The Decline of Outdoor Safety

We were first attracted to this line by it's beauty. When you look at it from Happiness is Water, the view of it is stunning. The route climbs the South Arete, about 15 feet right of a broken up dihedral. If you look in Busse & Burr's guide for Split Dome, they guessed our route to be the Horning route and it is labeled so in their book. The Horning route is nearby but this is not it.

The route starts in a little alcove below some pretty orangey rock. You can place opposing nuts in a solid flake to protect the opening moves, which are a little exciting. Move up and right to easier holds and a giant ledge you could sleep on. Clip a bolt and proceed up the rest of the climb. Mostly jugs with the crux being a thin section protected by the second bolt. Two more bolts come after easy climbing towards the top, where it gets steeper but still juggy enough to get you up there!

Getting down is a little weird. After rappelling the west face, to get back to where you started, you have to climb up and over the lower shoulder of the formation. Climb up a little chute to the right of the rappel and back down the gully on the other side.

Route was done on lead from stances, without hooks or aid.

A set of medium to small nuts will do just fine. There are also four bolts. The anchor at the top is two bomber pitons in a straight down crack with cord & a biner.