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The Yawn - 5.9

Average Rating = 4.29/5 Average Rating : 4.29 out of 5
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Route Summary | Ascent Notes (7)
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Rock (Trad)
PG13
4
2 ea thin - 4", extra large cams/hexs for 3rd pitch/belay helpful.
500
Consensus Ratings
  Difficulty 5.9
  Safety Rating G
  Exposure 4.40/5
  Rock Quality 4.80/5
  Scenery 5.00/5
  Fun Factor 3.80/5

Description:

Funky and awkward yet striking and beautiful, a bit of a grind however enjoyable if you like wide stuff. Stay out of the chimney on the 1st pitch, 2nd pitch is squeeze chimney, 3rd pitch is awesome. Serious for 5.9. No bolts, walk off.

Descent Options:

One way for sure is from the top hike westward for 1/2 mile or so (~800 meters) and down the granite slope into the forest at the far west end of Medlicott. Takes a little more than a 1/2 hour to get back to the base of the route at a good walking pace.

Submitted by: dune on 2007-04-09
Views: 1829
Route ID: 79507

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7 Ascents Recorded

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GoRead all 7 ascent notes

Ratings
  Difficulty 5.9
  Safety Rating G
  Exposure
  Rock Quality
  Scenery
  Fun Factor
Second Second ascent by: J-ROD34 on 2010-09-21 (View Climbing Log)

5 out of 5 stars most beautiful dihedral ive ever climbed!

first pitch..i would say was the most taxing...chimney style.im a broad shouldered guy cleaning a skinny euro's gear...tight squeeze, and from my experience..we americans are bulls in china closets, but that is me, they call me bam bam. changed my passion for climbing and finesse, a must do!

Added: 2011-07-26

Ratings
  Difficulty 5.9
  Safety Rating G
  Exposure
  Rock Quality
  Scenery
  Fun Factor
Onsight Onsight ascent by: salamanizer on 2009-07-12 (View Climbing Log)

3 out of 5 stars Yawn is right.

Thought the climbing was alright but nothing special. Book says pro to 4" which I brought but didn't end up using. You don't need it, the thing sucks up gear of all sizes the whole way. Single rack from .5 to 3" with doubles of 1" & 2" plus a set of nuts should work just fine. First pitch is bunk, dirty and not interesting in the least. The second pitch pulls a cool finger crack into some steep perfect hands around a bunch of chockstones then goes into a bit of tight chimneying. The fingers and hands down low was about 5.9 but the O.W up higher was quite soft for the grade. Good first route for someone wanting to learn how to climb chimneys. The 5.7 (yawn) dihedral was a bit of a sandbag but not too bad. Keep going after the dihedral up the last (easy) wide section to find a better belay station on top. Easy scrambling from there to the top of the dome.



The easiest way off the dome is to walk down the back side to the lake, then head left around the lake and down a gully between Mariuolumne and Medlicott domes. Continue down until its obvious to start heading left around to the front of the dome. Don't go too far down before working your way left. Puts you at the base of the route in 15 to 20 min.


Added: 2009-07-13

Ratings
  Difficulty 5.9
  Safety Rating G
  Exposure
  Rock Quality
  Scenery
  Fun Factor
Onsight Onsight ascent by: Rockjunkie15 on 2009-07-12 (View Climbing Log)

4 out of 5 stars Fun

The first pitch is kinda a bust with a few moderate moves, second pitch is a squeeze chimney that never seems to end, 3rd pitch is easy but has a little "air" to it, the last pitch/hike is just climbing up a bunch of blocks and crap. A good route that was fun to do.

Added: 2009-07-13

Ratings
  Difficulty 5.9
  Safety Rating G
Onsight Onsight ascent by: munky on 2008-10-25 (View Climbing Log)

5 out of 5 stars The Yawn, it wasn't.

Did this as the first route of a month long trip in Yos. 08 and it sure wasn't the warm up I thought it would be. Groveling, groveling, and more groveling was the story of this rig. Somewhere up around the 4th pitch there is suppose to be a 5.7 hand crack climbers dream of. Never found that. Instead I found a 5.9+ flared corner with wide hands that by that pitch I wanted nothing of. I remember really thinking up there on lead WTF this has got to be one of those moments where I really hate climbing. Obviously, reflecting on it my opinion hasn't changed. Great feature and F-weird and hard climbing sum up the Yawn

Added: 2008-10-25

Ratings
  Difficulty 5.9
  Safety Rating PG13
  Exposure
  Rock Quality
  Scenery
  Fun Factor
Onsight Onsight ascent by: vortenberg on 2007-08-05 (View Climbing Log)

5 out of 5 stars The Yawn

Bring all the big gear you got and then some. Save big piece for top of pitch 3 unless stacking stoppers when you are dizzy from fatigue sound fun and safe to you. Overall feels like you are fighting off viking invaders.

Added: 2007-11-14

... Read all 7 ascent notes