Royal Arches

Royal Arches Cascade area, from The Ahwahnee. Phot...

Description 

Royal Arches is a tremendous arched wall found on the north side of the Valley, just west of Washington Column. The wall is formed of white granite with cool black streaks running down it and it looms impressively over the Valley's Ahwahnee Hotel. Easily the most popular route on this wall is the moderate Royal Arches Route (5.10b or 5.7 A0), amazingly first climbed in 1936 by Ken Adam, Morgan Harris, and W. Kenneth Davis. This is a really cool experience for many first time Valley visitors, as the route takes you from floor to rim and is easily climbed in a day by most parties.

Getting There 

As with Washington Column, it used to be you could park at the Ahwahnee and hoof over to the Column on the bike path, but I've heard recently that you can't park there anymore (permit req'd?). Maybe someone can post up the current beta...

The Classics

Featured Route For Royal Arches

Serenity Crack 5.10d PG13  CA : Yosemite National Park : ... : Royal Arches

The "Serenity-Sons" combo may be the best 5.10 crack climb in the Valley... it is just so, so good. Why anyone would do one without the other, I don't know, but since they are technically two separate routes, they are listed as such. Serenity Crack is the crux of the linkup and comprises the first three pitches of the climb. Park at the Ahwahnee (the route is visible through the trees from the vallet area in front of the lobby) and hike in to ...[more]   Browse More Classics in CA

Photos of Royal Arches Slideshow

Add Photo

"Maxine's Wall", 1975. Photo by Blitzo.	BETA PHOTO: Royal Arches	Royal Arches and North Dome...
Looking up at the Arches from the boulder field