This route was the best Christmas present I ever got. 

  Imagine climbing a steep sunny granite slab on near-perfect rock for almost 700 feet of edging and smearing. Imagine being surrounded by a sea of granite domes and trees in 65 degree weather in the middle of winter. Imagine watching Cotimundi's eating berries while approaching the base of the route and then rapping off in a beautiful Southwest desert sunset. Imagine all of that, or maybe just go climb this route and experience it instead. 

  Find this route by hiking to the base of Westworld Dome and skirting in to the base of a massive buttress, perhaps 160 feet tall and 10-15 degrees off of vertical, left of center. This is the beginning of the climb and it sports a line of bolts.   

  P1: 5.10c, 160'. Follow a line of bolts past the first crux, perhaps 1/3 of the way up the slab. This is runout at the top and the easiest line runs slightly left of center above the last bolt. If I recall correctly, this runout can be mitigated with a stopper placement if you desire to do so. You will end on a ledge where some gear or a cordalette will make a good belay. This pitch sets the tone for the rest of the route. 

  P2: 5.8+, 60'. Look back and left to see a small corner with a crack. Climb up this, protecting with 1.5 to 2.5" gear to reach a bolted belay after 60 feet or so. This pitch is the only "easy" pitch along the route, and is out of character with the majority of the climbing. 

  P3: 5.10c, 150'. Climb up another line of bolts arcing slightly right for a short distance and continue 2/3 of the way up the pitch to the crux where the holds are incredibly sloper and small, but still good. Finish the pitch at another bolted belay. This pitch, like the first, is a classic on it's own merit. 

  P4: 5.10b, 160'. Climb up and right from the belay to reach the next solid section of wall. After a little more 5.10b slabbing you will reach a section with larger and more positive holds, these end soon enough though and you will move up and left again to reach a blunt rib of rock onto more thin 5.10 face moves. Another classic pitch. 

  P5: 5.10c, 150'.  Tired? Are your tips sore?  You can ease back to 5.10a or lower climbing now... almost! Step up and right off of this belay and make a right-hand sequence (10c) though a set of sharp, crystaline pockets to reach the final crimpers before the angle eases off. From there continue to move up and right to near the massive corner overhead. You can even move right far enough to get a stem or two for rest. Finish the route to another set of bolts before rapping off. 

  Rap the route with two (2) 60 meter ropes. 50M ropes might work, but I have not verified this.

Warpaint

The last ten feet are the business.  The bottom has some great well protected crack climbing.  The top can be finished two ways.  Off width it or stem it.  The latter may be a letter grade harder but easier if your OW technique is not too good or you happen to be facing the wrong way in the crack.

Wide Bodied Warrior

An absolutely fantastic and proud modern route up one of the steeper faces on Westworld Dome, The Ritual is a fine addition to the Stronghold and will challenge a panoply of climbing techniques. It is comprised of powerful crack wrestling, precise face waltzing and improbable slab teetering, with mellow and aesthetic ground to a wild summit block. Pitch 1: Ascend a right facing corner (small cam and bolts) to a ledge. Stem off a boulder and head up a layback feature to the hanging pillars and twin cracks above. A crazy boulder problem and compression techniques gains the long crack which leads to a semi hanging belay. 12-, bolts and gear to 3"Pitch 2: Continue up the golden face on small holds to a crux where the wall kicks back. Climbing continually eases off and gains a sparse, run-out slab with huge knobs (5.8 R) to a spacious ledge. Totally incredible pitch, one of the best face climbs around. 12d, bolts and a couple of long slings for the knobs. 

Pitch 3: From the anchor head up on nearly invisible holds and traverse hard left, encountering a crux gaining the knobby dike that arches upwards to a spattering of big chicken heads. Romp up the very run-out slab (5.6 R/X), passing some slinging opportunities, a #3 placement and one bolt to the anchor. 11b, bolts, slings, and a #3Pitch 4: Climb the obvious, juggy and extra fun dike to the summit. 5.9 R, two bolts and some slings if you want them. Rappel War Paint. Hail Index!

The Ritual

Part of this route has been climbed a while ago so look at the picture and get lost in it. 

  Climb up the Skwinkle crack to bulge that leads to big chickenheads and follow the arching crack. (.9+) 

  Move up and right following cracks and chickenheads to ledge w tree (.8) 

  Face climbing moves leads up small chickenheads to a bolt 20ft up (.10 / A0) 

  Long low angle slab that leads to the summit. 

  A great experience for those wanting to enjoy routes without any or barely any information. 

  Have fun and look for the skwinkles at the top.

