South Side Johnny  5.8+

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Type:  Trad, 2 pitches, 100 feet FA:  ? Submitted By:  tobias on Nov 29, 2002 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (2) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

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Seasonal Raptor Closure MORE INFO >>> The Cathedral Spires area, including Block Tower, Cynical Pinnacle, Snake Buttress, the Dome, Hall of Mirrors, Sunshine Wall, and Poe Buttress, are closed annually starting March 1 for raptor nesting. After careful monitoring of nest sites, Jefferson County Open Space opens certain areas of Cathedral Spires and maintain spot closures for active nests through July 31st. Check back periodically during times of closure for updates. This information is a public crowdsourcing effort between the Access Fund, and Mountain Project. You should confirm closures, restrictions, and/or related dates. Keeping climbing areas open and conserving the climbing environment

Description 

Location: south slabs of the Dome. Walk up to the saddle just south of the Dome, northwest of the Bishop. Drop over the west side. Pass a monster boulder that has split open (making a nice boulder problem on the smaller chunk), then take a right and walk north. Staying to the right, there's some fourth class scrambling to get you up the the climb's base. It's a meandering crack on the left of a 5.5 gully; you can see rappel slings at the base of a medium-smallish lone pine halfway up.

The climb: I thought this was Seamus at first... It's nice climbing; I agree with the two stars. Medium cams and wires will get you there. If you're just climbing the first pitch, you may want to place a directional before you traverse to the tree; otherwise, your second will be exposed to a decent pendulum. I think the second pitch climbs above in a short, dirty crack, then onto easier terrain...about 5.6. I didn't see any place to rappel from above when walking off a different climb--you have to go way around to the west, and work your way down slabs and boulders--so you may just want to climb the first pitch and rap off the tree. The two slings are fairly new. Nice climb...

ps. There are lots of interesting-looking cracks in this area--short hand and finger cracks, off-widths, huge roofs--all levels of difficulty. Some bolts needed, though. Explore and enjoy!

Protection 

Medium cams and wires.