Royal Arches Route

[1] The route was first climbed Oct. 1936 by Ken Adam, Morgan Harris, K. Kenneth Davis.

At Pitch 5, the route turns north and ascends the main face along crack systems.

Pitch 10 can be free climbed at 5.10b however, most climbers use a fixed rope to pendulum to a long ledge.

The descent is usually accomplished by traversing northeast to Washington Column and descending the exposed North Dome Gully.

The Royal Arches route has long been a popular free solo, and the competition over the years has led to some astounding ascent times.

Leading the 11th Pitch of Royal Arches, August 1984. This was shortly after the famed rotten log fell on the original route. [ 6 ]
Half Dome