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Schizophrenic Dike

5.10+, Trad, 350 ft (106 m), 3 pitches,  Avg: 3.9 from 24 votes
FA: unknown
California > Lake Tahoe > Carson Pass Hig… > Calaveras Domes > Calaveras Dome > 1. Northeast Face

Description

Is it a crack? Is it a dike? One of the best pitches at Calveras Dome and it's a geological gem! It sits a few pitches up under the Laughing Hyenas arch and finishes at the apex of the arch. You have to climb two pitches to access it - each deserving about 2 quality stars. The easiest option:

1. 160 ft, 10b. This is the first pitch of Rastaman Vibrations. Start on a right trending ramp just right of the bolted routes, then mantle up and follow another left trending ramp until you get to the tricky corner/arete. Here you can either climb straight up with questionable gear or better bust out left to the bolts and follow them up. Clip a head or two higher up in between the bolts to arrive at a comfy stance with a bolted anchor.
2. Here Rastaman splits to the right via a 5.12 finger crack. Another 50 ft 10b pitch with a short crux leads up and left to the 2nd set of anchors. This is probably the 2nd pitch of Laughing Hyenas.
3. At this point you have 3 options all of which are stellar. The arching layback of Laughing Hyenas is 11c with no move easier or harder than about 10+/11-. Wicked pump awaits. Schizophrenic Dike traverses left to an obvious bolt at the start of the dike and follows that all the way up to the same anchor. You'll get another bolt at the very end of the pitch for the tricky crux. 150 ft, 10c.

The 3rd option is to traverse hard left at 5.8 clipping 1 bolt along the way to another bolted anchor and the start of Mr. Stiffy - an awesome 11a finger crack. This traverse is easy to skip by rapping straight down from Schizophrenic Dike anchor.

To descend rap straight down to one of two anchors with rings on either side of the "V-dihedral" with two ropes or rap to the left and climb Mr. Stiffy.

Location

50 feet left of Silk Road corner and 2 pitches up.

Protection

Doubles to #1 camalot, single #2 camalot with emphasis on very thin. RPs are useful. 10 draws. 2 ropes.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Janice coming up Schizophrenic Dike
[Hide Photo] Janice coming up Schizophrenic Dike
Taken mid-pitch.
[Hide Photo] Taken mid-pitch.
Hyena Arch from the top anchor (same for Schizo Dike and Hyena Arch). Looked pretty stout!
[Hide Photo] Hyena Arch from the top anchor (same for Schizo Dike and Hyena Arch). Looked pretty stout!
2nd approach pitch. Silk Road corner is visible in the upper right for reference.
[Hide Photo] 2nd approach pitch. Silk Road corner is visible in the upper right for reference.
Starting the dike pitch.
[Hide Photo] Starting the dike pitch.
Monica leading the Schizophrenic Dike under the Hyena Roof.
[Hide Photo] Monica leading the Schizophrenic Dike under the Hyena Roof.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Pavel K
 
[Hide Comment] P1: I second the recommendation to use the bolts to the left of the crack system for protection. in 10/2017 there were also two fixed old nuts on P1.

P3: The actual dike. Small nuts can be very helpful. Difficulty dependent on finger size. I think I ended up pinching the dike most of the way up.... Oct 31, 2017
Peter B
Austin, TX
 
[Hide Comment] The approach pitches are fun as well! Nov 22, 2021
Bryce Y
Sacramento, CA
[Hide Comment] Did this with my smallest piece being a 00 metolius. Kept it in my back pocket thinking I'd need it when things got a bit more thin... the smallest piece I ended up placing was a blue metolius. Don't avoid this pitch if you don't have a bunch of micros, it's manageable without Jun 4, 2022