H. Adams Carter
361 Center St.
Milton, MA 02186
May 10, 1990
Dear Mr. Carter;
Below is a brief description of the new route I climbed with Walt Shipley last Fall. I appreciate your solicitation for this climb, and will try to keep in touch with your fine journal for future ascents.
Yours Sincerely,
John Middendorf
Half Dome, NW Face. In early October I arrived in Yosemite with no specific plans, and met Walt Shipley who had just finished hiking his last gear load down the Half Dome slabs after a solo attempt of a new route to the right of Tis-sa-sack. I convinced him that his fixed ropes (to pitch 5) would be unsafe if left over the winter, and we teamed up for the ascent. For the next three days we hiked gear up the slabs to the base. After seven days and six nights on the wall, we topped out on a beautiful full-moon night. The last pitch exits through the steepest section of the final overhangs, and required no bolts. The 17-pitch route is completely independent of other routes, though it crosses Tis-sa-sack at 2/3 height. 127 holes were required for the ascent. We named it the Kali-Yuga. VI, 5.10, A4.
--John Middendorf, Flagstaff, AZ.