[Hide Comment] Great route that's got great pro for T-Meadows. I give it a 5.10a rating. Some beta for the 4th pitch: follow the many bolts (in a sea of orange knobs) until they seemingly run out and you can't figure out where the next one is...go way up and right and keep you eyes peeled. The first acentionists should have gone straight up to the last stance at the current belay on pitch 4 instead of wandering out to the left..just me and my partner's opinion. Jul 17, 2012

[Hide Comment]

Excellent Smithers is not really a sport route. Bring gear up to 3 inches, especially small cams for the third pitch. Two 60m ropes are needed to rappel.

ROUTE DESCRIPTION
The route starts just a bit left of where Medlicott's east side trail meets the wall.

Pitch One (5.7, 25m): Climb the obvious, knobby, hand crack. Move left on face holds to the belay bolts and nice ledge.

Pitch Two (5.10a, 15m): Face climb past 6 bolts. Bolt belay on a foothold.

Pitch Three (5.10a, 35m): Four bolts lead up more hard face climbing to a small roof where the gear placing begins. The gear is all behind a thin flake and there is still a hard move above; not that well protected to be called a "sport pitch". After the thin flake and white roof, it is still a long way to the belay. Medium cams are useful.

Pitch Four (5.8, 60m): Nine bolts up a sea of golden knobs to the last belay. Jun 23, 2013

[Hide Comment] "The first acentionists should have gone straight up to the last stance at the current belay on pitch 4 instead of wandering out to the left..just me and my partner's opinion."

That's funny...because I did go straight up! Turns out there's a hard friction bulge that way, so I traversed left to the obvious weakness and up that (back right) to the belay ledge. Then we moved the line to where it's left-trending to get to the easy way through the bulge (and we added a bunch of bolts).

Definitely not a sport route, even by "Tuolumne sport" standards... Jul 10, 2013

[Hide Comment] Great route! I've done it twice with friends...one complained about the line on P4. Good to know about the "why" in that the route G.B. took was the best possible way considering all of the ramifications. I will let Keesee know what G.B. had to say. Feb 6, 2014

[Hide Comment] Had a great time on this route! Big thank you to Greg Barnes. Fun movement & really well bolted (by Tuolumne standards, and otherwise in my opinion). Don't let the comment about the left-facing corner on P3 being funky for pro scare you off; small cams and nuts protected it well. Thought the first one or two face moves directly off the belay to start P3 were the crux. Could easily link P1 & P2 as they're both very short.

If you're up for an adventure like we were, from the top anchor you can traverse up and right to top out Medlicott! Be warned it is quite run out and heady to do so before you can get a piece or two in. Makes for a little adventure to end the day, with a scenic place to swim on top Aug 26, 2019

[Hide Comment] After placing a first piece in the corner, then making a couple of moves, I went up the face to the right on bigger knobs - is that not the line? Felt similar to the steep section of Aqua Knobby when you leave the corner. Secure, but I couldn't see to place more gear in the corner, so I made one blind cam placement midway through. Easy enough to traverse above the "roof" that caps the corner and get back to gear options.
The corner looked harder and blank(er), while the face had great knobs. I may have skipped the 10a corner section by doing this?

Fun route. Easy to link 1-2 without drag, if desired. Sep 13, 2019

[Hide Comment] what a fun route! didn't remember a thing from 12 years ago (every time is a first time).

- technical crux was the start of p2/3 (depending on how you pitch things out). couple of moves right from the anchor (it looks as if the bottom part of a flake/hold on the right broke).
- dihedral on p2/3 takes good pro and is definitely not 10a (much easier when climbed on the face to right of corner), there is a good knob out to the left about halfway up the corner that allows you to select/place appropriate gear.
- p3/4 is a bit weird on top (should go straight up, hard friction move or not), but the first half is awesome

good to see dob and barla - you guys rock ;-) Aug 13, 2020

[Hide Comment] Pitch 3 and 4 pitch lengths are a little shorter than advertised, and with a skinny rope could certainly rap Pitch 4 with an 80, very likely a 70. We brought an Escaper and used it on pitch 4 but rapped the rest of the route easily with a single 60, rapping Pitch 3 with stretch. Aug 31, 2021

[Hide Comment] Definitely link the first 2 pitches. A single rack .2 to 3 is more than enough gear for this climb, take 10 alpines. Takes nuts but wouldn't need them with a single rack of cams. All anchors are 2 bolts. Raps seem like they would go with a 70 but if you want to top out you can keep traversing right simulclimbing on sloping ledges with minimal protection (100+ meters, pro every 50-80ft, 5.4-5.5). Highly recommend doing this in the rain since the dome becomes a waterfall and you'll be cruxing on 5.4. The walkoff adds 45 mins to an hour to the descent as you will have to walk to cathedral lake and take the trail down. Sep 10, 2023

[Hide Comment] Double rope rapped with 70m's in two goes; looked like a 70m would probably work for single rope raps, but would cut it close for that top 4th pitch. Super fun knobby face/slab climb with great pro (by tuolomne standards). Jun 18, 2024

[Hide Comment] Had ourselves a little adventure on this one! Linking P1&2 was wise, but barely managed to link P3&4 for a 70m+ heavy rope drag pitch. Sorry to the folks below us for that decision. We also opted to try topping out the dome by leading over to the Shagadelic anchors and finishing out above. While the terrain is nowhere as difficult as the previous climbing, that connection is spooky and poorly protected for both the leader and follower. Jul 28, 2024

[Hide Comment] Great route Greg! Nov 11, 2024

[Hide Comment] Lovely climb. Easily raps with an 80m. It didn't look like a single 70m would reach on that last pitch--not without some shenanigans--but I'm not certain Aug 18, 2025