Topo showing pitches 5 through 15 of the Royal Arches Route (5.7). A true classic. Most of the route is clean and pretty straight forward. Just follow the chalk, fixed gear, and other climbers. Although it can get crowded, it's a worthwhile climb.

All Locations > California > Yosemite NP > Yosemite Valley > Valley N Side > H. Royal Arches… > Royal Arches > Central Royal A… > Royal Arches (5.10- o… (5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b A0)

Topo showing pitches 5 through 15 of the Royal Arches Route (5.7). A true classic. Most of the route is clean and pretty straight forward. Just follow the chalk, fixed gear, and other climbers. Although it can get crowded, it's a worthwhile climb.

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7/23/16 - here's our beta using 70m rope (please excuse the poor photo quailty, i grabbed and stitched it from google map/earth)

Looking down valley from Arches.

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4.9 from 12 votes

John Knight

Apr 28, 2008

“Topo showing pitches 5 through 15 of the Royal Arches Route (5.7). A true classic. Most of the route is clean and pretty straight forward. Just follow the chalk, fixed gear, and other climbers. Although it can get crowded, it's a worthwhile climb.”

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Nearby Photos

Back in the day...when the "rotten log" was in place on the traverse 11th pitch. Kevin Sargent crawling across. Royal Arches

7/23/16 - here's our beta using 70m rope (please excuse the poor photo quailty, i grabbed and stitched it from google map/earth)

Topo showing pitches 5 through 15 of the Royal Arches Route (5.7). A true classic. Most of the route is clean and pretty straight forward. Just follow the chalk, fixed gear, and other climbers. Although it can get crowded, it's a worthwhile climb.

Looking down valley from Arches.

Yosemitebigwall.com

Soloing on Royal Arches on a linkup with Crest Jewel Direct. This is a pitch or two above the traverse, I believe.

Royal Arches Rappel Route

This shows the scale of the climb. Inside the red "O" at the top center are two climbers at the 15th pitch anchors which is the first rappel station.

Soloing on Royal Arches on a linkup with Crest Jewel Direct. This is somewhere around mid-route, pitch 8 or so. Fun 5.8 handcrack.

This is a photo of the 13th rap station that is difficult to find after the scramble down. This is next to it looking back up the scramble. Hope this helps others find it faster than we did. (Light red circle in the shade are the bolts.

Glad to be on Pebble Beach after leading the pitch 8 offwidth crack. Incredible day.

Second-to-Last Arches Rap - Better Way

Twin 70m Rap Beta for RA rap route, annotated to Sloan's topo

3 unknown parties running a conga line up royal arches on the morning of October 16th 2022

Full value 16th pitch.

Brenda cleaning the belay station just above the fixed pendulum. Note the water on the rock in the foreground -- it was pretty wet up there, and Half Dome in the background.

View of Little Yosemite Valley and the Apron from the lower end of the route, upper traverse was totally covered in pine needles

Topo Page 2 Updated (2020)

View from "the beach"; a sandy ledge and great lunch spot right below the pendulum.

Barry on pitch one.

Royal Arches & North Dome Gully descent. Bivy at p16 offers a wide rest area with a clean spring for a water. Do not do the descent at night, even if you have headlamps! There are lots of dummy trails and a clear view of North Dome helps a lot

Myself seconding the Lower slab exit. 5.4 fright that only Yosemite can provide.

Hand crack on 6 or 7 pitch

The perfect 5.7 hand crack variation to pitch 7 instead of the 5.5 offwidth. Much better option!

Ray on p1

Loose blocks at the end of the "new" traverse. Avoid these and climb up short easy lie-back to gain the old route.

Orchids at the top out

Royal Arches

Royal Arches Rappel Route topo

My partner Jeff on Pitch 15 of the Royal Arches.

Pitch after first long ramp, May 2008.

Crossing this slab is the final pitch of the route.

Easy climbing in the valley

Learning how to crack climb through a bomber directional

Daren coming up to the ledge below the slab crux/pendulum pitch...

Looking down at my partner Daren on the upper section of Royal Arches...

Rappeling Royal Arches

Oh the sweet sweet belay stances on this climb give me life!

after a wonderful day on the rock with a very special friend.

Somewhere between the 7th and 11th rap station, this station has a sketchy bolt on the left. Hanger is loose and looks small and puny. I have reported to safeclimbing.org but wanted to inform those contemplating a rap descent.

Ray os'ing the runout slab to crack

Climbing Pitch 3 of the Royal Arches with over 1000 feet of climbing above. Sweet!

Scoping out the traverse on pitch 16

the swing

Having fun on Royal Arches

Jeff leading Pitch 14 of the Royal Arches.

What the traverse can look like in early spring. It still goes even when wet!

taken from the belay after the pendulum. climbers in the photo are on pitch 8.

Travis Strong enjoying the top of the Royal Arches. September 11'

The final slab traverse before heading on down!

View of El Cap and Yosemite Valley Midway Up on Royal Arches

Looking across at the pendulum on pitch 9.

New traverse after pendulum on nice edge/ledge.

The Rotten Log again before it fell down. We were debating whether to put a sling around the log, in case I fell off. The A1 pendulum moves are classic !

George on the traverse pitch just past the pendulum. With a 70m rope and some drag, we linked these two.

The block with the rope stacked on it is the largest portion of the ledge that failed!

Start of pitch one, Royal Arches

Chuck Konopa leading the 5.7 pin scar variation pitch 1 by headlamp. It's east of the chimney and we found it more aesthetic.

Eric at the pendulum

The optional pendulum section on Royal arches

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