I updated this site: New Tuolumne guide

Here is my short list of favorite climbs in Tuolumne Meadows. It starts in the Meadows down by Lake Tenaya. There are many additional good climbs. These are the ones I've led.

Stately Pleasure Dome

• All the moderate routes on Stately Pleasure are pretty good. West Country, blah, blah, blah, blah etc. Problem is you have to do that long deproach down the ball-bearing-covered slabs with lots of exposure.

• South Crack 5.8: Nice climbing for about a pitch of finger-handsized crack.

  Mountaineer's Dome

  Mountaineer's Dome

• Rock Lobster, 5.9+: An excellent (sandbag) route. Steep 5.8/9 corner for the first pitch (stemming, jamming and laybacking). Then a short series of hard face moves to a wild fingertip traverse and mantle (says 5.9+ in the guide, I'd call it 10b). This is followed by one of the best cracks in the Meadows with about 80 feet of finger and hand jamming. If it were climbed more often it would be a bit cleaner. You can finish by flailing and thrashing up the Hoodwink roof or escape underclinging the roof to the right and up the corner.

  Pywiack Dome

  Pywiack

  You can see someone on the left up at the end of NeedleSpoon and a party of two on the right on Zee Tree. The Dike runs up the obvious dike in the middle.

• The Dike, 5.9: Just across the road from Stately Pleasure. Got to do this one just because the line is so nice. The stories of big runouts are exaggerated. Mostly easy climbing up to the crux pitch where a bolt protects the couple of 5.9 moves just fine. You can walk off down the right side (as seen facing the dome) with only a few moments of terror as it is steep in spots, rap off with two ropes or climb the 5.7 (one move) dihedral above the last pitch of The Dike and walk off to the left (East).

• Needle and Spoon, 5.10a: Pitch 1 is very continuous 5.9 (or harder) face climbing. It is too well protected -- must be a dozen bolts on the first pitch alone. The technical crux is just one thin move going for a great little ledge. Those bolts are hard to see sometimes. This is the big brother of the The Dike.

  Paul Doherty at the start of Needle and Spoon.

• Aquaknobby, 5.9: Yow! A great route but a bit scary. It starts with a third class up a 5.6 slab. The long second pitch is classic Meadows knobs sans bolts. You can place some pro in a little dihedral, but the crux moves (pretty stiff for 5.9) are steep and sequential. You can place medium stoppers between knobs. Definitely a "real" climb. More stiff runout climbing leads to the crack. The left-leaning crack that looks so nice from the road is actually just a couple of moves through a bulge then hiking to the top. Walk off left at the top. I did this with my friend Bill Frey and we walked away thinking we were losing it since it seemed hard and scary for a mere 5.9. We stopped at the Mountaineering School to get a beverage and saw Peter Croft. He said `what did you climb this morning?'. We said `Aquaknobby'. His eyebrows went up, he said `pretty stiff eh?', we felt way better.

  Beyond Pywiack

  Looking past the south shoulder of Pywiack to the Vision.

• The Vision, 5.10a: Nice route, great line. Pitch 1 is missing the upper bolt, pitch 2 is big-time major-league runout but not too hard (minimal 5.9) although the belay at the bottom of the pitch is not great (2 rusty 1/4 inch bolts) and the few bolts that do exist on the climb are in bad shape -- looks like they have been pounded by rock fall or maybe crazed people. Pitch 3 is classic Meadows 5.10a face climbing with good-enough protection. Pitch 4 is a nice enough but disappointingly easy crack up the headwall. No harder than 5.6 most of the way. Note, haven't climbed this route since 1980 - bolts could have been replaced.

  Bunny Slopes

  There are some surprisingly nice bolted routes here. You scramble up some third class to a long ledge system. The routes follow bolted lines. It is generally steepest at the bottom and the runout to the first bolt might be intimidating if you are close to your leading limit! Need two ropes to get down from chains. As the angle kicks back half-way up is a long way between bolts, but the climbing is easy with knobs all over the place.

