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Glass Dome Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Routes in Glass Dome

L › R R › L A › Z

	Air Time T 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b R
	Destination Unknown T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
	Ladies in Waiting TR 5.11a/b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c R
	Rock N Roll Hand Jams T 5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
	Smooth Sailing T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
	Thin Air T 5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c R
	West End Girls S 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
	White Line, The T 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
Unsorted Routes:

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Elevation:	3,721 ft	1,134 m
GPS:	33.67983, -111.80605 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	5,425 total · 78/month
Shared By:	Rb Black on Feb 18, 2019
Admins:	Greg Opland, Brian Boyd, JJ Schlick, Kemper Brightman, Luke Bertelsen Page Updates (admin only)

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Access Issue: Access: Details

The only access issue for this area is the seasonal closure of routes on the north side of Tom's Thumb.
Please be aware of, and abide by the closure when it is in effect!

For more information, please visit scottsdaleaz.gov/preserve

Access Issue: Day use area Details

Description

Before there were any established hiking trails in the park, and after an early 1980's climbing trip to Tom’s Thumb, while descending our way along the ridgeline eastward and above Gardner’s Wall, we noticed an approx. 30 m. formation of rock and instantly realized how unique it was with its overall different rock type reminiscent of Yosemite rock quality. The Dome was right at the contact (boundary) between the coarse-grained “Pinnacle Peak Granite" (a Pegmatitic granite rock typical of the McDowell’s area) and the Glass Dome's unique fine-grained "Aplite" rock type.

After bouldering, we realized how “glassy” that rock was. It was then and there that I named the “Glass Dome” (because of the smooth and glassy rock type/texture.) -- Rand Black, 1982.

The Glass Dome has a total of 8 known routes on the North, East and South faces.

Getting There

From the City of Scottsdale - McDowell Sonoran Preserve - Tom's Thumb Trailhead (address: 23015 N. 128th St., Scottsdale, AZ.)

Hike 1.6 miles southward from the trailhead, along the Tom's Thumb Trail to the East End Trail Junction.
Continue hiking westward along the Tom's Thumb Trail ~ 0.2 miles to signed climber's access trail to the Glass Dome near marker TT6.
Follow climber's access trail to base.

The routes on the north side of the dome DO NOT summit the dome and can be descended via a ledge and rock scramble to the southwest.
A one bolt route "West End Girls, 5.6" can be climbed to the top to reach the summit rappel.
The routes on the east and south side summit the dome, and can be descended via a two-bolt single rope rappel down the south face.