Kidney Stones

Kidney Stones

is named for the abundance of feldspar megacrysts as well as the route's proximity to

Piss Easy

. Pitch 3 is the highlight, featuring characteristic Tuolumne knobbing in a memorable position. Pitch 4 goes all the way to the top of the dome.

Pitch 1

(5.8, 90 feet): Climb a knobby black streak past three bolts up to and through a small roof crack. Continue up a fun easy handcrack to a nice ledge. Belay takes gear to 1".

Pitch 2

(5.7, 160 feet): Take the seldom-climbed right-hand variation to the second pitch of

Piss Easy

. Follow a loooong wavy flake system up to the big diagonal ledge halfway up the face. Move straight up off the ledge to a semi-hanging belay below the striped headwall.

Consider leaving most of your gear (except a couple 1-2" cams) at this belay if planning to rappel from the top of P3.

Pitch 3

(5.8, 180 feet): Scale the striped headwall on excellent knobs. As the angle eases off, keep chugging past widely-spaced bolts (5.6 R) aiming for the far right edge of a right-arcing roof. Hop over the edge of the roof and go straight up the slab ending at a two-bolt anchor below a white right-facing corner.

Most parties will probably choose to

rappel

~180' down Pitch 3 and then rappel ~170' down and climbers' left to the last rappel station on

Shagadelic

. This can be done with

two ropes

.

Pitch 4

(5.4, 120 feet): Follow the low-angle corner as it arcs up and right to the top of the wall. Gear belay and walk off.

Descent

: Easy and incredibly gorgeous, but kinda long. Walk southward (toward Tenaya Peak / Cathedral Lake) along the top of the dome and descend 3rd class slabs and gullies to the Cathedral Lakes fishing trail which passes directly below the base of Medlicott Dome on its way back to the trailhead.

This route starts on the same starting blocks as

Piss Easy

, but goes straight up the black streak with 3 bolts to the crack in the right edge of the roof.

Standard rack to 3" + 10 draws + two ropes for rappel

All hardware consists of 3/8" x 3" SS wedge bolts with 3/8" SS hangers