Mike Njoten on the first pitch of Figures On A Lan...
Description
These awesome domes lie in the heart of the Wonderland of Rocks and sport some of the longest routes in the park, including possibly the most-famous J-Tree climb, Figures On A Landscape (very exciting 10b). The climbing is characterized by steep face climbing on small edges protected by bolts. Remember though, that these climbs were put up in the days of the bolt-on-lead ethic, and ARE NOT SPORT CLIMBS. Just because these routes aren't given an "R" (by tradition) doesn't mean you won't encounter significant runouts with dangerous fall potential: a small rack is usually useful to supplement the fixed gear on these routes. The majority of the routes on these domes face northeast and thus can be quite cold in the winter and see little sun. That being said a warm day in January brings ideal climbing conditions if you don't mind being a little chilly.
Guides for North Astro Dome claim it can be descended via two 75 foot rappels down the south side of the NE face, though we could not locate any anchors on the summit. We ended up descending the NW shoulder (exposed 4th class) and returned to our packs.
Getting There
Directions are difficult in the Wonderland. It is best to bring a good map to help locate the Astro Domes.
From the Barker Dam parking area, follow the trail north towards the Dam. When you reach the lakebed, continue north through the lakebed (if dry) or cross at the dam. Continue north through the Wonderland until you reach the enormous Don Juan Boulder. At this point veer towards the South Astro Dome and clamber up slabs to a notch which provides an excellent vantage point of the walls. Descend to the route of choice.
The Classics
Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Astro Dome - North:
A very exciting and fun route and one of the best face climbs anywhere. Bring gear for the crack on the third pitch. There are just enough bolts to make the climbing sane, but a fall in a number of places could be bad news. Make sure both leader and follower are solid 5.10 climbers as the traverse at the end of pitch one is serious for both. The 2nd and 3rd pitches are easily linked and in fact recommended. The route starts from atop a large bou...[more]Browse More Classics in CA
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