| West Country, Stately Pleasure Dome Route |
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| West Country, Stately Pleasure Dome   | 
| Page Type: Route Location: California, United States, North America Lat/Lon: 37.87720°N / 119.3767°W Route Type: Trad rock climb Time Required: Half a day Difficulty: 5.7
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| Page By: darinchadwick Created/Edited: Mar 17, 2003 / Sep 20, 2003 Object ID: 157852 Hits: 1337 Loading... Page Score: 85.89% - 1 Votes Loading... Vote: Log in to vote |
Approach
From the Tioga road, in Tuolumne meadows, drive to Tenaya Lake. If you're coming east from Yosemite Valley, this is just after Olmstead point, and your first views of the paradise of the Tuolumne area. Stately Pleasure Dome is just to the North of the road. In fact, the road just squeezes between SPD and Tenaya lake. At this squeeze there are a few places to park a car, and it is the beginning of the route. If parking is full, (as is often the case), park at the lake, and walk a little. The route starts in the small pullout, next to a couple of larger trees. Stately Pleasure Dome is the far western end of a larger dome called Polly Dome, keep this in mind if you're looking at topo maps, and fail to find SPD marked.
Route Description
Begin the route by hiking left up 3rd class slabs toward a ledge with a small cave/`hole in it. West Country takes the left (first) crack system. Continuing along the ledge leads to the hole\cave, and the beginning of Hermaphrodite Flake.
Pitch 1: Climb up a crack that beginns a little awkwardly with big blocks then exit left up an excellent hand crack. Belay at a sloping but large ledge. This belay is shared with the Hermaphrodite Flake route. 5.7
Pitch 2: An excellent left facing dihedral, with fun little face moves and liebacks leads to a bolt anchor. 5.7
Pitch 3: As there are no cracks to climb, resort to run-out but easy face climbing on friction interspersed with a few large holds. There are 3 bolts on this 140 foot pitch, but it isn't as scary as it sounds. 5.6
Pitch 4, jog up easier and easier climbing, along a wider crack that slants to the right. Follow the crack to its end to the final bolt belay. 5.6 move or two, but mostly 5.4. Variation: Before the crack ends, there are two bolts protecting 5.6 face climbing that goes straight up to a two bolt belay.
Descent: Unless one is fairly experienced, it may be worth keeping the climbing shoes on, as downclimbing is faster than rappelling. It's a bit exposed, and sometimes involves pure friction. From the top of the climb, head slightly up and left to a huge dihedral. The descent begins before reaching the dihedral, but you must clear a bulge below that is mid-fifth class. Once close to the dihedral, follow the easiest line visible, rappelling from slung blocks and trees if needed. Most parties only rappel from the large pine tree, and downclimb the rest.
Essential Gear
Remember your small wires and tiny cams. I left mine in the car because I planned to do a wider route, and ended up almost soloing the entire dihedral pitch. Multiple #7 stoppers are great. Some gear for hands, and one #3 camalot for the anchor, but no other large gear. Small to medium hexes actually work here.
Miscellaneous Info
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Yosemite National Park
