Peak Name: Castle Dome

Peak Height: 5,422'

Location: Zion National Park

Trailhead: The Grotto

Difficulty: 5.2

Mileage & Gain: 13 mi, 5000 ft

Date Climbed: 11/24/2015

Castle Dome likely saw its first ascent less than a month before we climbed it. On October 30 Dan Sihl and Matt Mower pieced together a spicy route up the southeast ridge from Behunin Canyon. Dan returned just a couple of weeks later with CP and Aron Ralston.

Thanks to Dan's excellent beta we wasted little time fumbling around. The crux of the route is a thin and highly exposed slab traverse which is quite heady. Small bushes offer some protection, but a fall would be a long scraping pendulum for the leader or follower - not pretty. Ryan and Dom did a great job leading this traverse and even gave me a two sided belay! I'm spolied, what can I say!

Coincidentally, we had the pleasure of meeting and having dinner with Dan a few days later.