Half Dome is a granite dome at the eastern end of Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park, California. It is a well-known rock formation in the park, named for its distinct shape. One side is a sheer face while the other three sides are smooth and round, making it appear like a dome cut in half. The granite crest rises more than 4,737 ft (1,444 m) above the valley floor.
Mount Whitney is the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States and the Sierra Nevada, with an elevation of 14,505 feet (4,421 m). It is located in East–Central California, on the boundary between California's Inyo and Tulare counties, 84.6 miles (136.2 km) west-northwest of the lowest point in North America at Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park at 282 ft (86 m) below sea level. The west slope of the mountain is in Sequoia National Park and the summit is the southern terminus of the John Muir Trail which runs 211.9 mi (341.0 km) from Happy Isles in Yosemite Valley. The east slope is in the Inyo National Forest in Inyo County.
The Minarets are a series of jagged peaks located in the Ritter Range, a sub-range of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the state of California. They are easily viewed from Minaret Summit, which is accessible by auto. Collectively, they form an arête, and are a prominent feature in the Ansel Adams Wilderness which was known as the Minaret Wilderness until it was renamed in honor of Ansel Adams in 1984.
Steve Roper is a noted climber and historian of the Sierra Nevada in the United States. He along with Allen Steck are the founding editors of the Sierra Club journal Ascent.
The Regular Northwest Face of Half Dome was the first Grade VI climb in the United States. It was first climbed in 1957 by a team consisting of Royal Robbins, Mike Sherrick, and Jerry Gallwas. Its current aid climbing rating is VI 5.9 A1 or 5.12 for the free climbing variation. It is recognized in the historic climbing text Fifty Classic Climbs of North America and considered a classic around the world.
Fifty Classic Climbs of North America is a climbing guidebook and history written by Steve Roper and Allen Steck. It is considered a classic piece of climbing literature, known to many climbers as simply "The Book", and has served as an inspiration for more recent climbing books, such as Mark Kroese's Fifty Favorite Climbs. Though much of the book's contents are now out of date, it is still recognized as a definitive text which goes beyond the traditional guidebook.
Fairview Dome is a prominent granite dome in Yosemite National Park, located 1.8 miles (2.9 km) north of Cathedral Peak and 4 miles (6.4 km) west of Tuolumne Meadows. Near Fairview Dome is Marmot Dome, linked by an area called Razor Back. Northwest is Hammer Dome.
The Traveler Buttress is a technical rock climbing on Lover's Leap route near Tahoe, California, USA, and is featured in Fifty Classic Climbs of North America.
The East Face of Mount Whitney is a technical alpine rock climbing route and is featured in Fifty Classic Climbs of North America. Mount Whitney is the highest peak in the contiguous United States.
The South Face of Charlotte Dome is a technical alpine rock climbing route. It is featured in Fifty Classic Climbs of North America. Chris Jones, a member of the first ascent party, wrote that "in Yosemite, the climb would be recognized as one of the best in the Valley. In the backcountry it will probably remain unknown."
The South Face of Petit Grepon is a popular technical climbing route on the Petit Grepon in Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park. The South Face is recognized in the historic climbing text Fifty Classic Climbs of North America and considered a classic around the world.
The Northcutt-Carter Route is a popular technical climbing route on Hallett Peak in Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park. The Northcutt-Carter Route is recognized in the historic climbing text Fifty Classic Climbs of North America.
The Middle Cathedral Rock is a prominent rock face on the south side of Yosemite Valley, California. El Capitan lies due north of Middle Cathedral. Middle Cathedral's East Buttress Route is recognized in the historic climbing text Fifty Classic Climbs of North America.
The Royal Arches Route is a technical climbing route in California's Yosemite Valley on the Royal Arches wall. The route is recognized in the historic climbing text Fifty Classic Climbs of North America. The route was first climbed Oct. 1936 by Ken Adam, Morgan Harris, K. Kenneth Davis. The route is moderate in difficulty and is frequently climbed. The first 4 pitches are along a west facing dihedral. 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. At the end of Pitch 15, begins the bolted rappel route. It is 18 rappels to the Valley floor. Some climbers prefer to continue to "The Jungle" at the end of Pitch 16. Beyond The Jungle is a 5.4 slab and 4th Class scrambling to the Valley Rim. The descent is usually accomplished by traversing northeast to Washington Column and descending the exposed North Dome Gully.
The Royal Arches refers to a cliff containing natural occurring granite exfoliation arches, located below North Dome and rising above Yosemite Valley, in Yosemite National Park, California..
The North Face of Fairview Dome also known as the Regular Route of Fairview Dome is a technical rock climbing route in Tuolumne Meadows of Yosemite National Park. It is featured in Fifty Classic Climbs of North America.
Allen Steck is an American mountaineer and rock climber. He is a native of Oakland, California.
Robert Lindley Murray Underhill was an American mountaineer best known for introducing modern Alpine style rope and belaying techniques to the U.S. climbing community in the late 1920s and early 1930s.
Charles Marshall Pratt was an American rock climber known for big wall climbing first ascents in Yosemite Valley. He was also a long-time climbing instructor and mountain guide with Exum Mountain Guides in the Grand Tetons.
Pingora Peak is prominent granite peak in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The peak is one of the pinnacles that forms the Cirque of the Towers. Pingora Peak is in the Popo Agie Wilderness and part of the Wind River Range within the greater Shoshone National Forest. The Northeast Face route on Pingora Peak is recognized in the historic climbing text Fifty Classic Climbs of North America and considered a classic around the world.
