UKC

Looking for recommendations for a rock guide for the day in Yosemite.

I'll be there for a couple of days in May with a non-climber, and would love to go up Snake Dyke. It seems a bit too insecure (and busy) for a solo, so thinking of getting a guide for the first time.

I found https://www.travelyosemite.com/things-to-do/rock-climbing/ which is $550 for an "extreme" day, presumably plus tax. 

Anyone know of other alternatives or is the park restricted to these guides only?

Thanks

Pretty sure that only Yosemite Mountaineering School & Guide Service is officially allowed to operate there, though I have heard others do but it's hush hush as they're not technically allowed to...

I think that's the case anyway

I used the official guides in the park about a decade ago for a day's climbing. Had an excellent time, but it wasn't the cheapest day out.

It only has a short technical section at around UK 5a smearing right next to a bolt. You could protect that with a short rope dropping back after you reach the next bolt to clear the left gear. The dyke proper is UK 3c at most and above that is a 2000 foot mod. Another possibility with more varied climbing and a walk off is Royal Arches... one aid move or some UK 6a smearing and pretty secure on the next highest technical crux (a short bit of UK 4c) and with some very run-out HS 3c.

Another thing you could do is post on Mountain Project for partners. Or just stick a note on the board at Camp 4.

https://www.mountainproject.com/partner-finder

Yosemite guides are a good bunch if you can afford them.

It’s not the climbing on Snake Dike. It’s the number of people, especially in Sept. An evening start on the route with head torches to get down may be quieter. 

We just got up early did most of the long walk-in in the dark and were comfortably first on the route. The sun starts to hit the crux slab soon after dawn in September so friction is best before it warms up. My main concern was I couldn't see the bolt next to the crux, in the slanting light gliinting off the crystals in the granite. Finally spotted it and clipped it next to my ankle.

For Regular Route on Fairview we sat ready in the car hoping the temperature would move above freezing before other cars arrived, playing Muse's Absolution to maximise the tension. Even then climbing as a three (with one not a little freaked by the scale) no one caught us. Most other routes we never worried about queues and the only time we nearly got caught out was trying to climb The Grack quickly before heading out for the flight home... a lovely woman who was learning to climb let us jump the queue to the annoyance of her guide...glad she did as the guide was super slow... we took pictures of her on pitch one as we finished the abseils.... turned out she was the mother of a superstar climber.

It's definitely a feasible solo but, as you say, probably best done in the evening as it's super popular. I wouldn't underestimate it though, especially if you're not comfortable on friction slabs with no holds. The last time I did it we passed a group which contained an 8b+ climber who was clearly having a hard time and they had a rope.

Yep. We set off from Happy Isles at 4:30 and there were still two teams in front of us.

E

Thanks all for the tips.

I got in touch with Yosemite Guides who said they don't recommend Snake Dike - the guides won't climb if there's another team ahead of them. They reckon less than 50% chance of going up, which given all the night starts and bivvying at the base is sounding like it might be generous.

Mountainproject partners is good shout

Tempted by the solo but 5a crux would make it about E1, which I'm not sure I'm game for unless it's above a big ledge like Banana Peel in Squamish. I won't have a rope for any self-protecting jiggery-pokery. 

How about Braille Book or Higher Cathedral Spire? They will definitely be quiet. Or Royal Arches plus N Dome, a full day up to VS.

I did Higher Cathedral Spire a few years back, 4-star experience

Royal Arches looks great, but I would love to get up Half Dome. It seems that everyone else would as well

We were second on the route, but it turned out well, as the team in front of us were not only pretty slick, but also left us little gifts of jelly babies stood in some of the glorious bucket holds on the dyke proper.

I think anyone contemplating a solo should be aware that the traverse on the first pitch (4b?) is polished in places, but the worst can be avoided by staying low.

If you have all the gear I think it will be very easy to hook up with another partner via the noticeboards or Internet. 

If your "non-climbing partner" is up for something easy I took my kids up a multi pitch route by Lower Yosemite Falls a few years ago. Sunnyside Bench -great fun.