Location: Yosemite, California
Photographer: Ron Karpel
Email: ronny@karpel.org
Phone: 415-987-5109
Date: May 2001
ID: 20010513_01

Water Stop

Route

First Pitch