What is the top rock climbing area in Southern California?

rock climbing in the Bay Area

• I am interested to know 10 to 15 places to boulder within a 90 minute drive of Menlo Park. This would exclude Yosemite, but include Castle Rock for example. Specifically, I would like to know a brief description (bouldering or topriping or sport climbing or trad, approx size (tiny, big), type of cliff: steep, vert, slab). I also need brief driving directions from Menlo Park and approximate driving time.

• Answer:

  Hi font9a, Here are the top 11 destinations that are within 90 minutes of Menlo Park. (I also included an additional one that is 2 hrs away.) All of them, as well as many more that are slightly further away, are described in great detail at http://www.climbingbayarea.com I have provided a brief summary of all the info you asked for, but the provided url for each climb gives much more detailed directions, reviews, and specific rocks and routes up particular rocks. For several spots, I could not find a specification for steep, vert, slab, but the detailed climb descriptions (3 - 12 per rock) should provide more than enough context for you to determine this. Please let me know if this is not the case and I can attempt to provide clarification. Ditto for driving directions. At the end, I have also provided additional useful resources for bouldering such as books and mailing lists. Outdoor Destinations --------------------- 1. Beaver Street Wall, San Francisco http://www.climbingbayarea.com/rock/db/beaver_street_wall/ 31.89 miles Total Estimated Time: 37 minutes type: topropeable and trad size: small cliff type: "glasslike rock" 2. Castle Rock, near Saratoga http://www.climbingbayarea.com/rock/db/castle_rock/ 21.8 miles Approximate Travel Time: 28 mins type: sport, trad, boulding and top rope size: big cliff type: "sandstone" 3. Cragmont Park, Berkeley http://www.climbingbayarea.com/rock/db/cragmont_park/ Total Distance: 43.95 miles Total Estimated Time: 50 minutes type: top rope size: small cliff type: "shorter slab routes" 4. Grizzly Peak Boulders, Berkely http://www.climbingbayarea.com/rock/db/grizzly_peak_boulders/ Total Distance: 40 miles Total Estimated Time: 50 minutes type: "interesting traversy problems, in addition to a few overhung routes on the large initial rock" size: tiny cliff type: "granite " 5. Indian Rock, Berkeley http://www.climbingbayarea.com/rock/db/indian_rock/ Total Distance: 40 miles Total Estimated Time: 50 minutes type: unknown size: small-medium cliff type: steep & vertical 6. Red Rock Beach, aka "Mickey's Beach", Near Stinson Beach on the north coast http://www.climbingbayarea.com/rock/db/mickey_s_beach/ Distance: 51.8 miles Approximate Travel Time: 1 hour 18 mins type: bouldering size: medium cliff type: steep & vertical other notes: according to the GPS Rock climbing guide at: http://www.colororange.com/cgi-bin/gps.cgi?page=californiaGPS.html#RedRockBeach "probably the best hard sport climbing in the Bay Area and some bouldering. Its a beautiful clothing optional beach and a great place to climb and boulder without any clothes." 7. Mount Diablo http://www.climbingbayarea.com/rock/db/mount_diablo/ Distance: 45.3 miles Approximate Travel Time: 58 mins type: trad, top rope, and sport, some bouldering size: large cliff type: steep & vertical 8. Mount St. Helena, near calistoga (too far I know but it had great views!) http://www.climbingbayarea.com/rock/db/mount_st__helena/ Distance: 105.6 miles Approximate Travel Time: 2 hours type: trad and sport size: medium cliff type: volcanic, varies by climb 9.Mount Tamalpais http://www.climbingbayarea.com/rock/db/mount_tamalpais/ Distance: 60 miles Approximate Travel Time: 1 hour 30 mins type: toprope, trad size: medium cliff type: jagged volcanic rock, varies by climb 10.Remillard Park, Berkeley http://www.climbingbayarea.com/rock/db/remillard_park/ Total Distance: 40 miles Total Estimated Time: 50 minutes type: top-rope size: small cliff type: steep & vertical 11. Ring Mountain (includes turtle rock, Marin near Tiburon http://www.climbingbayarea.com/rock/db/ring_mountain/ Distance: 38.9 miles Approximate Travel Time: 56 mins type: bouldering and toprope size: medium cliff type: unknown 12. Sunol Regional Wilderness http://www.climbingbayarea.com/rock/db/sunol_regional_wilderness/ Distance: aprox 40 miles Approximate Travel Time: 60 mins type: toprope size: medium cliff type: "wide variety of rock types" Indoor Destinations ------------------- Mission Cliffs http://www.touchstoneclimbing.com/tours_mc.html "50 ft. High Lead Wall 14,000 sq. ft. of Climbing Terrain 2,000 sq. ft. Innovative Dual-Level Bouldering Over 40 Top and Lead Ropes" Directions: Take 101 to the Cesar Chavez exit. Veer right on to Potrero. Follow Potrero to 19th Street. Turn left on to 19th Street and follow that to Harrison Street. We are at 2295 Harrison Street. Sites that describe bay area rock climbing destinations: climbingbayarea.com http://www.climbingbayarea.com/rock/ GPS Rock climbing guide at: http://www.colororange.com/cgi-bin/gps.cgi?page=californiaGPS.html Other Useful Resources ---------------------- A comprehensive guide to books on bay area rock climbing can be found at vhttp://www.stanford.edu/~clint/ba/guides.htm "Bouldering, Buildering and Climbing in the San Francisco Bay Region (third edition)" is mentioned as a good bouldering resource book. Bay Area Rock - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bayarearock/ San Francisco Bay area Discussion forum and Chat. Search Terms Used: rock climbing San Francisco Hope you have fun bouldering! pkp-ga