best climbing in sf bay area?

Iam lucky enough to get a trip to the bay area next month. We only have about a day and a half to climb. Looks like a lot of great climbing. Super excited, probably wont want to come back to the dust bowl after landing in cali. What climbing area should we hit up, would greatly appreciate your feedback.

When ever friends come to visit and we only have one day to climb I usually take them to Mount Tamalpias. Known to the locals as MT. Tam this spot is visible for everywhere and while the climbing is never epic the location certinly is. This place has some of the most amazing views of the bay area, plus it's easy to find and has a short approach.

Just Hanging Out

Mt. Tam

MP Link

Depends on what you are looking for and how far you are willing to drive:

Bouldering:
Little Driving: Indian Rock & Berkely Areas
Medium Driving: Ring Mountain & Turtle Rock
or Stinson's Beach
~1 hour: Nut Tree Boulders

Sport Climbing:
Short: One of the many gyms (no real outside sport routes close to SF)
Medium Driving: Mount St Helena
or Castle Rock
Long Drive: Table Mountain & Other Sonora Areas

Note for Easy Sport Climbing:
Table Scraps @ MSH has the easiest top rope set up and 10 routes 5.10 and under.

Trad Climbing:
Long Drive: Table Mountain & Other Sonora Areas

castle rock state park.

the pinnacles.

Most good climbing is in the Sierra...

Tevis Blom wrote:castle rock state park. the pinnacles. Most good climbing is in the Sierra...

just out of curiosity how far of drive is it to the Sierra goods.
Also is too hot in June to climb areas like Bishop?
Sorry to poach your thread but I'm San Fran bound in June.

T.Dailey wrote: just out of curiosity how far of drive is it to the Sierra goods. Also is too hot in June to climb areas like Bishop? Sorry to poach your thread but I'm San Fran bound in June.

To Tahoe 3-4 hours give or take where you are in the bay and traffic.

Thank you everyone. Looks sweet. Can't wait.

You have a day and a half? Drive up to Tahoe (3 hrs or less) or to Yosemite.

Couple driving times...
Berkeley (east bay) to Sugarloaf (closest good granite crag, ~2:30)
Berkeley to South Lake Tahoe or Truckee, 3 hours (don't leave the Bay at rush hour)
Berkeley to Reed's Pinnacle (first crag in Yos Valley, ~4.5 hrs)

Berkeley to the base of crags at Mt. St Helena, ~2.5 hours.
Berkeley to Pinnacles, east side, ~2:15.

I'd recommend Pinnacles if you don't do Tahoe or Yosemite. That place is pretty neat and the climbing is exciting. Most of the other crags are choss piles aside from a number of decent bouldering areas (Berkeley and Castle Rock.)

no one has mentioned consumnes river. almost always great sunny warm weather even in the dead of winter. many single pitch climbs. too bad the only decent guide book to this area is now hard to find. I have a copy if anyone needs. great granite rock... check, top rope... check, sport... check, trad... check, easy... check, moderate... check, hard... check. Quick and easy drive... check. look it up on here. makes a great day trip. otherwise go to sonora. if your feeling lazy go to pine canyon at mt diablo. it's close and the climbing is decent if you like soft "rock". castle rock is hardly worth the trouble. mickeys beach is fun and hard but theres also decent bouldering there. pinnacles is your other best option next to consumnes though. consumnes or pinnacles is where it's at for close stuff.

Responding the T. Dailey's hijack, not to the OP:

T.Dailey wrote: just out of curiosity how far of drive is it to the Sierra goods.

Times depend on where you are in the Bay Area; your starting point will change your drive time by as much as an hour and a half. generally, if you are in the East Bay your drive times will be on the lower end of the scale.

Tahoe is 3-4 hours in ideal conditions, but weekend traffic, especially during ski season, can easily add a few hours.

Yosemite is ~4 hours.

Needles are 6 hours.

Jailhouse is 2 hours.

T.Dailey wrote: Also is too hot in June to climb areas like Bishop? Sorry to poach your thread but I'm San Fran bound in June.

Bishop has good-even ideal- climbing conditions during every month of the year, but only because of he variety of areas and elevations. You can't climb comfortably at any one area year round, but with all the areas nearby you can usually find something. Happies and Buttermilks are way hot in June. Owens River Gorge, while climbable in deep shade, is decidedly non-ideal. The higher-up granite crags like Pine Creek, Rock Creek, Cardinal Pinnacle, and anything in the high alpine are fantastic in the summer. Long drive from the Bay, though.