Moderate Yosemite Sport Climbing: Pat and Jack's Pinnacle

Pat and Jack's Pinnacle offers several well-protected sport routes rated 5.7 - 5.8 on well featured, knobby granite that is quite different from the typically glacial polished Yosemite granite found on any of the Park's hundreds of crack routes. Given the ground-up and traditional ethic of Yosemite, it is rare to find well bolted moderates. This makes Pat and Jack's a very popular area with the weekend warrior gym-climber types and so its best to arrive early on weekend mornings or plan to visit this area mid-week.

Approach: At the Hwy 120/140 junction, take Highway 140 south for several miles until you see Cascade Falls on your right. Just ahead, park in the paved parking lot on the left. Cross the road and locate a climbers trail (marked by a signpost with the image of a carabiner at least as recently as February 2012) and hike up for no more than 10 minutes to the base of the crag. The moderates are all the way at the right end of the wall, so skirt along the base until you reach basketball size knobs and closely spaced bolts.

Routes:

Kiddie Corner (5.10a): At the far right end of the crag is Kiddie Corner. This route ascends past 3 bolts up large featured terrain before angling back and heading up 5.7slab past 5 more bolts. The route then follows a traditionally protected crack in a corner up to a two bolt anchor. Two ropes are needed to rappel. The views of the Merced River off to the right and the sound of Cascade Falls add to the pleasure of this climb.

More Mental than Mantel (5.10b): Just left of a shallow groove/crack (20 feet left of Kiddie Corner) is this absolute gem. Pitch one climbs up well featured rock past 7bolts to a two bolt rappel anchor. Rap down from here on a single rope, or continue up the somewhat awkward mixed bolt/trad 5.10b second pitch. Rappel with two ropes.
Note: Pitch one is our favorite moderate at P&J's and we highly recommend it!



Makayla's Climb (5.8): Just left of MMTM, ascend well featured rock up past 7 bolts to a two bolt rappel anchor. While a great climb, be aware that this is much more run-out than either Kiddie Corner or More Mental than Mantel and is likely not a good choice for the new to 5.8 leader. A top rope can be set on P1 of Makayla's Climb by first leading MMTM and traversing down and left to the anchors for P1 of Makayla's.