BETA PHOTO: Cooke Book - Daff Dome with alternate starts and b...
Description
A classic 4-5 pitch dihedral with all types of crack climbing but mainly liebacking and finger locks. This is another great route on Daff that gets plenty of summer afternoon sun.
Three starting options exist; the original 5.9 dihedral that passes a fun roof to an awkward and physical slot then sweet jams - a great pitch, what appears to be a runout 5.9 face to easy crack pitch with one bolt or a 5.7 crack with steep face to enter it. The first two options lead to the same fixed anchor and the third option is a gear belay.
From the fixed anchor at the end of the first pitch you should continue the second pitch left past easy jamming with lots of knob footholds until a 5.8 traverse at a big hand hold / pod in the crack allows a crack switch left about 5 feet, this is exciting for the second. Alternatively you can make a 20 foot rappel to the top of the 5.7 crack or down climb to it 5.7. The second pitch ends at huge ledge. The optional 5.7 crack first pitch start avoids the exciting traverse for your partner on the second pitch.
The third pitch jams and laybacks up a wonderful corner to belay at a small stance, easy 5.9 with #3 camelot belay.
Fourth pitch runs up to a large loose flake then underclings the quick 5.10- crux (small stoppers or tiny cams) to more good jamming. Belay at the top of the dihedral to watch your partner or continue to the top with easy safe climbing.
Location
On the far northwest side of the dome, start near a tree on the ledge 20 feet north of West Crack for the original start or 20 feet further north for the 5.7 start. Descent by 1 x 60 meter single rope rappel from chains near the only tree on the northeast side of the dome then walk northwest through the notch.
Protection
Plenty of stoppers especially medium through #3 camelot. 3-4 fixed pins on original 5.9 crack pitch and add a few long slings if you do this pitch. No fixed anchors at belays except the original 5.9 crack first pitch.
By Jason Halladay From: Los Alamos, NM Oct 1, 2007 rating: 5.10a
This was a "sleeper surprise" route for us. Hiked in to climb West Crack and it was loaded with people so we looked around and decided to get on this one. I'm so glad we did! Maybe I enjoy laybacking more than the average person but I found this route to be more enjoyable than West Crack. We took the direct 5.7 start, which was fun, and had a great afternoon on this route. The 5.10a crux took me a couple shots to get it right. I tried laybacking and shoulder jamming which failed but once I did a palms-down finger jam up into the crack and trusted my feet, it all went smooth. Fun stuff!
DAFF Dome
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