Big Dome Gully Routes

Gully Routes on Big Dome

Quick access by walking down the spillway road and cutting directly cross country from the last turn. Contour CAREFULLY over a steep 4th class section and continue on to the Rappel Tree. Bring TWO 60m ropes. Inspect webbing and rappel rings, proceed down Yellow rappel route (requires an UNROPED traverse) or down the anchors for Walk With Me in Hell.

Are You Lichen It? (5.9)

Light blue on topo.

The entire route is covered in black lichen, bring a brush and possibly eye protection from all the dust (especially the second!). The route is dirty and exposed and is VERY different in character to most other routes in the gorge due to the large holds and the crustose lichen and some moss. Climbs a part of the wall that faces mostly east, shaded by 2 pm generally.

P1: A true fourth class first pitch (we hip belayed a short section on the first few ascents) leads to an amazingly exposed 5.6 second pitch.

P2: Just about anything goes on these giant holds- fun for the newer leader who wants to face exposure and learn judgement for anchor building.

P3:Choose one of two exits from the P2 belay station and climb to a 5.9 series of small holds pulling over a bulge.

FA: Denny Nousaine and Tim Camuti 2009

Pork Circus Perimeter (5.10+R)

Red line named on topo.

A route that goes straight up from the little cave right of the Sidewalk Wall but it was savagely runout and pretty hard in spots. I would have added bolts and pins but I ran out of hangers and forgot the pins. I'll put some more pro in that one before I'd recommend anyone leading it.

FA: Chad Suchoski 2010

Oxidizer (5.10)

Red line unnamed on topo

3 pitches of .10a. Gear to 2".

Right (upstream) of Pork Circus Perimeter. It starts right of a big hole in the wall. Climbs a blocky face up a ramp to a left facing lieback arch. The arch is a beautiful splitter crack which terminates at a vertical finger crack. Climb the finger crack to a two bolt anchor. From there, climb the face with intermittent gear to a big overhang. Exit the overhang to the right to a ledge with a two bolt anchor. 4th class to the top from there.

FA: Chad Suchoski 2010

Gully Routes featuring yellow approach and anchor stations below rappel tree.

Walk with me in Hell (5.12)

P1: Starts by stepping off a big block onto the wall. Climb a thin seam past a couple bulges with a couple bolts. Crux is manteling over the second bulge. Was originally done with a RURP for pro. Second ascent (by Chad) added a bolt. Climb immaculate golden granite up ledges separated by splitter cracks to an anchor.

P2 climbs beautiful granite up crisp edges past several bolts to a two bolt anchor in a hole. This pitch is well protected and any runouts are short and under 5.7.

P3 climbs 5.5 slab to the top.

FA: Chad Suchoski 2009

October Rust (5.10c)

P1-Runout to the first bolt. Then easy face into a left facing corner. Clip a bolt at a bulge and mantle onto a nice ledge with a two bolt anchor.

P2- Climb the face with knobs past a couple bolts to a small roof with good gear. Climb over the roof and continue up easy slab to the top.

FA: Chad Suchoski, Tim Camuti 2010

Gardener's Route (5.6)

Almost follows the rappel route up the wall. Gear to 4 inches. No bolts.

P1: 40m Beware rope drag. Follow an obvious dihedral from the base of the rappel route up to the ledge left of the large block. Belay from gear at the ledge.

P2: 40m Climbs straight out of the ledge to some face moves and eventually a gear belay at a shelf.

P3: 30 m Traverse slightly right to a nice crack for P3 of this climb.

FA: Tim Camuti and Denny Nousaine 2009

Google Sites

Report abuse