North America, United States, California, North Dome, Kings Canyon

Publication Year: 1988.

North Dome, Kings Canyon. During the weekend of July 4, 1986, Gary Hinton, Blaine Neely and I climbed a new route to the right of Dolphin Dreams. Freak Show is mostly free climbing with aid consisting of hooking, thin flakes and steep, flared cracks. (V, 5.10, A3+.) Between October 1985 and August 1987, several high-quality routes have been climbed on the polished apron near the right side of the “Roman Arch.” This apron has been dubbed “Chernobyl Wall” due to the effect of the sun on a hot day. From left to right they are Enchanted Pork Fist (II, 5.10a; 2 pitches, face and crack climbing) by Mike Meng, Hinton and me in 1986; Rainbow Warrier (II, 5.11; 4 pitches, face climbing) 1st pitch in 1986 by Mike Stewart, Tom Grannaman, Hinton and me, 2nd, 3rd, 4th pitches in 1987 by Stewart, Miguel Cormona and Malcolm Ball; Jerks on a Joyride (II, 5.10b: 2 pitches, face and knobs) by Stewart, Grannaman, Hinton, Glen Short and me in 1986; You Had a Hand in This Too (I, 5.11a; 1 pitch, face climbing) by Herb Lager, Stewart, Pete Bishop, Greg Vernon and Neely in October 1985; Split Lips and Broken Bits (II, 5.10a; 2 pitches, crack and face climbing) by John Anders and me in June 1986; Kibbles and Bits (II, 5.10a; 2 pitches, crack and face climbing) by Anders and me in June 1986. Topos are available at the Cedar Grove Ranger Station.

Craig Peer, D.O.C.C.