PRINT: Rock Climbing in Porcelain Wall, Yosemite National Park

2. Porcelain Wall

California > Yosemite NP > Yosemite Valley > Valley S Side > D. Half Dome

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Description

Half Dome's mean little brother. This beautiful wall has one moderate aid line (Direct North Face) and a number of rarely repeated, harder aid lines. Expect to have it all to yourself. The wall stays mostly in the shade, getting sun from 3-6PM in September. The climbing is outrageous, becoming continuously steeper the higher you go.

There are bears up in the canyon (poop everywhere) - hang your food.

Getting There

The approach to routes on Porcelain is the crux. Plan on a full day, shuttling loads.

Follow up the Mirror Lake/Half Dome approach. At the top of the first fixed line, make a hard right. Traverse up and right. There is a second fixed line for Porcelain.

There is a nice bivy half way up the approach, avoiding potential rockfall. The final slog up the talus is brutal.

Routes from Left to Right

5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b A3 4 ● Direct Northwest Face Trad, Aid 14 pitches

● Direct Northwest Face

5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b A3 Trad, Aid 14 pitches

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View from the base of the last talus field

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Ty Kom
Utah

Both fixed lines on approach have been replaced as of 9/2023 Dec 28, 2023