I'm interested in hearing from anyone who has climbed the Northwest Regular Route on Half Dome within the last two years as to the recommended rack. This would be for a multi-day ascent by someone who actually plans to climb it as a 5.9 A1 (meaning that I would aid anything harder than 5.9). I'm really not interested in hauling up a bunch of gear I don't need, but don't want to get stranded in the Zig Zags without enough of the right gear.

As a side question, how much of the fixed stuff has fallen out by now?

Thanks.

-- Ron Heinsman (heinsman@ms4.hinet.net), June 03, 1998

Answers

Pretty standard fare. I think we took two sets of nuts and double cams up to #2 camalot. A single #3 and #4 camalot will suffice for the big gear. A few small tricams may prove useful as well. The climbing is super fun and there are many stiff 5.9 pitches on which you find yourself yanking gear! :) We fixed the first two pitches on the day we hiked in. We then bivied at P.11 and P.17. Have a blast!

-- David Hill (dfhill@ecn.purdue.edu), June 04, 1998.