Trip Report: Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park
When: 09/06/2017
Location: Tuolumne Meadows
Conditions: 60 degrees, 40% chance of thunderstorms, smokey
Duration: 7.5 hours
Difficulty: 5.9
Kid Friendly: No
Pet Friendly: No
The Full Report:
My climbing partner and I recently set off to climb most the ambitious and longest route we've climbed yet, the Regular Route on Fairview Dome in Tuolumne Meadows.
Though a 40% chance of thunderstorms initially kept us off the route for the first few days, we changed our minds and decided to make an attempt. We arrived at the route early to avoid crowds, and hopefully the storm. We left the parking lot at 7 a.m., arriving at the base of the route at 7:11 a.m. The first pitch took us nearly 45 minutes, not only because my partner overprotected, but because of our lack of morning coffee severely limited our brainpower. I followed him up, swapped leads, and began to lead the second pitch. The second pitch followed thin hands to an awkward 5.8 pod, that I set without too much difficulty, landing on a comfortable ledge. My partner, Emmerson, followed me up and proceeded to lead the third pitch
He led the entirety of third pitch as well as the first half the 4th. The third pitch turned out to be a full-on 5.8 pitch, rather than the 5.7 finger crack leading to 5.8 hands that the guidebook had described. Though surprisingly burly, this turned out to be one of our favorite pitches. I joined him and led the remaining bit of the fourth pitch to Crescent ledge. After a snack and a pee break, Emerson led the 5th pitch, a fun and mellow 5.6 hand crack.
I linked the 6th and the 7th pitch, as darkening clouds struck fear in my heart. They airy moves of the roof on the 6th pitch were fun and easy, though quite exposed--all in all, it was a delightful lead. After building a tenuous anchor on a small ledge, Emerson followed up just as heavy rain began to fall. Because the weather moved in from behind the dome, we didn't know what was coming next, and our anxiety grew. However, I was quickly relieved to see the sun break through the darkening clouds, and shouted with joy down to Emmerson. As we reunited at the ledge, the storm moved several miles away as the thunder and lightning began.
Emerson led the eighth pitch, which involved some mellow 5.5 moves, and belayed me up from a ledge with a tree. We simul-climbed roughly three pitches, before roping up for one final 5.4 pitch. At a large and obvious ledge in front of hollow flakes, we unroped and free soloed the remaining third and fourth class terrain to the summit of Fairview Dome, 900 ft. above the base. Car-to-car, the route took us some 7.5 hours.
Fairview Dome is a wonderful climb, at a substantial but moderate grade. It’s an excellent for multi-pitch trad climbers hoping to advance their abilities; Emerson and I found this climb to be both fun, exciting, and fulfilling.
He led the entirety of third pitch as well as the first half the 4th. The third pitch turned out to be a full-on 5.8 pitch, rather than the 5.7 finger crack leading to 5.8 hands that the guidebook had described. Though surprisingly burly, this turned out to be one of our favorite pitches. I joined him and led the remaining bit of the fourth pitch to Crescent ledge. After a snack and a pee break, Emerson led the 5th pitch, a fun and mellow 5.6 hand crack.
I linked the 6th and the 7th pitch, as darkening clouds struck fear in my heart. They airy moves of the roof on the 6th pitch were fun and easy, though quite exposed--all in all, it was a delightful lead. After building a tenuous anchor on a small ledge, Emerson followed up just as heavy rain began to fall. Because the weather moved in from behind the dome, we didn't know what was coming next, and our anxiety grew. However, I was quickly relieved to see the sun break through the darkening clouds, and shouted with joy down to Emmerson. As we reunited at the ledge, the storm moved several miles away as the thunder and lightning began.
Emerson led the eighth pitch, which involved some mellow 5.5 moves, and belayed me up from a ledge with a tree. We simul-climbed roughly three pitches, before roping up for one final 5.4 pitch. At a large and obvious ledge in front of hollow flakes, we unroped and free soloed the remaining third and fourth class terrain to the summit of Fairview Dome, 900 ft. above the base. Car-to-car, the route took us some 7.5 hours.
Fairview Dome is a wonderful climb, at a substantial but moderate grade. It’s an excellent for multi-pitch trad climbers hoping to advance their abilities; Emerson and I found this climb to be both fun, exciting, and fulfilling.