Charlotte Dome, Granite dome in Kings Canyon National Park, California.
Charlotte Dome is a granite dome in Kings Canyon National Park, southeast of Glacier Monument and north of Bubbs Creek. Its South Face Route, a grade III class 5.7 climb, appears in Fifty Classic Climbs of North America. The dome is most easily reached from the Onion Valley trailhead to the east.
The first documented ascent of Charlotte Dome took place in August 1966. The South Face Route, a grade III, class 5.7 climb, was later featured in Fifty Classic Climbs of North America, which brought the dome wider attention among climbers.
The South Face Route draws climbers seeking technical granite climbing in the high mountains. This route has become a destination for those wanting to test themselves on exposed rock faces.
The easiest approach starts at the Onion Valley trailhead east of the dome and follows trails past Kearsarge Pass and down Bubbs Creek; the dome lies north of Bubbs Creek and southeast of Glacier Monument. The South Face Route is grade III, class 5.7, so plan a full day and carry a rope and rack. Snow and cold linger at over 3,200 metres, and the climate is cold with frost even in summer.
The climbing routes here include Class 3 scrambling sections, making much of the ascent less technical than pure rock climbing. The nearby Glacier Monument serves as a striking landmark in this remote alpine region.
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