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2976 Hits
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76.66% Score
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7 Votes
Page Type:
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Route |
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Lat/Lon:
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34.03845°N / 116.14688°W |
Route Type:
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Trad Climbing |
Season:
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Spring, Summer, Fall |
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Time Required:
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Half a day |
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Rock Difficulty:
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5.9 (YDS) |
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Number of Pitches:
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2 |
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Overview/Approach
1st Pitch
Miramonte has Breakfast of Champions labeled as 5.8 in his index but has the 2nd pitch labeled as 5.9 in the text of his guide. In any regard, the 1st pitch is a soft 5.8 and the 2nd pitch is definitely the crux of the route (“features that barely connect to the top”), climbing delicate slab through three bolts. Breakfast of Champions is not near as interesting as My Laundry (same grade, same wall) but gets more fanfare (both located on the iconic north face of the South Astrodome). Perhaps Miramonte’s inclusion of Breakfast of Champions in his “Top 12 Trad Moderates” is the reason why. Or that My Laundry has some bird shit on it. In any case, I was more impressed with My Laundry. Breakfast was established in 1977.
View from the summit
The Astrodomes offer one of the better hikes and remote climbing options in Joshua Tree . South and North Astrodome are two of the taller features in the park. This area is named Wonderland South. One of my favorite areas to climb in all of Joshua Tree is Bighorn Mating Grotto and the Astrodomes are located along the way.
It is imperative that you park and start at the right trail head or the approach can be much longer. Drive down paved roads to the Barker Dam trail head. Continue driving out of that paved parking area on a dirt road heading north to a smaller trail head. Hike north along the trail and cut west following the trail past an old homestead. Enter the wash there and continue northwest following the wash until you can see the north face of the South Astrodome on the left. Hike up to the base of the north face. Breakfast of Champions is on the far right hand side of the South Astrodome and My Landry is centered on the left hand side. The north face of the North Astrodome starts just to the right of Breakfast of Champions.
1st Pitch- 90’- 5.8/ Locate the obvious left facing corner at the far right hand side of the north face of South Astrodome. It starts out wide but easy to a ledge. Then continues on as an easy hand crack for the grade to a right traverse up jugs to a small stance at a fixed belay.
2nd Pitch- 80’- 5.9/ This pitch is definitely more technical at the grade than the first, but fully bolted (3). Head up and right on jugs to the first bolt. From there climb some intricate slab moves for the grade as you work through the final two bolts to the top with a fixed rap anchor. There is a traverse left move well below the final bolt that is easier than going straight up. It is easy to walk to the summit before returning for the rap.
Route Description
Breakfast of Champions, 200+/-, 5.91st Pitch- 90’- 5.8/ Locate the obvious left facing corner at the far right hand side of the north face of South Astrodome. It starts out wide but easy to a ledge. Then continues on as an easy hand crack for the grade to a right traverse up jugs to a small stance at a fixed belay.
2nd Pitch- 80’- 5.9/ This pitch is definitely more technical at the grade than the first, but fully bolted (3). Head up and right on jugs to the first bolt. From there climb some intricate slab moves for the grade as you work through the final two bolts to the top with a fixed rap anchor. There is a traverse left move well below the final bolt that is easier than going straight up. It is easy to walk to the summit before returning for the rap.