Liberty Cap  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Elevation:  7,076' Page Views:  8,161. Good page? (2 likes)    Administrators:  M.Morley, Sam Vanderhyden, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  mucci on Apr 2, 2007 Make this area a Favorite What's New   Print a Mini-Guide with routes Add Route  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event  Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu 68° | 34° 72° | 36° 72° | 37° 66° | 34° 63° | 32°

Fifi Buttress To Close! MORE INFO >>> The following areas are closed to all visitor use to protect peregrine falcon aeries from March 1 until August 1 of each year or until the young falcons of the current year have fledged: Fifi Buttress Immediately west of Leaning Tower. Closure includes all routes on Fifi Buttress. This information is a public crowdsourcing effort between the Access Fund, and Mountain Project. You should confirm closures, restrictions, and/or related dates. Keeping climbing areas open and conserving the climbing environment

BETA PHOTO: All routes shown left to right in order as seen in...

Description 

Liberty Cap is located between Mt. Broderick and Nevada falls on the John Muir Trail. Climbing in such an iconic setting is just part of the draw to this dome. Warren Harding made his mark, right up the middle as usual, completing the First ascent of the SW face. It was on this ascent that the practice of drilling holes for upward progression(bathooking)was first used.

The stone is bullet hard Half Dome granodiorite. With it's many splitter cracks and huge corners, Liberty cap tends to be very cam friendly on most of the routes. The summit offers a 360 degree view of little yosemite valley, Mt. Starking, and the huge S. face of Half dome.

Getting There 

Begin by starting on the "Mist" trail which is the start of the JMT. You will follow the trail past Vernal Falls, across a bridge, where Liberty Cap finally comes into full view. As you make your way toward Nevada Falls, right when the trail touches the apron, you head climbers left along the base. Follow this down and around to the Western end of the formation.

A large diagonal approach ledge is gained at the far left end of the base. Great care is necessary along this ledge especially if you are shuttling gear. Many spots along the way are loose.

There is a rappel anchor located at the start of the SW face route. A 2 rope rappel to an intermediate anchor on the face , then another 2 rope rappel to the ground brings you to the base directly under the middle of the wall. Another option is to haul from these anchors if you fix 2 ropes down to the ground for your ascent.

The Classics

Featured Route For Liberty Cap

Bad Moon Rising 5.8 A2  CA : Yosemite National Park : ... : Liberty Cap

Bad Moon takes the parallel right facing corner system to Hardings SW face route. This is a very moderate variation, with only a few nailing cruxes. Substantially more involved than the SW face route, both due to needing a pin rack, and some technical hauling logistics, most notable being the P8 traverse. All belay are equipped with at least 1- 3/8th" bolt, many require gear/pitons....[more]   Browse More Classics in CA

Photos of Liberty Cap Slideshow

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Liberty Cap, Nevada and Vernal Falls. Photo by Bli...	Liberty Cap.	Liberty Cap
Liberty Cap, Half Dome and Nevada Falls as seen fr...	Liberty Cap and Nevada Falls in February.	liberty cap and navada falls from JMT