North American Classic Climbs

Half Dome

Northwest Face, Regular Route

Description

Climbers*

Photo*

Date

03Q02

03Q02

Half Dome from Glacier Point - NW face in profile.

-

GC

8/20/70

19V02R

19V02R

The NW face from the top of Washington Column, with the route marked.

-

GC

5/90

02N18

02N18

The usual approach is to hike a good trail up the Merced River, past Vernal Falls then Nevada Falls, both visible here. The trail then goes around the back of Liberty Cap, the monolith in the middle of the photo. Half Dome is out of the picture to the left.

-

GC

7/68

09G01

09G01

The first pitch.

GC

KG

7/3/78

09G02

09G02

Pitch 2.

KG

GC

"

09G03

09G03

Pitch 4.

KG

GC

"

09G04

09G04

Looking down from early in the climb.

KG

GC

"

09G05

09G05

Looking across the face from the first bivouac.

-

GC

"

09G06

09G06

The first bivouac on the sloping ledges.

KG

GC

7/4/78

09G07

09G07

Morning at the bivouac, looking down valley.

-

GC

"

09G08

09G08

The Robbins traverse (pitch 10.)

KG

GC

"

09G12

09G12

Looking back to the buttress.

KG

GC

"

09G14

09G14

One of the wild flake pitches in the middle of the route.

KG

GC

"

09G19

09G19

Bivouac ledges just below sandy ledges (pitch 16.)

KG

GC

7/5/78

09H01

09H01

The belay hole at 18.

KG

GC

"

09H02

09H02

Cleaning one of the zig-zag pitches; Sandy Ledges below.

GC

KG

"

09H05

09H05

Beginning "Thank God Ledge" (pitch 21.)

GC

KG

"

09H07

09H07

Arriving at the other end of Thank God Ledge.

GC

KG

"

09H08

09H08

Leading the last difficult pitch; upper Yosemite Valley below.

KG

GC

"

02O08

02O08

On the lip of the diving board.

GC, ML

PL

7/8/68

02O05

02O05

The famous cable ladder on the East side, used for the descent. The granite between the cables is incredibly slick - keep your harness on and clip into the cables as you go, in european "Via Ferrata" style.

many tourists

GC

"

09Q14

09Q14

The Northwest Face from Yosemite Valley at sunrise.

-

GC

3/12/79