Royal Arches is considered by many to be one of Yosemite's all-time classics.

Commonly done at 5.7 A0 with a point of aid off a fixed line

, the route is easily freed at 5.10-. While the route weaves its way up an impressive band of rock at a relatively easy grade, there are other moderate climbs of superior aesthetic quality, but perhaps it earns it's classic status due to the history behind the climb, first negotiated in 1936, or the easy approach combined with an accessible grade, or the simple fact that it serves as the most effective approach to North Dome that makes the climb so popular... don't expect to be alone on this route.

Approach Royal Arches from the Ahwahnee parking lot. The most heavily traveled trail, well right of Serenity Crack, is likely to be the correct trail. The start of the climb is in a chimney in the back of a huge left-facing corner. The highlights: Climb up the chimney past a chockstone (5.6). Make a long 3rd class traverse on ledges to the right. Climb a steep, polished ramp/groove (5.5). Once again, traverse right on 3rd and 4th class ground -- do not be tempted to start climbing up the face or corners, continue right as far as possible. Eventually head up on a 5.7 finger crack. At this point, follow the chalk and clean rock up various crack and ledge systems for several pitches, eventually ending up in a left-facing corner system. At the top of this corner system there is a bolted anchor on the face from which a 30' length of fixed line is attached. Clip this for pro, and either pendulum left or climb left (two moves of polished 5.10-) to a ledge system. Follow this way to the left. Climb up either side of a giant hollow flake, then step left to some tree climbing to a belay alcove. Step around a corner to the left and continue up on low angle 5.6-5.7 terrain. Just below the headwall and roof systems, continue traversing left following the line of least resistance. One pitch climbs through some dirt mounds. Shortly after there is another traversing pitch with a two bolt anchor -- make note of this if you plan to rappel. One more traversing pitch finishes the climb -- this one can feel a bit sketchy compared to the rest of the climb. Traverse high for gear in a dirty undercling, or traverse low to clip a lone bolt. Either way beware of pine needles on the slab. This pitch is strange in that it seamlessly merges into an actual trail into the woods... kinda cool.

Other miscellaneous notes:

*Topping out involves following the trail left and then up.

*Right where the climb ends there is a great spring with water that is safe to drink -- you can't miss it.

*Sleep in! There are numerous places on the climb to pass or be passed.

*The rappel route is fast and effective and can be done with one or two ropes. I highly recommend consulting with the SuperTopo guide for specific details on the locations of the rap stations.

*The walkoff is via the North Dome Gully. For parties only doing Royal Arches (and not doing another climb on North Dome), the raps are the way to go. For parties continuing on to North Dome (or for climbs on the Washington Column), the Gully would be much faster.

Royal Arches (5.10- or 5.7 A0)

A well protected face friction climb on a rounded arete.  Crux is after the third bolt.

Age of Industry

This is a bangin route for a cold day.

P1. 5.9

P2. 5.10a

P3. 5.10a A0/5.11b A0

P4. 5.10a

Super Visor

The first 4 Pitches of this route were definitely climbed by somebody in the past, if anyone knows who please let me know so I can accredit them. Re: the first 4 pitches Follow the route called the wise cracks. This route  has really fun lie backing and complicated roofs as well as a spectacular friction slab pitch which is really safe and well bolted. From the 7th pitch it  follows royal arches route for about 4 pitches then goes directly up the arete through a stellar crack system. You can rappel from the rim to the royal arches rappel route. I used a double rack to #2, 1 #3, and optional but helpful double fours for the 12th pitch. I uploaded all my notes and a hand drawn topo to the photos, i put in a lot of detail that will hopefully be helpful, but if you have anymore questions just message me.

Here is a hand drawn topo ingnore the grades I have changed them all for the most part, and definitely ingnore the 13 variation at the end, that’s next falls project and has yet to be bolted, directional bolts are on top of the arete if you wanna top rope it tho give it a go it’s super sick

Off Route Direct

Start right of the roof and work your way back left and then up to an unavoidable tree, and in my case, thousands of pine needles. From here, a few moves on a flake and then a bolt that protects crunchy slab moves going right and up. The Sloan book shows a spot for an anchor in a corner, but I didn't see any bolts or rap rings. It's likely easier to build at the same tree for "Fine Line", which is up and left.

Peeping Tom

The Shining

This route lies between Y Crack and Poker Face and can be hard to see from the ground perched above a large dirty corner left of Poker Face (not King-Snake, TCSM is further left). The first pitch goes up a scruffy corner to a tree, with some rotten rock above the tree for kinda shyte pro then traverses a few slab moves (5.10, PG13) to the right to a flake that you follow to the top for the belay on the second pitch. This pitch is not very high quality and the 3+ star rating is for the second pitch only.

