The Dome. Disappearing Crack Route, 5.5

The Dome. Disappearing Crack Route, 5.5

Boulder Canyon
The Dome, Disappearing Crack Route, 5.5
Sep 22 2005

by Lloyd Garrick

Leaders: Bruce and James.
Climbers: Charlene, Toby, Steve, (and me).

"The Dome" is one of the Classic climbs in Boulder Canyon; there are several routes of various rating, the famous Direct East Face "Disappearing Crack" route is rated 5.5. It is a single pitch, we used 50 meter ropes and had about 5-10 feet to spare. The climb takes less than 30 minutes, so this makes a nice afternoon after-work climb. We started climbing around 4 PM. I would dispute the rating, this is a solid 5.6 (IMHO).

From Broadway (Rt. 93) in Boulder, get on Canyon Road and head West. Exactly 3 miles after the Canyon-Broadway intersection, a straitaway with 2 parking lots on either side. Park in the left (South) side lot; only from there can you see The Dome looming up looking North.

This was another fun climb (free! for members, if/when you can sign on ...)
sponsored by the Colorado Mountain Club.

Nice rock views from the parking lot. Boulder Canyon, like much of Colorado, is beautiful. Truly God's Country.

The Dome The Dome rises in the North across the road. The "Disappearing Crack" route we are doing is off to the right and behind. You can't see it from here.

Elephant Buttress rocks
just South and East of the Dome

Access this bridge a short walk from the parking lot. At the end on the right is a small not-so-well-kept trail marked for climber's access. Everything is so pretty around here except that rusty pipe which really sucks.

Bear to the left on the trail. An easy-to-miss cutoff left leads to a steep but short rocky semi-scramble, and this takes you to the base of the rock.

View from the trail up

Gearing up at the base

This is primarily a crack climb, but a significant portion of it is slab; at the base and near the top it is niether - just "rock climbing". Literally. It is at a very steep angle, I estimate 70-80 degrees, not strait-up vertical as it may look in some pictures.

Near the beginning of the climb
looking West

Near the beginning of the climb
looking East

Index

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*The Dome*	The Dome rises in the North across the road. The "Disappearing Crack" route we are doing is off to the right and behind. You can't see it from here.
	Elephant Buttress rocks just South and East of the Dome

	Access this bridge a short walk from the parking lot. At the end on the right is a small not-so-well-kept trail marked for climber's access. Everything is so pretty around here except that rusty pipe which really sucks.
Bear to the left on the trail. An easy-to-miss cutoff left leads to a steep but short rocky semi-scramble, and this takes you to the base of the rock.

Near the beginning of the climb looking West
	Near the beginning of the climb looking East