Home - Destinations - People - Partners - Forum - Photos - What's New |
|
DescriptionLocated half way between major urban centers Los Angeles to the south and the San Francisco Bay to the north, the quaint Central Coast of California spans roughly from Ventura to Monterey. While known primarily for surfing, celebrities, exorbitant real estate prices, and wine-tasting (the movie "Sideways" was filmed locally), there is actually surprisingly good climbing to be found. The majority of rock around Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Ojai is medium-grade sandstone (i.e., a little friable), but there's also blue schist (Green Dome), andesite (SLO), and conglomerate (Silly Rock, Wheeler Gorge) out there. The climbing is by no means world class, but what it lacks in quality it makes up for in aesthetics. As a friend of mine would say, "maybe not 4-star climbing, but makes for a 4-star day!" Guidebooks
Getting ThereHwy 101 connects Ventura to San Luis Obispo. 99% of the routes described here lie either off the 101, 154 (San Marcos Pass), 33 (Ojai), or 166 (east of Santa Maria). Refer to specific area for details and directions. The ClassicsMountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Central Coast:
Lizards' Mouth Traverse V0+ Boulder, 40 feet The Lizard's Mouth : The Mouth
Tree Root 5.5 Trad, 2 pitches, 200 feet Hwy 33/Ojai : Sespe Gorge (Black Wall)
60 Seconds Over Soledad 5.6 Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 70 feet Bishop Peak : Cracked Wall
Ending Crack 5.7 PG13 Trad, 2 pitches, 200 feet Hwy 33/Ojai : Sespe Gorge (Black Wall)
Face Lift 5.7 R Trad, 2 pitches, 90 feet Santa Barbara : San Ysidro
Shadow 5.7 R Sport, TR, 1 pitch, 80 feet Bishop Peak : Shadow Rock
Orangahang 5.7 Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 80 feet Santa Barbara : San Ysidro
P-Crack 5.8 Trad, 80 feet Bishop Peak : P-Wall
Free to Choose 5.8+ Sport, 2 pitches, 180 feet The Fortress : Right Side Gully
Permanent Income Hypothesis 5.9 Sport, 1 pitch, 180 feet The Fortress : Right Side Gully
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly 5.9 Sport, 1 pitch, 70 feet East Camino Cielo : Crag Full of Dynamite
Many Happy Returns 5.9+ Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 80 feet Santa Barbara : San Ysidro
Great Race 5.10a Sport, TR, 1 pitch, 70 feet Santa Barbara : San Ysidro
Lama 5.10b Trad, Sport, TR, 1 pitch, 60 feet Bishop Peak : Cracked Wall
Camel 5.10b Sport, TR, 1 pitch, 50 feet Bishop Peak : Cracked Wall
Gold Rush/High Noon 5.10b Sport, TR, 1 pitch, 40 feet Bishop Peak : Wild, Wild Western Pinnacle...
T-Crack 5.10 Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 60 feet Gibraltar Area : Gibraltar Rock
Grib Dat Hole 5.11a Sport, Chipped, 1 pitch, 50 feet Hwy 154 (San Marcos Pass) : Fire Crags
Western Airlines 5.11b Sport, 1 pitch, 50 feet Bishop Peak : Cracked Wall
The Nose 5.11 Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 100 feet Gibraltar Area : Gibraltar Rock
Latest Regional Forum Messages
From Northern California
Go to Forum | What's New | Post New Topic
Featured Route For Central Coast
The Ant Traverse V4-5 CA : Central Coast : ... : Ant Boulder
Start in Jason's Favorite and traverse left, topping out on Aunt Bea (V4?) or Flying Ant (V5??). Many variations. I've only done it by getting to the two starting holes of Aunt Bea and going up from there. I don't think I know exactly where Flying Ant is yet, so can't really comment on that finish....[more] Browse More Classics in CA
|