The second pitch (5.11a) is best done as a face climb at the thin start concentrating on your feet, then is solid 5.10+ classic splitter endurance fingers to the end. About an 50-60' pitch IIRC.

Micro Wires, plenty of small wires (ie BD 5-8 or so) and TCUs useful.

A Cantwell/Augie classic and must do on the Yose fingers circuit. Harder and steeper than Mr. Natural and more sustained than the Serenity crux but still a splitter slab finger crack. 3+ stars/4 stars.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre

This is an OK pitch that starts from the same ledge as Royal Perogative.  The crux is down low where a shallow finger lock must be pulled with a combination of balance and core strength to proceed upward.  This crack is sandy and some of the finger locks must be cleaned on lead with a nut tool.

Krovy Rookers

Thin flakes and grainy edges past 7 bolts.

Rum Sodomy in the Lash

Another alternative start to Royal Arches. This 5.5 chimney sees much less traffic than the first pitch of RA, so it's much grippier. Whatever, it's fun, go do it if you wanna do some easy chimney stuff, I'm just writing about it okay?

The bottom of the route is like a narrow bathtub, so it's filled with water whenever it's wet.

The Supertopo guide shows another little bit of 5.5 to the left after exiting the chimney, which should take to to RA itself.

Unnamed Chimney

This is a good little route that will have you reaching into your chalk bag right off the start.  To gain the excellent crack, face climb (crux) past a single bolt.

Royal Prerogative

On the far left side of the Royal Arches Apron is a triangular pillar below the Arches Direct route. Double Trouble climbs the right side of this pillar. Start on the face and slab climb past several bolts to reach the arete. More slab and arete climbing leads to a 3-bolt anchor. Two of the hangers were flattened by rockfall and can't be clipped by a carabiner. From the anchor you can rap with one rope into the gully to the right to descend.

Double Trouble

This fun climb starts with some thin climbing up to a ledge.    Leave the ledge on the right and head up the well protected slab, aiming for the flake and easier climbing above.

An airy sequence, possible to protect by threading a long sling, to reach the belay at the top finishes off a good climb.

Arete Butler

Felt like a sustained 5.9, but i loved the climb.

Y Crack

This climbs the blank face to the left of

Double Trouble

. Somewhat flakey, but at least the friction is really good. The difficulties are much more sustained than Double Trouble. The routes share the same anchor.

To the left of this climb is Barney Rubble (10d) which currently has bad bolts.

The Violent Bear It Away

A dirty and flaring crack leads to a bolt and more flare before the anchors.

Way Homo Spurm Burpers from Fresno

Thin face moves past three bolts to a small over hang.  Undercling left to fourth bolt and up straight past one more bolt to top.  No rap anchors !

Distant Driver

I'm not sure if this is an unfinished project or work in progress, so please feel to edit if you have any information about FA or name. There are 8 shiny new bomber bolts on this slab. Then, the bolts run out and it's mostly crunchy slab to the top where there's a new fixe bolted anchor. I am not sure if the bolts ran out because the rock is suspect, if it just ended with a gigantic runout from there, or if this is simply a project in the works. Either way, I was able to access the anchor easily from the top of Peruvian Flake, top rope, and then free all the moves, despite several broken slab feet and hands. I'm not a slab expert, but my partner said it feels about as hard as the hardest moves on the Freeblast Slab, so I'll call it 11- until consensus grading says otherwise. 80m rope to the base, 70m will get you to the ledge where "Fine Line" is.

Unknown

If you don't care much for the 5.6 chimney first pitch of RA, go east and downhill around the corner and you'll have this pitch or two. The Supertopo guide says 140ft, so we'll go with that. I climb with a 70 and making it stretch to the Manzanita up top ain't hard. There is a small Oak tree 3/4 of the way up covered in slings that can serve as a TR anchor for doing laps or whatnot.

Royal Arches Alt. Start - Crack

17 bolts to a 2-bolt anchor. Slab climbing the whole way on dime-sized edges with tiny crimps to help you balance. Well-protected slab training.

Poker Face

A small dihedral with a tips crack widens to fingers before petering out onto a featureless slab past several bolts to a 2-bolt anchor.

The climb isn't terribly steep, allowing for a great deal of smearing and face climbing even in the crack-protected section.

