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Bay Area Rock Guidebook

Original Post
scotticusmaximus · · Fort Collins, CO · Joined Jan 2011 · Points: 35

I was just curious if anyone else had picked up this new guidebook and what they think of it. For anyone that hasn't heard of it, here's the link to Jim Thornburg's site:

jimthornburg.com/bay-area-r…

someDuder · · Montreal, QC · Joined Oct 2012 · Points: 20

It's been great for helping me explore all the Bay Area crags! Really nice having an all-inclusive book in print. It does, however, definitely contain some errors/missing information.

Pat Hastings · · Fort Collins, CO · Joined Jan 2013 · Points: 10
someDuder wrote:It's been great for helping me explore all the Bay Area crags! Really nice having an all-inclusive book in print. It does, however, definitely contain some errors/missing information.
Any particular errors that you think it would be helpful to point out? (Or maybe you've done so elsewhere)

I have the book, and it's been great where I've used it (Mt. St Helena, Berkeley Area, Mt Tam.)
splitclimber · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2007 · Points: 18

overall a great guide with lot of new crags. Not all inclusive though.

several grades at the bear at St. Helena have been bumped up. Maybe to make us feel like we are climbing stronger. :)

someDuder · · Montreal, QC · Joined Oct 2012 · Points: 20

A friend pointed out a few routes at castle rock that they had mixed up between beta photo and description.
There is a trail that is either incorrectly drawn, or just very good at hiding from me at pine creek, mt diablo.
I remember finding a few in the north bay as well. Nothing terrible or anything, but can be a bit confusing for someone new to the area. I'll try to be better at documenting them. Or maybe the author has posted them online somewhere.

Salamanizer Ski · · Off the Grid… · Joined Sep 2005 · Points: 18,914
someDuder wrote: There is a trail that is either incorrectly drawn, or just very good at hiding from me at pine creek, mt diablo.
Let me guess, the Deliverance trail? The trail actually doesn't exist. I can tell you exactly how to get there if you'd like though.
Brian Snider · · NorCal · Joined Mar 2010 · Points: 732

The book covers most of the good stuff in the area and the pictures are really nice. I'm happy to find some good beta on Pine Canyon but the trail certainly was not in the same spot as on the map. I'd say the trail map for that area in general was pretty poorly done. Over all though the book is one of better ones I've seen for SF Bay.

Salamanizer Ski · · Off the Grid… · Joined Sep 2005 · Points: 18,914

The trail for Pine Canyon certainly wasn't done in great detail. There are many alternate paths and trails not shown but for the most part, it's all there with the exception of the trail to Deliverance Rock.

To get to Deliverance (which a keen eye can spot on the approach as the only North facing wall below and to the right of the Teeth) get to the notch between the Castle Wall and Castle Rock. You should be at the base of the route know as "the Castle Rock Arete". At this point there is a trail just up hill that heads north toward Deliverance and the Teeth. Follow the trail staying left and very quickly you'll drop down into a wooded gully with no real trail. Walk down hill and follow a short wall (maybe 15ft tall) until you can find a way to scramble and claw your way up to it's arete. Walk left (west) along this sorta ridge top where you'll have to bushwack or crawl through a tunnel in the bushes. At the tunnels end begin looking to your right for the top of deliverance rock and it's steep drop off. It's not super obvious but if you find yourself crawling through bushes and poison oak again, you went too far. You don't need to crawl through any Poison oak if you go the right way. It kinda points the way. Go the wrong way and you'll be confronted with walls of the stuff.

Heres a google earth image showing Deliverance Rock and it's non existent trail system.

Good luck!

Pine Canyon trail system showing trail system to Deliverance Rock and The Teeth.

splitclimber · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2007 · Points: 18

Bump for Jim Thornburg's updated Bay Area Rock guidebook. He has included a lot more crags and climbs and as usual some great pictures.

As with most guidebooks, there will always be some errors.

I wanted to list one error for the Black Tower at Mt. St. Helena. Mostly so a 5.8 climber doesn't get on a 5.10 and to let north bay climbers know of some new/newer crags to help spread out climbers on the busiest of days.

Jim Thornburg updated his Bay Area Rocks guidebook and included Black Tower, next to Kimball Crag, which was included in the previous version.

However, the Black Tower climbs are listed in reverse order in the guidebook. The correct order from left to right is:

Corkscrew - 5.9+

Barrel Roll - 5.10a/b

5.8

Wingman - 5.8

you can use a 60 meter rope on the two 5.8's, but you better tie a knot in the ends when rapping. I really recommend belaying from above when belaying a follower. If the rope doesn't run through draws, a 60m rope does just reach the ground and you can top rope them, but barely and lowering the last 20 feet is awkward and will abrade the rope.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Northern California
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