The Cathedrals - North Faces

Anywhere else in the world, the Cathedral Rocks and Spires would be a major climbing venue. Unfortunately for them, they stand right across the meadow from the most iconic piece of rock in the world: El Capitan.

If you manage to forget about the giant next door, the Cathedrals offer a great variety of single and multi-pitch climbs at very moderate grades, short approaches and shaded climbing. The East Buttress of Middle Cathedral Rock and the Central Pillar of Frenzy are justifiably classics, and routes like Kor-Beck, DNB and Beggar's Buttress are guaranteed to provide an adventurous day.

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Route List

1: Hail to the Chief, 5.9 A3, Bosque, DeWeese, 2016

2: Operation Bravo, 5.9 A3, Blair, Kay, 2000

3: Northwest Face of Higher Cathedral Spire, 5.8 A3+, Frost, Robbins, 1961

4: Blue Collar, 5.13, Jorgeson, 2018

5: Higher Aspirations, 5.8 A3, Bosque, Derrick, 1982

6: Spire It Up, 5.9 A4, Kay, Newsom, 2000

7: East Buttress of Middle Cathedral Rock, 5.10c, Davis, Harding, Swift, 1954/Leepers, Sacherer, 1965

8: Critical Path, 5.11a, Cummins, Smith, 1991

9: Sacherer-Fredericks, 5.10c, Fredericks, Sacherer, 1964

10: Kor-Beck, 5.9, Kor, Beck, 1963/Beck, Klemens, 1966

11: Bircheff-Williams, 5.11d, Bircheff, Williams, 1966/Meyers, Worrall, 1973

12: Central Pillar of Frenzy, 5.9, Barry, Breedlove, Bridwell, 1973

13: Stoner’s Highway, 5.10c R, Barry, Barton, Clevenger, Long, Worrall, 1973

14: Paradise Lost, 5.10a R, Jardine, Raider, 1972

15: Direct North Buttress (DNB), 5.11a R, Chouinard, Roper, 1962/Beck, Sacherer, 1965

16: Ho-Chi Minh Trail, 5.11a, Ager, Cummins, 1989

17: North Buttress, 5.10a/b, Harding, Holden, Traver, Whitmer, 1954/Bridwell, Sacherer, 1964

18: Quicksilver, 5.9 R, Clevenger, Meyers, Worrall, 1973

19: Father Time, 5.13b, Schaefer et al., 2012

20: Mother Earth, 5.11c A4, Chapman, Kauk, Long, Meyers, Worrall, 1978

21: Smith-Crawford, 5.11d, Crawford, Smith, 1984

22: Crazy, 5.11d, van Betten, Mamusia, Smith, 1987

23: The Flakes, 5.8 R, Powell, Sacherer, 1964

24: Border Country, 5.12, Collins, Drummond, Schaefer, 2009

25: North Face Traverse, 5.7 A3, Davis, Long, Mandatory, Skinner, 1954

26: Gunsight, 4th class

27: East Buttress, 5.10d, Gallwas, Powell, Wilson, 1956/Fredericks, Thompson, 1965

28: Pilgrimage, 5.11b, Gerberding, Swanson, 1998

29: New North Face, 5.11 A3, Bowling, Gerberding, Swanson, 1998

30: Counterparts, 5.13d, Burke

31: King for a Day, 5.12a

32: Children of the Corn, 5.10 A4 R/X, Cosgrove, Gerberding, Griffith, 2000

33: Superstition, 5.12d, Ketron

34: A Trick of the Tail, 5.12c, Jones

35: Jungle Boogie, 5.11c, Jones, Ketron

36: Shock the Monkey, 5.10c, Jones, Onzo

37: North Face of Lower Cathedral Rock, 5.9 A3, FItschen, Pratt, Robbins, 1960

38: Beggar’s Buttress, 5.11c, Chapman, Worrall, 1976