After 40 years, Half Dome sees its 2nd Ski Descent

[Dave @ Oware]

“https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-02-27/2-men-become-first-skiers-to-descend-yosemites-half-dome”

They almost got it right. In 1981 a couple of kids Eric Perlman and Rob Bellman skied it.

Eric went back a couple of decades ago to film a snow boarder on it too.

 

[Michael B]

Interesting story – your link was messed up for some reason, so I searched it.

 

Having gone up the cables, that seems like a super sketchy area to ski, but we all have to have our hobbies I guess.

 

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-02-27/2-men-become-first-skiers-to-descend-yosemites-half-dome

[David Thomas]

Since most avalanche fatalities are human-triggered and that whole monolith is at the most dangerous angles for slab avalanches. . . .  but I’ve long known that like that was not my cup of tea – I’ve outlived two classmates who died amongst the snow and ice (of Shasta and K2).

[d k]

“In 1981 a couple of kids Eric Perlman and Rob Bellman skied it.”

Yes, the difference is apparently that this time there were no ropes or belays, and they descended all the way to the valley floor.  The snowboarder in 2000 was the first non-roped solo descent, but also not all the way to the valley floor.

https://www.outsideonline.com/2421174/half-dome-ski

You couldn’t pay me enough to do that, even if my ski skills were up to that!

[Michael B]

wow! That Outside article gave great commentary on the insanity of the task.

[Paul S]

Do I have the route right?

https://caltopo.com/m/1HG5

David Thomas you are spot on, about it being bullseye avalanche terrain angle. Check out the slope angle shading.

Nuts.

 

[Dave @ Oware]

The AP article (la Times) didn’t mention the first descent. Eric and Rob skied to the valley floor too. If you can ski the cable route, why would you take your skis off for the rest of the trip down? They did use belays off the cables. This recent descent used rope for rappels on the lower slabs. The Snowboarder Eric filmed didn’t use a belay on the cable route as I understand.

[Stumphges]

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