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Royal Arches too wet this year in early may?

Original Post
Scott Marsden · · Vallejo, CA · Joined Jul 2020 · Points: 0

My buddy and I want to climb Royal Arches on May 7th in the Valley. Given the snow they are having today, and all the rain they've had recently, do you think it will be too wet to climb then?

Clint Cummins · · Palo Alto, CA · Joined Jan 2007 · Points: 1,754

It will probably be fine in early May.

These parts are affected by running water:

1. On about pitch 4, if you try to stay straight/left in the groove/corner, that can be very wet.  The solution is to instead climb out right, which involves some low angle climbing with pin scars and finishes with a 5.7 hand crack which is briefly vertical.

This is the 5.7 hand crack.  Unfortunately I did not find a premade photo which shows the traverse to reach this, but it's not hard to find.

2. The traverse after the pendulum.  This is fairly easy, and you can simply take off your shoes for 10 feet.

3. Sometimes the end of the next pitch at the right facing corner can be a little wet/slimy, but you can place gear there, and it's only 10 feet or so.

Drew Scott · · Austin · Joined Oct 2016 · Points: 14

Thanks for the beta, Clint! Very helpful. I hope to climb Royal Arches sometime next week (Week of May 18th). Any tips on how to know what the conditions are before heading up? Obviously checking MP ticks. But can you see the water running down the pendulum pitch from the valley, for example?

Clint Cummins · · Palo Alto, CA · Joined Jan 2007 · Points: 1,754

Right, with 14 ticks/comments in the past 5 days, you can see there is the usual water just after the pendulum, and a bit on the first pitch chimney as well.  But it does not seem to be stopping people, so you should be fine.

Sure, you could look at the water with binoculars from the valley floor if you want.  But I think the tick comments would be more informative.

https://www.mountainproject.com/route/stats/105862881/royal-arches-510-or-57-a0

There are 2 main lines of water visible above in Steph Abegg's photo overlay.

The big one on the left (much white water showing) is the "Royal Arches Cascade".  It is entirely left of the climbing.  It lands at the "Devil's Bathtubs", right of Serenity Crack.

The smaller one right of center is visible as a wide black streak, right of the yellow overlay line about 3/4 of the way to the top.  It crosses the climbing just after the pendulum at the (P9) belay, and it is where you take off your shoes briefly.  There is a heavier left sub branch of it (some white water showing) which crosses the climbing just right of the (P10) belay.  Lower down, this stream is in the corner just left of P4.  The one where you go out right and climb the short hand crack.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Northern California
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