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Mule Train

5.7, Trad, 300 ft (91 m), 2 pitches, Grade II,  Avg: 3.2 from 5 votes
FA: Jim Cunningham and Tom Foll, July 1987
California > Southern-Wester… > Hwy 41: Fresno… > Fresno Dome (Wa… > Fresno Dome > e. "South" Face

Description

This is an enjoyable climb up the beautiful golden face on the South side of the dome. Start about in the middle of the face, at a section of speckled rock (looks like this
). The crux is getting past the first couple bolts, and I thought it was pretty stout for the 5.7 it's given in the Spencer guide.After the start, lots of 5.0 climbing up the knobs leads to a bolted belay at a nice little dish/ledge.

The second pitch climbs up and right. Some sections of golden polish provide more challenge. Another 2 bolt anchor is below the giant bulbous overhang. I spotted another bolt on the slab above this anchor, so it looks like a route to the top of the dome has been added, although we didn't do it.

There are also a handful of other nice looking face climbs to the right of Mule Train. They are newer and not in the Spencer guidebook.

Rappel the route with 2 ropes to descend. We managed to rap with one 70m by working our way right to a ledge, and then raping to the ground from a bolted anchor on the ledge.

Protection

Bolts protect all the hard climbing, but you can reduce the runouts on 5.0 terrain by slinging chickenheads.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Beautiful golden polish on the second pitch.
[Hide Photo] Beautiful golden polish on the second pitch.
Mule Train with 5.9 extension
[Hide Photo] Mule Train with 5.9 extension
Extremely cool patina and chicken-heads reduce most of the climbing to easy (but relatively steep) 5th class.
[Hide Photo] Extremely cool patina and chicken-heads reduce most of the climbing to easy (but relatively steep) 5th class.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Cory B
Fresno, CA
 
[Hide Comment] You can climb to the summit of the dome in 2 more pitches by heading up the right slab from the top of the original Mule Train pitches. Pitch 3 is a bolted 5.9. Pitch 4 is a bolted 5. easy with a short crack (#2 and #1 camelot). Worth heading to the summit rather than dealing with the rappels! Dec 9, 2017
Robert Hall
North Conway, NH
[Hide Comment] If the route is supposed to be 5.7, where's the finish go that isn't the 5.9 extension? A bit confusing. May 22, 2018
Dave Daly
Kernville, CA
[Hide Comment] "There is no route to the top that is 5.7." Whiskey Bill does. Oct 8, 2019