Snake Dike 5.7 R

My cousin and I were planning on zipping up to Cathedral Peak to climb it in late-season solitude this past Sunday, but a small storm came through Thursday and this happened:
Unfortunately we live in the climbing wasteland that is California, so our alternative's were limited, and we were forced to settle for finally getting on Snake Dike after 3 years of talking about it.

We decided to make it a one day grinder, left home just a smidge after midnight, and were at the trailhead parking by 4:45.
Daylight's coming. Hopefully some warmth with it.
We took the alternate approach around the base of Liberty Cap. It was gorgeous and much easier than it sounded in the guide, though the saddle was the coldest part of the day-the water in my Camel Pak tube froze.
Woohoo! First peek of Half Dome and first peek of sun!
I can't decide if that's actually Mt. Clark's shadow, or just coincidentally looks like it. I know the sun came up about the right place. Any astronomy buffs able to calculate that?
Almost there! Snake Dike is the dike that lightening bolts down from the highest point in this picture, and the p1 roof is just left of centerframe.
Contemplating the plethora of cruiser options at the start.
"Ya know it's easier to walk on the dike."
"Oh, yeah."
At the first (and only) bolt on p4: means I'm halfway to the belay!
Wild clouds overhead and all around the whole day, but never anything threatening.
Lots of elevation gain, but the exposure's pretty casual.
Scenery's not too bad.
Slabs for lightyears (we climbed this Sunday, it's now Thursday, and my calves still hurt).
Summit's in sight.
Thanks for the summit shot, Stanford peeps.

No pics from the way down; we chugged on out. Final times: car-to-car-11:50, doorstep-to-doorstep: 21:25 (including undoing any of this trip's cardio benefit with a stop at Happy Burger-philly cheese steak on fried cheesy garlic bread, add bacon, and a banana milkshake).