  John hopping long on the Bunny Slopes

  Dozier Dome

  There are lots of nice face/knob climbs going in at Dozier. The approach is now a pretty good trail and it takes maybe 20 minutes. Don't get suckered into hiking along the well-beaten path that parallels the road.

• Errett by Bit If you climb the first pitch of Errett Out, moving right up a ramp to a pair of chains, then head up the long second pitch of Bit-by-Bit, this is a called Errett by Bit in the latest version of the SuperTopo guide. The left-hand start to Errett Out climbs up to a bolt, then climbs a slightly spooky 5.7 slab up to a ledge/crack system. Out the left side of the flake then following a line of bolts up and right to a double-chain anchor. The next pitch consists of very nice knob trotting up a well-bolted face trending a little right. The 3rd pitch goes up an unlikely looking headwall with a couple of well-protected moves above the belay after which the angle drops off. You can rap down from three sets of chains (60m rope) or walk off. Maybe a little harder than the Golfer's Route (but much more tightly spaced bolts) and a little easier than Shagadelic.

  Looking up the second pitch of Errett by Bit.

  Looking down the 2nd pitch

  The headwall 3rd pitch

• Holdless Horror 5.7 This is a 3-pitch-long crack that runs straight up the left side of the dome. Varies from a finger-sized crack to off-width with enough knobs most places to allow you to skip the chicken wings. There are a few steep sections. All in all a fun climb. A couple of big cams are nice to have. Much of the climb can be sewed up with stoppers. The second pitch has all the wide climbing, the third has a steeper finger/hand/knob section. Walk off to the right, down the slabs, then cut back along a trail to the base to pick up your pack.

  Holdless Horror is the left-hand crack. The right-hand crack is also a nice route.

  Kitty approaching the second belay on Holdless Horror

• Bull Dozier 5.7 Nice hand/finger crack! This is the second crack right of Holdless Horror as you face the cliff. Better climbing than Holdless. There is one move on the 2nd pitch past a wide (not that wide, you can get a good left foot in the crack and a #4 Friend fits here) section that might cause a little pause, the rest is really nice finger and hand-sized jamming.

  Bull Dozier

  Bull Dozier 2nd pitch

• Isostacy 5.8 Another excellent route on Dozier that runs straight up the center of the wall. The first pitch heads up a little corner then up (go right a little) on knobs. This is a touch runout and you need to pick the right path. Middle-sized cams are useful here. Past a few bolts up to a nice belay ledge with chains. The second pitch would be fabulous if it were a little steeper. Some runout easy climbing then a really nice finger-sized crack for 150ft to another set of chains. The third pitch to the top is only 60' but there are a couple of steep moves on knobs (solid 5.8) well protected by two bolts.

  Looking up the 2nd pitch of Isostacy

  Looking up the 3nd pitch of Isostacy

• Cheeseburgers and Beer 5.8 Nice one pitch route on the left side of the dome. From the top of the trail, head left up hill a little further. It is a long way to the first bolt, but the climbing is easy (though not trivial). There is a definite crux with some thin moves past a bolt, then nice climbing up over a bulge.

  Cheeseburgers and Beer

  Mariuolumne Dome

• The Hobbit Book 5.7 This route is a little treasure. Takes a while to hike up to the base. Climb the big corner for an easy pitch, then launch out onto an amazingly terrifying (given the 5.7 rating) face on beautiful knobs. The only pro is tying off the biggest knobs with girth-hitched slings.

  Medlicott Dome

• Shagadelic, 5.8 This is one of the "new" routes in the meadows. It takes a great line up the left side of Medlicott. A pretty good hike up to the base. Starts with a bouldery move up to a small ledge and then fires up a corner with a crack to a tree and huge ledge. Up the face above the tree with a fixed pin and three bolts. Some balancey moves there--might be easier to use the big crack on the right.

  From the next huge ledge, climb up a little corner and then head straight up a steep all with knobs for two full pitches! I figured when we got up there the angle would be kicked back, but it's not. Although the SuperTopo comments for this climb call it soft for the grade, it seemed a good two grades harder than the Golfer's Route! So many bolts it is essentially a sport route. Could have skipped every other bolt and it still would have been well protected.

