Middle Cathedral Rock is a prominent rock face on the south side of Yosemite Valley in California, standing across the valley from El Capitan to the north. It is especially important in climbing for the East Buttress Route, a climb recognized in Fifty Classic Climbs of North America. That distinction helped make the formation one of Yosemite Valley’s notable destinations for rock climbers, valued both for its striking position in the landscape and for a route regarded as a classic of the sport.