Beanfest Dome, 5.8-5.11

Overview/Approach

Beanfest Dome is not the easiest objective to get to and thus will probably be one of the last destinations you climb in the Stronghold if you are attempting to climb out the area. By far the best way to land the base of Beanfest (avoiding the most bushwhacking and/or snow) is to climb any of the Stronghold Dome routes that reach its summit.  Then scramble along the ridge to the obvious diving board type feature and make an exposed 5^th class move down from there onto a lichen covered boulder and boulder hop to Beanfest’s southeast facing wall.  The best routes are clustered at the north end of the wall:  Crystal Vortex, 5.10*, Moronic Convergence, 5.8* and New Age, 5.11.  You can climb all three from the same rope-up area.  Crystal and New Age are fully and well bolted routes.  Moronic is a fun chimney/OW moderate.  A competent leader will be fine with a single to #4 for that route.  Both of the sport climbs have their own fixed rap anchors.  Moronic’s is a slung chickenhead I intalled in 2024.   

The local guide does a poor job (2024) describing how to get to Beanfest Dome.  As beforementioned it is best to first climb any route to the top of Stronghold Dome.   Once at the summit rap station, scramble north, making one short exposed move over a crack in the floor.  There is an iconic diving board type of feature on the summit ridge of Stronghold Dome.  Make a short 5^th class downclimb directly below it onto a boulder.  From this vantage, you have Beanfest’s southeast facing wall directly in view.  Boulder hop northwest to the base of the wall.  Crystal, Moronic and New Age are clustered together at the north end and share the same rope-up spot.  It is also possible to walk Stronghold’s summit ridgeline north to its end and scramble west through trees, possible snow in winter, to the gully separating the two and then bushwhack south up hill to the col.  The first option I outlined is much cleaner and more direct. 

Route Descriptions (Routes Listed Left to Right When facing the Southeast Facing Wall)

Vicious Little Crack- 5.10/

Darling Chickens- 5.9PG/

Artful Dodger- 5.8/

Crystal Vortex- 80’- 5.10*/ This bolted climb was the only recommended route on Beanfest Dome in the local guide (which typically favors sport climbs).  It is a worthy route.  Start on the left side of the leaning pillar that makes up the chimney route Moronic Convergence.  Clip one bolt and traverse right across the chimney to the right wall and follow the bolts.  There is a thin layer of soft crumbling tuff on part of this route, but you can stay right of it on granite most of the way.  The 2^nd to last bolts should have been placed a foot or two right to avoid the fragile tuff.  The crux is early, a traverse right from maybe the 2^nd bolt on thin edges, but the whole route is fairly 5.10- sustained.  Can be top roped from its own fixed rap anchor.  Route receives sun from morning to early afternoon.  Dow

Moronic Convergence- 90’-5.8*/ This would be an excellent and interesting route if not for a large willow type of tree one must fight through at the beginning.  Once through the tree, you are climbing a tapered chimney on the outside edge (crux).  Eventually you can see through the leaning pillar to the other side. Continue up intermittent cracks on the main wall until near the end where you can mantle the top of the pillar.  We slung a chickenhead here in 2024 for the rap.  A competent leader will be fine with a single to #4.  If pushing the grade, you might want a #5 and/or #6.  Route receives sun from morning to early afternoon.  Dow

New Age- 80’-5.11/ This fully bolted route is stout for the grade.  It starts difficult off the deck (but well bolted) via chossy and thin edges.  The entire first half is sustained at the grade.  Plenty of options, but most are downward slopers which makes finding the correct sequence challenging.  Worth doing if climbing Crystal already, but otherwise the rock leaves a lot to be desired on this route.  The 2^nd half backs off the grade considerably to its own fixed rap.  Route receives sun from morning to early afternoon.  Dow