Tsefnaeb Dome, 5.8-5.11

Overview/Approach

Tsefnaeb Dome is located just to the south of the more popular Stronghold Dome.  It features several good single pitch climbs of which a few offer morning shade.    Most however have full sun exposure until late in the day.   That Hideous Strength, 5.10****, is one of the best moderate single pitch trad climbs at the Stronghold.  It is tall and offers two sustained sections at the grade.  Hideous is one of the few pitches in the Stronghold that you can truly unload a full single rack to #4 on, although the larger gear is only needed with the easier section in between the two cruxes.  It is a fantastic route and offers great morning shade.  Edge of Worst Fear, 5.10R, is the opposite in just about every aspect.  Full sun, chossy rock and runout chossy face/slab climbing. A side by side pair of 5.8 routes, Standard Route and Cut Loose or Die**, are both fun trad pitches at the grade in full sun.

Approach off of the main trail heading up to the Rockfellow Group the same way as you would for the Stronghold Dome by crossing the main drainage.  About half way to the Stronghold Dome, look for a cairn (2023) on the left side of the trail. Follow a faint climber’s trail as it switchbacks west and eventually lands you below the arete that is Edge of Worst Fear.  The routes to the right receive full sun, the routes to the left offer at least a half days’ worth of AM shade.  Tons of rap stations and even cold shuts on this wall.  A single 70m rope is best for several of the routes.

Routes Listed West to East

Chronic- 5.11-/

That Hideous Strength- 115’-5.10****/ Not listed on MP.com as of 2023, this is one of the finer single pitch moderate trad leads in the entire Stronghold. A beautiful and varied pitch on stellar rock.  The left side of Tsefnaeb Dome lends itself to overhanging 5.11 routes.  Hideous however, uses an awkward left leaning ramp corner to get over the lower overhang portion of this wall.  Very cool hand and finger jams on your right as you step over space on your left with cool exposure.  A fun pull over the lip finds below grade climbing through plates to another slightly overhanging wall.  Climb positive features out right, whilst placing horizontal gear and clipping bolts out left.  Several pumpy, but positive, sequential moves are required to reach the rap hanger.  You need a 70m rope to comfortably set up a TR.  I used most of a single rack from micro to #4, the #3 and #4 were used on 5.8 ground in between the two crux portions.  This side of the wall gets good morning shade.  Scramble up a water worn gully to the west facing wall on the left.  Route starts on the right to left steep ramp with a bolt to start.  Dow

My Name is Unreported- 5.11-/

Excluded from History- 5.10-R/

Edge of Worst Fear- 115’-5.10R/ This route and more specifically its rock, is not near as good as That Hideous Strength.  Located at the very edge of the south face, Edge takes the left edge of the wall straight up to a rap anchor.  Start by clipping a bolt in a dish as you scramble to the base of a wide and chossy slot.  Place gear and clip another bolt as you climb this slot and pull out of it via a jug on the arete. Then climb run-out chossy slab and features, 5.8-5.10a, just right of the arete until you reach a chossy tips crack that takes brassies and small nuts.  Continue straight up to a fixed rap.  70m rope makes setting up a TR down at a small shade tree comfortable.  Single rack to #3.  Wires and brassies a must. Route gets intense sun most all day.  Dow

Out of the Silent Planet- 5.11-/

Demonic- 5.11-/

Standard Route- 5.8/ (the obvious weakness at the center of the south face)

Zambo Goes to Chicago- 5.10-/

Cut Loose or Die- 90’-5.8+**/ A fun route to the right of the Standard route.  Climbs through the obvious flake and pulls a roof.  Continue following cracks to a shared fixed rap with the routes further right, a lower rap than the Standard route rap up and left.  A few hollow blocks.  Single to #3.  Route gets sun most all day.  Dow

Fist Bumping Ball Cuppers- 5.8PG/

Tsefnaeb- 5.9/

Gumbi Goes Splat- 5.10-X/