The route climbs on or near a dike for 1100 feet of well featured face climbing.  Climbing is sustained continuous 5.8 with many 5.9 sections and a few short 5.10 cruxes.  Expect 20 to 30 foot runouts on 5.8 ground with more protection available during the harder stretches.The route is in the sun in the morning and goes into shade in the mid afternoon.  The descent does not return to the base of the route.  We found the Laird Davis guidebook description and topo accurate and easy to follow.

We were amazed at the continuous quality of this route; beautiful, relentlessly fun climbing for 900+ feet.  Only the last pitch eases off to a nice summit scramble.  We did not see any other people all day.

The Dike Route (aka East Face)

North Face - Castle Dome

NW Ridge

Castle Dome - 4th class route

This is the descent route for climbs going to the summit of the dome. It also makes for a great scramble in its own right.Start on the left hand side of the dome and follow weaknesses and ramps up to the summit. The route never exceeds 4th class but a fall in many spots would be fatal.

From the castle dome obsevation deck (recognizable because of the poles pounded into the rock), West Ridge and North Face are dirctly across you on the back of the dome.  West Ridge ascends the opposite face and North Face faces a little further left than the dect.

To reach the start of both climbs (same first pitch) hike down right of the observation deck, then down the gully beneath the deck until you reach a fir tree with a sling around it.  The climbs begin by ascending the dike dirctly across from the tree.

P1 (5.8) - Up the dike for 15 feet then up and right on the not-steep slab just east of the actual west ridge.  Belay at the small trees.

P2 (5.9) - Continue up the slab and then to the left-facing dihedral.  Pro is good in the dihedral's crack. Belay from the tree a little left of the dihedral's top.  Be careful not to knock rocks down from the belay - they end up at the first belay spot.

P3 (5.7) - There are two options for this pitch.  The 5.7 option involves moving straight left on a ledge to the next set of small trees, then up an easy face to another ledge.

(5.9?) - It is also possible to directly ascend the off-width-looking cracks directly above the second belay station.  More work though.

P4 (5.9) - If you took the 5.7 pitch, you need to traverse right on the somewhat narrow ledge to the dihedrals, then up them to the numerous spires atop them, where you set up an easy belay.  If your P3 was the off-width, you need not traverse right much at all.

P5 (5.9) - Follow two big flakes upwards, then traverse across a nearly vertical face to a comfortable ledge from where you belay.

P6 (5.8 C0 or 5.10) - Proceed up and left following a flake from the belay ledge.  When the flake ends you'll find 3 bolts on the face.  The upper two bolts are for the pendulum.  Regardless of how you chose to get across the nearly blank face, you wind up left of it on another flake.  Follow this to a ledge with a bush on it.  Stay low to avoid the bush and proceed further left on the ledge until you find a ~5.4 ramp up and to the right.  Belay from the tree above the left side of the pendulum.

P7 (5.9) - Start climbing directly above the tree and head up and slightly right until you intersect a dike going up and left.  The crux is near the top, then you're done!

I climbed this route with Grover Shipman who has a guide book published called "Mt. Shasta Area Rock Climbing" that has proven more than useful. This route was one of the best I had done in the area. It was exposed, scenic, a mix of shade and sun. And some of the scariest rock I have climbed on(though nothing blew out or fell so that was nice)

the route starts out with a few exposed moves on pretty solid rock, which was nice because the first placement was 15 feet up. shortly after that you get to a belay next to a small tree. next pitch works up a large slab and through some loose rock to a good area for a cam nest. next is the no reverse traverse which felt about 5.6 or 5.5 which came as a surprise because most guide books said 5.0(perhaps we were off route)the next pitch was on a giant flake that at the top started to flex. with some more climbing and chimneying you gain a nice ledge. next pitch starts off straight forward but moves into a well protected crux that felt about 5.9 the next pitch is a simple but long route to the castle dome summit

Description

Protection

Routes in Castle Dome