First ski descent of Half-Dome

[mdf]

I'm hoping this isn't behind a paywall--
Half-dome has now been skied.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/travel/...cent-of-Half-Dome-15980947.php#photo-20656430

“If you fall to your left or right, you’re definitely dead,” said JT Holmes, a professional freeskier from Reno who is a friend of one of the skiers. “If you fall down the middle, you have a small chance of not falling to your death — but it’s a maybe.”

 

[crgildart]

Paywall

 

[KevinF]

There's another article here: https://www.outsideonline.com/2421174/half-dome-ski

For anyone wondering what the "cables route" looks like:

 

[LiquidFeet]

 

[Seldomski]

Watched the video.

Nope.

 

[crgildart]

Pfft,.. without the exposure and having to rappel down "death slabs" I'd totally ski that.. but on skinnier skis.. assuming it was lift served of course..

 

[pais alto]

I'm hoping this isn't behind a paywall--
Half-dome has now been skied.

The east face of the rock has been skied before. This is the first time it’s been skied to the valley floor.

Meet Your Neighbor: Eric Perlman

writer, photographer, filmmaker, design and build homes, mountain explorer, dadTahoe DonnerI made my first film in 1972 or 73. It was on consciousness transformation. My love of the mountains

www.sierrasun.com

I did the first ski descent of Half Dome in 1980. It was finally repeated a few years ago by a snowboarder.

Another non-pay-walled report.

https://www.fresnobee.com/news/california/yosemite/article249467170.html

 

[tch]

An incredibly brave, audacious, and probably stupid feat.

But I'll repeat my own feelings from another thread like this a couple of years ago: this doesn't seem like "skiing". It's more like sliding downhill sideways while they happen to be on skis, scraping the entire way. While they descended the route, it does not appear to have any of the flow or movement of what I might call skiing. I wouldn't ever aspire to this as a pinnacle of the sport.

Other opinions probably exist.

 

[MarkP]

Nuck'n Futs!

 

[mdf]

An incredibly brave, audacious, and probably stupid feat.

But I'll repeat my own feelings from another thread like this a couple of years ago: this doesn't seem like "skiing". It's more like sliding downhill sideways while they happen to be on skis, scraping the entire way. While they descended the route, it does not appear to have any of the flow or movement of what I might call skiing. I wouldn't ever aspire to this as a pinnacle of the sport.

Other opinions probably exist.

I'm hoping we are watching the less competent of the pair. From the SF Chronicle story:
"Torlano charged down, carving elegant turns in the snow. Milligan was more tentative, carefully side-slipping.

“I was just trying to stay in control and stay alive,” Milligan said. “You’re on that spine and you don’t have a lot of room for error.”"

 

[Ogg]

I'm hoping we are watching the less competent of the pair. From the SF Chronicle story:
"Torlano charged down, carving elegant turns in the snow. Milligan was more tentative, carefully side-slipping.

“I was just trying to stay in control and stay alive,” Milligan said. “You’re on that spine and you don’t have a lot of room for error.”"

That video is also only a small snippet of their descent.

 

[KevinF]

Watched the video... "white ribbon of death" has rarely seemed such an appropriate term.

 

[crgildart]

An incredibly brave, audacious, and probably stupid feat.

But I'll repeat my own feelings from another thread like this a couple of years ago: this doesn't seem like "skiing". It's more like sliding downhill sideways while they happen to be on skis, scraping the entire way. While they descended the route, it does not appear to have any of the flow or movement of what I might call skiing. I wouldn't ever aspire to this as a pinnacle of the sport.

Other opinions probably exist.

Looked to me like the ski choice was terrible for those conditions. Adequate thanks to the tune but something narrower would have been better. Regardless, mad respect for the balls it took to do that on anything. They said rapelling down the cliffs was even sketchier.

 

[Rod9301]

Other opinions exist

An incredibly brave, audacious, and probably stupid feat.

But I'll repeat my own feelings from another thread like this a couple of years ago: this doesn't seem like "skiing". It's more like sliding downhill sideways while they happen to be on skis, scraping the entire way. While they descended the route, it does not appear to have any of the flow or movement of what I might call skiing. I wouldn't ever aspire to this as a pinnacle of the sport.

Other opinions probably exist.

 

[John Webb]

Other opinions probably exist.

One being death which looms large ! OMFG

Friends don't let friends do this !

 

[PowHog]

Very challenging stuff! Well done!