  Shagadelic on Medlicott. The arrow shows two climbers on the 3rd pitch.

  Lamb Dome

• Little Sheba, 5.10a: Nice little finger crack. Steep but short.

  Steve Mitchell, Little Sheba

  Low-Profile Dome

  (nice place on a cold morning)
• Darth Vadar's Revenge, 5.10a: Classic! Well protected, excellent climbing on knobs over a small roof and up a pretty steep wall. 2nd pitch is also good. No harder than 5.9. Used to be a good bit sportier before somebody added a bunch of big bolts to pitch 2.

• Golfer's Route, 5.7: This one is pretty nice. Easy knob climbing with just one set of interesting moves about midway up. This too has been retro-bolted. Both these last two have been set up so you can rap off with a single, 60m rope.

  Golfer's Route

  Beyond Low-Profile Dome

• Shadow of Doubt, 5.10c: Go do this one right away. Steep climb on positive edges. Well protected (put a runner on the bolt before you traverse right). No 5.10c anywhere on it -- more like 5.9 most of the way with three letter grades added for the sheer terror of being on such a steep wall standing on those little crystals.

  Paul Doherty following Shadow of Doubt

  Daff Dome

• West Crack, 5.9: This is a beautiful line and nice climbing, but doesn't quite live up to its big reputation. Nice first pitch with some awkward stuff to start. Big overhang on large holds to get going on Pitch 2, then off you go up the long crack which is bigger and knarlier than it looks from afar.

• Great Circle Route, 5.10a: I've always liked this route. Nice 5.7 crack delivers you to a classic thin Meadows face. Protect is good enough, place a piece at the top of the crack before launching out into that face. There are no knobs here. The golden polished face has small areas where the surface has broken away leaving (sometimes) a small edge and rougher surface. You step carefully from one of these to the next, using the edges and sometimes smearing the rough sections.

  Can do GCR in one or two pitches. There is a nice direct variation now that goes up the face between Hogwash and GCR.

  Alex, Great Circle Route

• Hogwash, 5.10c: Well-protected face climb pulling down on those little crescent-moon shaped holds and having to carefully wind your way up two pitches. A good deal harder than GCR.

• The Guide Cracks: There are various short, nice-but-hard-on-the-hands cracks near GCR. The left-most (facing the wall) on the left side of the little pillar is a steep 5.8 layback, and the one just to the right of the pillar is a finger/hand crack also 5.8. The next crack right has a challenging set of initial thin-hand moves (5.7/8) then gets easier. The furthest right crack is a great first trad lead at 5.5 with as much gear as you want to place and nice stances from which to place it. Alimony Cracks down and left of these is longer at most of a ropelength. Nice hand-size crack with a crux bulge that is not just steeper but also has a short section where the crack goes wide.

  Steve leading the rightmost of the Guide Cracks

  Fairview Dome

  

• Regular Route on Fairview, 5.9: Great crack climb, well-protected, mostly 5.7, 5.8 jamming with a very brief, well-protected marginal 5.9 section down low. Don't bother taking any big or very small pro. Doubles on #1 through #3 Friends plus some medium-sized stoppers will do the trick. In the photo at the top of this page, the Regular Route starts in the crack system pretty much directly below the highest point and goes up left of the two slanted roofs.

  Looking down at the 2nd pitch

  The pitch above Crescent Ledge

• Lucky Streaks, 5.10d: One of the best crack climbs anywhere. First pitch is runout, start the second pitch in the crack (maybe 10a at the start). Do the 10d straight-up variation to the start of the third pitch (the 10a climb-around is gritty and ugly) - its no big deal, just a thin move or two. The 10b lieback ramp is scary and awkward. Take some tiny stuff for barely-adequate pro. The 5th pitch traverse is inobvious. If you stay high under the arch, it is definitely harder than 5.8 and poorly protected. Supposed to go left 10 feet below the ceiling over to the corner. The 5.8 crack climbing is excellent. Steep, sustained with bomber pro. The only problem with this route is the lack of decent belay ledges. Mostly hanging. Take a big rack up to #3 friends as the pitches are long, and there is no fixed stuff at the belays. If you stare at the photo at the top you can pick out LS. It starts below the left-facing open book on the right-hand side of the wall. At the top of the book go up and left to a barely-visible wide-open book and straight to the top.

