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Super Slide
5.9,
Trad, 500 ft (152 m), 5 pitches,
Avg: 3.1 from 461
votes
FA: Gene Drake, Rex Spaith, 1971
California
> Yosemite NP
> Yosemite Valley
> Valley N Side
> H. Royal Arches…
> Royal Arches
> Western Royal Arches
Access Issue: Latest updates on Covid and falcon closures.
Details
Please visit
climbingyosemite.com/ for the latest information on visiting Yosemite.
Ongoing Issues:
Yosemite National Park climbing closures and conditions.
Yosemite National Park has yearly closures for Peregrine Falcon Protection March 1- July 15.
Always check the Yosemite website Peregrine Closure page at
nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/… for the most current details and park alerts, and to learn more about the peregrine falcon, and how closures help it survive. This page also shares closures and warning due to current fires, smoke, etc.
Description
1. Climb the groove 5.2, into a 4th class ramp, follow this and then some dirty climbing up on a large ledge and build an anchor in the thin finger crack in the middle of the ledge.
2. Climb directly up above the belay until a delicate rising right traverse (no pro) allows a good crack to be gained. Follow this, until you can scramble under a tree onto a ledge and belay.
3. Follow the ledge left and then climb good cracks up to a hanging bolt belay. This is the first of 3 good pitches.
4. Continue up the crack system until an obvious step right can be made where the cracks continue up to the belay.
5. This last pitch is a good one. This climb saves it very best to the very last few moves. Climb up until a nice finger crack allows progress up and onto the belay.
Descent is via Rappel. Rappel to the 3rd belay. From there Rappel to a tree with a rappel slings, and from there to the bottom. These rappels need double ropes.
Location
Located on the left hand side of the Royal Arches Area. 200' up and left from Serenity Crack.
Protection
standard Trad rack 1-2 sets nuts, 1-2 sets cams.
[Hide Photo] manny s. leading up p3 on 'super slide' in yosemite. photo shot with expired film for that vintage look
[Hide Photo] Route Overlay for Super Slide.
[Hide Photo] Super Slide 5.9 Royal Arches area. Yosemite Valley
[Hide Photo] solid pro placed on 'super slide' in yosemite
[Hide Photo] Watch out for the huge loose death flake at the base of pitch 3!
Tucson, AZ
Oakland, CA
Agree that linking the first two off of the ledge (also covered in loose rocks) is the way to go.
Great route in spite of the patches of loose stuff, and perfect if you're pushing into the grade. Stays in the shade behind the Ahwahnee Buttress until late morning. May 31, 2007
Boulder, CO
- combining pitches 1&2 (60m rope) gets you to the goods faster.
Saw no sign of the p1 anchor so just kept going. A 60m rope barely makes it to the first tree on this ledge. Bring some runners if combining these two pitches. - agreed that the hanging belay at top of p3 is uncomfortable. Wish we had linked with p4.
- DO THIS ROUTE! It's so money.
Jul 22, 2008Ca
I lost my wedding ring at the base of Supe Slide or Trial by Fire. Its a silver ring, let me know if you find it. Thanks Dec 2, 2008
Oakland, CA
Livermore, CA
Seattle, WA
Gear: We saw three mangled metolius cams (orange and yellow) on the top pitches. We did it on camalots and had no issues (bring doubles on the .5s and .75s and plan to bump), but if you climb on metolius, just be wary. Jul 28, 2009
DC
Draperderr, by Bangerter, UT
P4 & the belay above was pouring with water when I did the route this May. P5 was dry at the crux though. Sunshine did manage to burn off the water on the route.
On Trial by Fire my second noticed a grapefruit-sized rock fall near him and it was NOT from a climber above. Jun 7, 2011
Boulder, CO
Boulder, CO
Just a word of advice, while pulling the rope from the first double rope rappel, out line snagged on a sort of knob directly plumb from the top anchors. I'm not sure if this is dumb luck but this happened on both occasions, being especially obnoxious since my we had to climb to unstick the rope each time. In the future I will probably rap to the top of 4 first to avoid this. Apr 19, 2012
NoCo - WY
rappelled with a single 70m (5 raps) with no problem: on your 3rd rappel, you rap back to the tree at the base of P3, then walk across the ledge to the tree on top of P2 to set up the next rappel. your 4th rap takes you down to the huge ledge where you scramble down to skier right for a set of (rather new shiny) anchor with quick links. from there a single 70m takes you down to the ground (go climber left to reach the uphill ground. if you rap straight down, you would be 2 meters short and end up on some 11c slab. tie knots for safety!) happy single rope climbing :) Mar 22, 2014
- Eric Gabel Mar 26, 2014
Boone, NC
Truckee, CA
San Francisco
Carmel Valley, CA
Concord, CA
Reno, NV
When link with 5.8 off width, make sure you go left if you want the 5.6. Right side would work, though it is a bit harder. Jun 15, 2017
The rap was a pain in the ass. There is some loose rock above the lower tree that could conceivably get knocked onto the start of the route. Be careful. Sep 28, 2017
Yesterday my partner and I were setting up the last 70m rappel (as per Climbing Ivy's instructions) when one of the anchor bolts ripped out. We used the nearby bush tree to set up a backup with a cordelette and a biner, but with the coming rainy season, someone who has the know-how and tools should definitely go up there and replace the anchor bolt. My partner and I were really shocked it came out, and thankful neither of us were fully relying on it! Nov 13, 2017
Reno, NV
Carmel Valley, CA
South Lake Tahoe
Descended with a single 70m in 5 raps - down the bolted stations to the ledge at the top of P2, down to the P1 ledge from the tree, and then back down P1 from the bolted anchor skiers right. All anchors in excellent condition - the comments below must have inspired someone to replace the rap anchor. Oct 10, 2018
San Francisco, CA
Gumbasia
Edit: 4/2021. The loose block is still there
Also, I think the first pitch is more like 5.4 or 5.5. But maybe I'm going the wrong way? Oct 3, 2019
Rapping to the ledge on top of pitch two drops you on top of other parties and is full of loose rocks and debris. Oct 26, 2020
San Luis Obispo, CA