RNWF Half Dome - done it?

Question for you RNWF HD senders: take the BD #4 (C4 style), or just up to old-style #3.5? Single BD #3.5, or double?

We're hoping to go light and fast (as we can being the chumps that we are), sleeping a night on Big Sandy but no hauling. I'm obsessing about the #4 now.

Thanks!

I just did the route on Sunday. We took a double rack up to #3 camalot and were totally fine. I didn't even think of a time when I would have used it. Plus, fix a pitch or two and go for the top man. In-a-day will be a much better experience.

I am not sure which chimney Mr. Langston is talking about. It could be the 5.9 squeeze just after the Robbins traverse. I skip this pitch by aiding the 5.11 crack to the left of it (see supertopo) which is almost entirely equiped with fixed gear.

i dont think i had one on that thing, but that was eleven years ago. by now i'm probably senile so take what i say with a grain of salt.

Lets see it was 29 years ago next month, I think or the month after..
One set slung hexes to 10.
One set slung Chounard stoppers.
One set wired stoppers.
One set of friends.
One set in 1979 was 1,2,3,
And two baby angles for hand placements. I used one second to last pitch.
Funny I remember most of the pitches on Half Dome and little of the Prow done next with the same partner.
Your choice of the chimney or (aid) for us was pitch 12 .
We bivied on the ledge at 11 as my partner dropped his bivy gear and part of mine earlier in the day.
11 is sheltered from the wind but you get to look up at the Zig Zags from big sandy.
We had the wall to our selves hope you are as lucky.
You can talk to someone on top from lower pitches if the wind is down.
Someone yelled down Whoo are youuu.
I yelled up Robbins and Warren Harding.
Sorry who ever you are as no climber would believe you even though you were telling the truth as you knew it.
Enjoy Have a blast

Totally worth it to sleep on Big Sandy. Awesome position above the Valley. We did use a #4, but it was a while ago so I don't remember if you could do without.

Why skip the squeeze chimney after the traverse? Classic, historic, and so Yosemite.

I remember starting up the squeeze, not liking it one bit, so coming back down and aiding up the 5.11 fingercrack instead. Much easier and quicker, but they say squeeze chimneys build character.

Richard S-you forgot to mention EB's. We didn't have a #4 Camalot either, but we had a 4" tube chalk :) Ha. I bailed from pitch 8, 29 years ago last month. Still need to get back and finish this one.

I'm with Paul, Karsten. What's wrong with spending a contemplative night on an amazing perch?

Shawn
I had to look at pictures.
I could have been in PAs but I was wearing EBs.
Same pic was me placing #10 in double cracks below Big Sandy.
As for choice of bivy site, I remember days were cool when we did it . fair amount of wind and partner dropped his sleeping bag , my sweater and wool cap.
So we choose a bit of protection from the wind over the view.
Still made it to the top the next day with lasses and brews waiting on top.

Sirius wrote:We're hoping to go light and fast (as we can being the chumps that we are), sleeping a night on Big Sandy but no hauling.

I took a #4 (grey) and 5 (big red) Friend. The red was nearly useless. The #4 Friend is same as 3.5 Camalot, I think. I placed the #4 a few times, and found it useful on the Double Cracks pitch. If you are solid on 5.9, I think you could get by without on this pitch. I will only rack to double #3 Camalot in future.

Thanks for the replies, folks. I'm going to nix the #4. Karsten if I find out you're a badass 5.12 leader or some sort of run-out chimney guru I'm going to resent it.

Hang on, Sirius, what's the system for bivying without hauling? Thanks :)

Karstens post is sound. For the weight of that #4, you could probably carry another set of Aliens- much more useful. Oh yeah, nuts aren't that useful. I carried about 2 sets per the Suertopo and remeber placing only a few on the route. Many say take no nuts at all. I recommend a few small stoppers (4-7) in case some usually fixed stuff is missing in the Zigs. I aided/frenched the Pitch 12 wet corner. The chimney to the right looked hard and scary. A #4 would not help here- perhaps a #6 Friend. The chimneys above are "back-foot" size and accept all sizes of gear in the crack deep in the chimney. I stayed wide to move, then slithered back to the crack for some gear. My point, wide gear is not helpful on this route.

I seem to recall bringing one #4 C4. Don't recall using it much except on the double cracks. We biv'd on big sandy (didn't really need to, but I climb with my wife so bivying is fun). Hauling on this route is not recommended.

How to bivy w/o hauling? Put one or two lightwieght sleeping bags and maybe a half-size piece of ensolite in a backpack. Put backpack on back. Climb. Don't bring: Canned food, a stove, etc. Remind yourself that you're living better than 50% of the world.

Hey Shawn, sorry I missed your question. We're not writing an instruction book, that's for damn sure, on how to do it right, but we're going to carry our own water and food, and have the second carry down jackets and thermals, plus a light waterproof layer, in a backpack. No bags/bivy sacks. We've roughed out a few nights like this in the past - though this'll be the first time we actually plan to do so.

If there are signs of wx, of course, we'll bail (taking and trailing a light 8mm second rope).

Edit: Again, thanks to one and all for the beta - I'm reading and noting all of it.