Can you get to..............

[polyglot]

I'm not sure if it's possible or permitted there (I've never been to any of the US national parks), but can you get a helicopter to do a dropoff/pickup? It's a common approach in ski fields and around glaciers, used frequently by skiers and photographers. If there are regular flight services in the area it'd be a couple hundred dollars - probably cheaper than the climbing and safety gear you'd need to walk there.

You could fly in in the afternoon, wait a couple hours for perfect light and fly out again at dusk, way later than it would be safe to do so if you needed to return on foot. And you get to bring much heavier/better gear without carrying it.

[Preston]

The only helicopter flights allowed in Yosemite are for rescues, fire suppression, and medevac. This is a good thing.

--P

[Eric James]

North Dome Gully is 3rd class only if you go the right way. The Death Slabs are also 3rd class...if you fall without a rope.

ignatiusjk: stay away from North Dome Gully in winter! In fact, the whole notion of you being on North Dome at that time of year is silly.

[Vaughn]

I suppose one could base jump (parachute) from North Dome to get back down in a hurry...land at the Ahwahnee, hand your chute and camera pack to the bell boy and have a nice scotch to finish a great the day of photographing.

This past February it would have been possible to go the Snow Creek route if one was properly prepared and experienced. I know that I am not physically ready to take on that hike with anything bigger than my 4x5...and that is still doubtful !LOL! One of my boys hiked to the top of Yosemite Falls and on to Yosemite Point last February (after carrying my Reis for me about 2/3's the way up...another boy carried my five 8x10 holders, leaving me with just the 8x10, lenses and meter!) The weather was exceptional, snow on top, of course. We were there during my boys Presidents Week school break. Other trips there in January and February have not been so storm-free, to say the least.

Cross-county skiing to Glacier Point sounds fun, if I was not so inept at it. I'd love to camp on top of Sentinial Dome again (the other time was in a late May, with Yos. Falls booming across the Valley). Not quite as a unique winter photo as from North Dome

[Drew Wiley]

Vaughn, someone tried exactly that off the face of half dome, and by some incredible stroke of luck got the chute hung up ion a tiny bush half way down and they only broke a hip and a few ribs. My nephew and his buddy were climbing the face only a couple hundred feet above when it happened, so were able to get over there relatively quickly and at least secure the idiot to rock before the branch gave way. But the actual rescue was a dicey nightmare that took an entire day.

[Vaughn]

As they say, only bird droppings and idiots fall from the sky...

[Eric James]

...My nephew and his buddy were climbing the face only a couple hundred feet above when it happened, so were able to get over there relatively quickly and at least secure the idiot to rock before the branch gave way...

Is your nephew "Shad" from Michigan - he's an old climbing friend of mine who had to abandon their ascent of Half Dome's NW Regular Route when a base jumper cratered into the face. They used all their precious water to debride the guys wounds.

[Drew Wiley]

No, my nephew is Chris Breemer, and his crazy buddy was Brad Jarrett - well known for
their extreme ascents of Escudo in Patagonia, Aaasgard on Baffin, and speed climbs on the
North America wall in Yos. Half Dome was back when they were in their teens. Now he's
teaching his own kids to climb, mostly just up Cascade peaks. I merely taught him some
elementary ice axe technique when he turned 16. Six months later he climbed Lost Arrow.

[Fred L]

Very interesting thread for a non climber (more whitewater paddler). and thanks Eric, I had to google the term 'debride' and for some reason was compelled to open the photo that Wiki placed there...

[ROL]

...more whitewater paddler...

Me too, these days. I'm working on a site and video on (solo) self–support that I hope to have finished sometime this winter. If interested, you can either check my photo site for a link or my YT channel (ROLCFA), in a few months.