Big Wall in Yosemite: El Capitan and Half Dome

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Yosemite Valley is the world's cathedral of granite climbing. This itinerary is designed for climbers with big wall experience who want to take on the two most iconic walls on the planet: El Capitan and Half Dome. It begins with a warm-up day on the Swan Slab cracks, followed by the Royal Arches Route. The highlight is the ascent of The Nose on El Capitan: 31 pitches up a route that follows the prow of the 900-meter monolith, the most famous route in climbing history. It takes two days, with portaledge bivouacs hundreds of meters above the ground. The fourth day is devoted to Snake Dike on Half Dome, an 8-pitch route up the south face that ends on the summit of the most photographed dome in the world. It closes with a day of bouldering at the legendary Camp 4. Proven experience in multi-pitch climbing, crack technique, and wall bivouac systems is required. Permits are obtained by lottery or through the Camp 4 waitlist.