Deranged Skwinkle/ Buckeroo

This is a fun offwidth, chimney, hand crack.  The first 15 feet are the crux then it gradually gets easier.  The R section is quite a bit easier but you don't want to fall.  Move right at top of crack then a thin 5.8R move gets you into an easy chimney.  A long sling for a chockstone or #5 Camalot would allow you to get pro in the back.  According to Dave the 2 pitch direct start 1) climbs up to a good ledge and belays. 2) Follows a crack up and right and belays above an oak tree in the major weakness.  This is where it joins the route Defrocked.  Defrocked starts to the left of Coati Corner and in two pitches heads past this second oak and belays.  It then continues up somehow and crosses Warpaint using the first bolt on the fourth pitch to traverse all the way left to the major corner system which is then climbed in two pitches to the anchors at the top of Warpaint.  Hope Dave will put this and his other routes on Mountain Project so people can repeat them or not mistakenly drill them up

Defrocked Direct Start

A beautiful left facing dihedral on great rock.  This would be a classic at most cragging areas. If you are doing a route on Westworld Dome don't miss this one.  A little mental strength will be needed for the final moves.  One of Bob Kerry's finest efforts.

Coati Corner

Climbs the less often visited East side of the Westworld Dome.   See Bob Kerry description here =>climbaz.com/Backcountry/pag…

  All bolts have hangers.  5th pitch not as dicey as description says nor is the route necky by modern standards.  Fun route with easy approach and fantastic views.  Finding the descent route can be a bit frustrating. Look far over the east edge on the summit to spy the hanging belay bolts which facilitate 140' rap to tree (another 140' to ground from tree). Two ropes.

Dreamscape Buttress

A challenging 5.10 route with a long first pitch of trad climbing.  Stay right at the tongue like overhang and save the #4 camalot to protect the moves.  Not sure where the crux is.  Pitch 1 has a short but powerful layback section while 3 has a very smooth bit of slab.  It will take a few ascents to clean the grains and fuzz off of the first pitch. The second and third are solid and fun.  Stay left at the top of pitch 3 unless you want a little more excitement.  The route finishes by starting up the last pitch of Warpaint then busts right up the steeper plated face with bolts that forms the right side of the chimney/corner of Warpaint's last pitch.  An easier but grungy (it will get better) first pitch can be done.  "Chief Tossing Cookies" starts 40 feet left of Dustdevils.  A neat crack flake system takes you past a different pine tree.  When you reach the ledge walk all the way to the right to the anchors.

Dustdevils

This is a neat flake crack system that gets you to the same ledge as the first pitch of Dustdevils.  It is easier than the bottom but a bit grungy near the top.  This is already starting to clean up with traffic.  It was climbed as an easier alternative start to Dustdevils.

Chief Tossing Cookies

This crazy dike and crack feature makes for a fun pitch of climbing and a worthy addition to any day up at Westworld Dome for those seeking a little adventure. From below, the climb appears steep for the grade - and it is - but enormous jugs allow easy passage and a crack paralleling the dike allows for generally excellent protection (I advise caution slinging the dike itself as it is hollow for much of it's length).Begin with an easy scramble up a slab to a zig-zagging wide crack. Above this gain the astonishing dike and follow it to the top where a tat anchor allows rapping back to the ground.

Unknown

Skwinkle your way up to the base and get a few extra pitches at the base of Deranged Skwinkle. Furthest left is the original deranged routeMiddle crack - “Sobotka aficionado” .10c /+Right crack -  “Pulparindo chicken”  .10

 

Skwinkle cracks

It is not quite as good as Coati Corner, but it means you now have two good pitches to do if you get down early. This climb was drilled ground up with a few hook placements or dubious cams used so we could haul the drill up. Then we each lead it to get the first and second free ascents. The crux fifteen feet below me takes balance then power as the feet go away for a move or two on pockets.

Ringtail Arete

Westworld Dome is a huge granite dome in the West Stronghold.  From the end of Forest Road 687, it is the dominant feature on the right hand side of the left drainage.  This 600' rock holds several good lines, including the classic Warpaint.  

  The rock on Westworld Dome is mostly good, but you better have the right shoes on. The face is slabbing in most places, barely low enough to call a slab in many others, and even overhanging in some.  Westworld Dome is a fairly long approach, so plan on doing a long route while you are there, to make it worthwhile.  

  To descend from any of the top-out routes, rap either Dreamscape Buttress or Warpaint on 2 ropes.60M ropes are ok, 50M uncertain.

CASA is a home for climbers. It’s a place where you can learn new skills and have fun being a steward of the areas we use. Our work is the foundation for our advocacy for climbers, and it empowers us to address access issues when they arise.

Description

Protection

Routes in Westworld Dome