We’ve been getting settled into our lives in the Bay Area. Check back soon for accounts of our new digs. Despite the business of moving and starting a new job, Lizz and I have made it out for a few days on the rock. I recently got a new camera, with some kind help from Charlie and Tyler – many thanks! I’m still learning how to use the bad boy.
California climbing - ready to roll.
Check out some photos from a recent day at Indian Rock at Castle Rock State Park and an afternoon at Indian/Mortar Rocks in Berkeley.
Mortar Rock is a gold mine of hard problems in a small area. The stone is 100 million-year-old rhyolite, a crystalline, volcanic rock that seems to yield every kind of imaginable hold – smooth slopers, cheese grater slopers, smooth crimps, sharp edges and cracks. The texture is unlike anything I’ve ever climbed.
Working on Jungle Fever a V8 eliminate of The Ramp (V5)...next time.
Down the hill from Mortar Rock is Indian Rock, on top of which one can enjoy a phenomenal view of the bay. Indian Rock has a number of problems including a long V5 traverse. It took me the better part of an hour just figuring out the low crux. Many climbers of different ability levels were enjoying sections of the traverse.
Mortar and Indian rocks are in the middle of a neighborhood. Houses, streets and sidewalks literally border Berkeley’s bouldering areas. Having Mortar rock in my backyard would be a dream come true.
Lizz cranking away on Bench Wall, a Mortar Rock V2
I’m excited to have the hard bouldering of Mortar Rock a 45 minute drive from our apartment. The number of quality V8-V13 problems there mean no ceiling exists for me and the manageable drive with no approach will allow for projects. Both Mortar and Indian Rocks host several moderate problems from V0-V4 as well, so Lizz can find fun challenges within her reach. Next time we may even try to take the BART and hike the couple miles from the nearest station. Also, because downtown Berkeley is a stone’s throw from the bouldering, a day on the rock is easily followed by a brew dogg and some dinner in the city.
Black Plague: a cool Mortar rock V6
The highlight of our first bouldering trip to Berkeley was probably Black Plague, a bear hug V6. I got the problem on my second go with a somewhat scary and awkward beached whale topout over the cheese grater surface. I managed to scratch my way to the top, unbuttoning my trousers in the process and scraping up my chest (even through my shirt). I appreciated the encouragement from Patrick, Jim, Alan and a few other new friends we met there. I came down bleeding and happy. Next time my goal is Jungle Fever, a V8 eliminate version of The Ramp (V5) in which the three good holds on the problem are all off limits. I came close this time around and am already looking forward to a return visit.
Aside from our time in Berkeley, last week Lizz and I made a trip south to Castle Rock State Park, home of sloper-intensive, sandstone that evidently is similar to France’s famous Fontainebleau. Most of the quality routes there are Boulder problems, but we tried our luck on the rope at Castle Rock’s version of Indian Rock.
The high quality climbing at Castle Rock is primarly bouldering.
Most of the short routes there are usually toproped, but many do sport bolts and/or take gear, so is was fun to hop on the sharp end. The best line of the day was Donkey Dong (5.11d), a powerful 4-bolt arete with a desperate 4th clip. I managed to hang the draw, but then couldn’t resituate to throw in the rope. That just gave me a good excuse to take another spin!
Cruxing on Donkey Dong
After Donkey Dong, we went around the corner to Krokus, also rated 5.11d. I couldn’t even do the super-delicate arete lieback with positively no feet. It was hard to even cheat through the moves. Without knowing ahead of time, after my shellacking I would have labeled the line 5.12+. Maybe it’s just me, but tough slab routes seem to often be underrated. Climbing is a humbling sport.
The odd sandstone at Castle Rock
It’s great to have some crags in the Bay Area to explore. We’re just getting started. Check back soon for a slice of Pleasanton life.
Hey Adam, sounds like you and Lizz are settling into Bay life well! Countless days and layers of skin have been shed at Mortar. The full value problem you need to check out is Nat’s Traverse, if you haven’t yet. We’ll be heading up to Yosemite soon – I’ll let you know.
I’m glad you guys are getting some rock in. Those boulders look pretty awesome – cool rock for sure.
Kris, a trip to Yosemite would be just what the doctor ordered.
The last couple weekends we’ve tried to devote one day to domestic/bureaucratic/apartment related stuff and the other to climbing. Hopefully we’ll be fully integrated here soon with no more books to shelve, plants to pot and furniture to buy.
Nat’s Traverse definitely looked amazing, as did a few of the shorter vertical problems (Mission Impossible etc.) Since we don’t have a crash pad yet, we were a bit at the mercy of the other boulderers there. I’m looking forward to returning soon fully equipped.
Adam, thanks for the write-up on your new local crag(s). The sandstone bouldering looks super cool. Hope everything is going well for you.
It’s good to see that you’re killing it out there, Adam!
Adam, great to hear you’re making it to the spots around here. For some good castle rock ghost footage, ask kris about his graveyard video.
Good to see that you are getting out and exploring! Cant wait to get out there and see you guys and to climb on some of the rock you have been talking about. The ghost footage that Joe is talking about is pretty creepy…..
Looks like some really cool stuff out there. Hope it’s not too long before I can come and visit!