Face Card

Perched on the right side of the Royal Arches visor is a cobra shaped corner system accessed by 4 pitches of adventurous slab climbing that breaks off from the pendulum on Royal Arches.

From the pendulum, climb a pitch of well protected slab that also serves as the first pitch of Super Visor. Break off right at the second bolt on pitch 2 and clip a couple more bolts before stepping across a water streak and running it out to the anchors. The next pitch contains a single lead bolt but does accept some supplemental gear. Pitch 4 is a neat traverse straight right which will get you to the base of the true corner system and contains the only bad rock on route. It is rated R on the original topo but protects well with modern gear. The first pitch of the corner system contains an amazing splitter crack that apparently goes at 10c but unfortunately is filled with a lot of grass. We were able to free climb up to the last 30 feet at 5.11. If someone were to perform some gardening, this pitch would be classic but at the moment it is not very fun to lead. Pitch 6 is a splitter 4” crack that can easily be linked with the previous pitch and gets you to a hanging belay at the base of the cobra’s head. Pitch 7 is what you came for. It’s a  5.11a enduro splitter corner to undercling on an epic feature in an amazing position that pops you out at the edge of the valley rim.

The hardware on route is all up to date as of October 2021 (courtesy of the ASCA) with the exception of the pitch 3 anchor which contains one 1/4” bolt and one new 3/8” bolt that was just added. This single 1/4” bolt was originally a lead bolt on pitch 4 per the Reid topo. With the new P2 anchor added by the ASCA in 2012, I believe the new anchor location for P3 makes the most sense. We went up there with the Reid topo, sloan topo and information from various forums on Supertopo but we found all of the above to be quite inconsistent and inaccurate. Use the current hand drawn topo.

The Cobra

Thin face climbing on friction, dime edges and shallow dishes with start trending left up very shallow groove and then up towards gray friction pockets. Fairly sustained with hardest moves down low and another heady section up high.

Hand drilled on the lead so some space between a few of the bolts but very clean below and nothing to hit in a fall (as I found out while drilling one of the upper bolts).

Originally named Barney's Rubble after Barney NG who spotted the line.

Haven't climbed it in a few years but bolts almost certainly due for replacement after nearly thirty years.

Barney's Rubble

A very cruxy start past bolts on smears and palms leads to a lower angle fingertips crack above.

Astro Spam

Crux is the face friction climbing between old quarter inch bolts.  The climb starts out on a nice crack, hands to fingers size, before petering out onto face climbing.  The first bolt you come across is just to the left and 8 Ft above where the crack peters out.  Continue up and left some more on thin friction climbing past three more bolts.

Surplus Cheaper Hands

This is a super easy crack and face-ish climb to the left (up and around the corner) of Y-Crack. This route takes you up to the anchor for Y-Crack, so if you wanna solo-TR Y-Crack or something, there you go.

There lies a loose flake at the top. Yarr.

Unnamed 5.3

There are many good finger cracks around the Royal Arches area.  This is one of them:  In a right facing corner is a clean, straight in, thin finger tip crack.  Climb this crack with good quality granite 90 ft. to a dirty/bushy ledge.  The quality quickly deteriorates just before reaching the ledge at the top.  Like many of the other cracks in the area, this pitch is good for climbers just breaking into the grade.

Fine Line

Rebolted in 2018 (thanks for the quality hardware ASCA).

Pitch 1: 10c

New direct start.  Still the lowest quality pitch of the climb.  This pitch is the price of admission. Climb past a couple bolts up a leftward trending ramp.  Pull the roof with bolt protection then climb another ramp to the anchor.

Pitch 2: 11a

The glory begins. Edge right past a bolt to a splitter that opens from tips to perfect fingers.

Pitch 3: 11d

The splitter continues but closes up. Luckily, edges around the crack provide a method of ascent.  The crack accepts small gear in pods and there are 5 or 6 fixed pins for pro. I love this pitch. One of the lower angle 11+ pitches around, classic Yosemite.

Pitch 4: 11d

Step right past a fixed pin to a steeper thin finger crack. Crank up to a roof and a rest. Undercling out right and climb the handcrack to another bolted anchor. Another high quality pitch.

Rappel from here with a single 60m

Or

Continue up and left into a 5.8 fist crack to join Royal Arches in one more pitch

King Snake

This route is mostly a seam which opens up to take pro every body length.  Its a heady lead but ends up protecting well.  Just like the other routs in the area, it usually needs to be cleaned since it doesn't see the traffic that Y-crack does.

Royal Flush

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Description

Protection

Routes in Central Royal Arches