• Great Pumpkin on Fairview, 5.8 - this is an excellent route! Best 5.8 I have done in a long time. All four pitches are good and there is alot of variety in the climbing. If you are new to 5.8 leading, this will test your skills.

• Magical Mystery Tour 5.8 - This is a daunting route to stare up at, but in fact it is pretty fun and not hard. It is all the way around the right side of Fairview. A line of big bolts (pretty well spaced) goes up a steep wall. Did this with Bill Frey and the climbing cover girl queen Karine Nisson (now Karine Croft).

  Magical Mystery Tour. Click for a bigger version (snagged this off the WWW).

  Lembert Dome

• Werner's Wiggle 5.8 (short but nice)

• Water Cracks 5.7 Got to do them, but you probably won't go back to do them again.

• Trucking Drive: 5.8+ Nice little climb! Funny move over the roof made easier if you use those bomber hands, good face climbing above. Take some gear for the first belay and something bigish for protecting the move when you hoist yourself over the roof.

  Trucking Drive, Rawl drive on the left, Water Cracks to the right.

• Rawl Drive: 5.10a and scary. Pitch 1 is hard 5.9 to the one ancient bolt with a big splash if you don't make it, pitch 2 starts with some hard-for-5.10a moves and excellent potential to get hurt. It is the tongue of rock to the left of Trucking Drive in the picture above.

• Lunar Leap: 5.9 Great little route. Stay to the right of the gold wall for pitch 1 and belay as high as you can or a 165 foot rope won't reach. Pitch 1 will get you thinking: it has fairly continuous 5.8 with skimpy pro. Pitch 2 has some solid 10a climbing despite the 5.9 rating. The move off the ledge is not the hard part, but it is definitely a little intimidating. You leap up and right for a pretty good hold and mantle onto a ledge. Once you get established above the Leap, there is sustained 5.9 - 10a face climbing for a stretch, then it eases off.

  Lunar Leap

• Direct NW Face of Lembert: 5.10b Excellent crack climb. Pitch 1 has some 5.9 thin crack (pin scar) climbing. Pitch 2 goes up a steep 5.9 corner with good hands, a bit of stemming, and an interesting face move to the belay ledge. Pitch 3 is a nice clean couple of moves up a steep locker-fingers crack, then a little overhang with perfect hands to a good ledge. Can lead to the top or belay there. Last section is no givaway. A scary mantel and some steep face moves with no pro unless you bring along a #1 Tri-cam.

• Crying Time Again: 5.9. This is a marvelous 4-pitch route up the steep SW face. No real crux, but lots of solid knob climbing. The traverse left on pitch 3 is a bit runout from for both ends of the rope. Go right from the ledge after the traverse. Straight-up looks great and there are bolts to lure you up, but it is considerably harder than 5.9.

  I grabbed this image off the internet. I wonder what they have in those big packs?

  A group of three ont he 4th pitch of Crying Time

• Northwest Books: 5.6. Nice little route.

  

  Puppy Dome

• Do Or Fly: 5.11b. Strenuous, surprising awkward crack given its great size. Sew it up and you will get a pretty good forearm pump going! Watched Big John B. 3rd class this one day and somebody said "there goes the Norelco Man". I gave them a dumb look and he said "he's cordless".

  Do or Fly.

  There is a nice little 5.7 hand crack on the second tier of Puppy Dome and another nice 5.7 corner to the top above that. Down by the river there are some good boulder problems and some others on the "front" (parking lot) side.

  Puppy crack at Puppy Dome

  Boulder problem on the side of Puppy nearest the backcountry parking lot.

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  Michael Bolte- bolte@ucolick.org