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Elevation: 3,161 ft
GPS: 37.67441, -119.7548
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Shared By: Justin Johnsen on May 12, 2015 · Updates
Admins: Mike Morley, Adam Stackhouse, Salamanizer Ski, Justin Johnsen, Vicki Schwantes
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Description Suggest change

Downstream from the Yosemite Valley, but still inside the park boundaries, there are numerous rocks that are mostly less famous, and therefore somewhat less crowded, than the legendary areas to the east.

I followed Don Reid's Yosemite guide sections to put this page together.

Bryan G shared these excellent notes on how the crags fit together.

"And here is rough approximation of what the left/right sorting would be. First, the north side starting at El Portal running east:

Parkline Slab
Narrow Escape Cliff
U.S.G.S. Wall
Arch Rock
Short Circuit Boulder
Finger Lickin' Area
Roadside Attraction
Kat Pinnacle
Sunshine Cliff
Cookie Cliff, The
Cookie Sheet, The
Wildcat Falls & Above the Cookie
Knobby Wall
Cascade Area
Knob Hill
Owl, The
This and That Cliff
Generator Station
New Diversions
Goldrush
Reed's Pinnacle Area
Five and Dime Cliff
Mojo Tooth Area, The
Highway Star
Last Resort Cliff

Then the south side as you move down canyon:

Pulpit Rock
Wawona Tunnel
Wawona Tunnel West
Cream
Rostrum, The
Jungle Gym, The
Elephant Rock
Hand Out Cliff

It's not a perfect geographical representation because I tried to clump some areas together which have a similar approach. This and That, Generator Station, and New Diversions are all approached from the 140 so I think it's better to list them in a sequence, even though Goldrush is technically between them. Hope this helps."

Getting There Suggest change

On both sides of the Merced River, between Mariposa and the Valley. Many of these areas are reached from State Route 140, which parallels the river, but some areas are easier to reach from other roads.

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455 Total Climbs

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Location: Lower Merced River Canyon Change
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Classic Climbing Routes at Lower Merced River Canyon

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 511
Reed's Pinnacle-Direct Route
Trad 3 pitches
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
 397
Lunatic Fringe
Trad
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
 171
Wheat Thin
Trad
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
 515
Outer Limits
Trad 3 pitches
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
 209
Generator Crack
Trad, TR
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
 229
Five and Dime
Trad
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
 312
Catchy
Trad
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
 161
Catchy Corner
Trad
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
 145
New Dimensions
Trad 4 pitches
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 355
The North Face
Trad 8 pitches
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a PG13
 150
Crack-a-Go-Go
Trad
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 186
Butterballs
Trad
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a
 121
Red Zinger
Trad
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 122
Separate Reality
Trad
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 148
Cookie Monster
Sport
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Reed's Pinnacle-Direct Route At. Reed's Pinn… > Reed's Pinnacle
 511
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Trad 3 pitches
Lunatic Fringe At. Reed's Pinn… > Reed's Pinnacle
 397
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Trad
Wheat Thin Aj. Cookie Area > Cookie Cliff
 171
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Trad
Outer Limits Aj. Cookie Area > Cookie Cliff
 515
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Trad 3 pitches
Generator Crack Az. Generator Station
 209
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Trad, TR
Five and Dime Au. Five & Dime Cliff
 229
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b Trad
Catchy Aj. Cookie Area > Cookie Cliff
 312
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b Trad
Catchy Corner Aj. Cookie Area > Cookie Cliff
 161
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Trad
New Dimensions Ad. Arch Rock
 145
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Trad 4 pitches
The North Face Ba. The Rostrum
 355
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a Trad 8 pitches
Crack-a-Go-Go Aj. Cookie Area > Cookie Cliff
 150
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a PG13 Trad
Butterballs Aj. Cookie Area > Cookie Cliff
 186
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a Trad
Red Zinger Aj. Cookie Area > Cookie Cliff
 121
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a Trad
Separate Reality Ak. Wildcat Falls & A…
 122
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Trad
Cookie Monster Aj. Cookie Area > Cookie Cliff
 148
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Sport
More Classic Climbs in Lower Merced River Canyon »

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