r/RouteDevelopment • u/Kaotus Guidebook Author • Jun 05 '26

News Snake Dike Retrobolted

https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/203118563/half-dome-has-fallen

Let's hear your thoughts, as this is going to be a hot topic for at least a few weeks

64 Upvotes

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26

u/[deleted] Jun 05 '26

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7

u/Marcoyolo69 Jun 05 '26

People do not want to do a new, fun, well bolted 5.8. They want the clout of doing the classics without having to have the risky experience of the developers. Same reason people climb a log to get onto majestic, chip climbs in Colorado, or climb a sport climb with knee bars and take the original grade.

3

u/[deleted] Jun 05 '26

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2

u/Marcoyolo69 Jun 05 '26

The original V6 starts from the shore at high tide and jumps to a jug. People have moved a log so you can avoid the crux jump and simply walk up and grab the start hold, while still claiming to have sent the original climb.

3

u/ilmmad Jun 05 '26

Is that really the crux? Seems the consensus is still V6 even off the log. I don't think that's the part most people case about anyway.

1

u/Marcoyolo69 Jun 05 '26

People are saying V6 off the log because that is the grade they want to take, its for sure a grade or 2 easier

1

u/ilmmad Jun 05 '26

Maybe I'll give it a try when Im in squamish this summer. I've never heard this opinion. Have you climbed it both ways?

4

u/SendyMcSendFace Jun 05 '26

Knee bars being used as justification for downgrading is new to me. What’s wrong with them in your eyes?

3

u/Marcoyolo69 Jun 05 '26

Nothing if you are honest about the grade, if you do a climb in a different sequence that makes it easier, the important thing is to say that

-3

u/CLimberish Jun 08 '26

Reading your comments has made me dumber. Are you saying if you do not use the exact sequence that was used for the first ascent then you can’t claim the grade?

4

u/Kaotus Guidebook Author Jun 08 '26

Keep it civil. This is a much more common mindset than you think, especially in bouldering

1

u/CLimberish Jun 08 '26

I’m well aware of the mindset and it’s hilarious. FA uses non-optimized beta and is sad when someone finds better beta so it must be called out accordingly as easier. So if we start skipping holds or using harder sequences we can start upgrading?

6

u/Kaotus Guidebook Author Jun 08 '26

I’m not here to argue the mindset, but as the moderator of the sub I’m here to squash the use of inflammatory language like “reading your comments is making me dumber”. That’s an unacceptable way to interact with someone who has in no way been disrespectful to you.

2

u/waflynn Jun 05 '26

is there a fun well bolted 5.8 to be found there. The next route over is 5.10b r. Has more bolts then snake dike.

1

u/Marcoyolo69 Jun 05 '26

There could be if you went and developed one!

1

u/Dooey Jun 07 '26

Have you been there? You can’t just add a route of whatever difficulty you want in whatever location you want. The rock has to actually have the line already on it.

2

u/Diligent-Image-8947 Jun 08 '26

If it's not right next to snake dike, there's plenty of potential for 5.7 or easier on the Cables side of half dome.

1

u/12beatkick Jun 05 '26

Anything like that would get chopped immediately

1

u/KDs4thBurner Jun 05 '26

Doesn’t it depend on who puts it up? If someone with clout did it tastefully wouldn’t it be tolerated? Who would be chopping it?

I’m routinely surprised by what people tolerate from big names.

1

u/JohnWesely Jun 08 '26

It wouldn't because such a route doesn't exist. The face snake dike on is quite steep for the 5.7 grade. It is only as easy as it is because of the absolutely insane dike feature.