Fort Ross  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Lat, Long:  38.5361, -123.2415 Map Page Views:  7,414. Good page?    Administrators:  Aron Quiter, M.Morley, Sam Vanderhyden, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  Aron Quiter on May 3, 2004 Make this area a Favorite What's New  Printer View Add Area  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event  Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed 64° | 50° 66° | 50° 64° | 48° 61° | 43° 61° | 45°

BETA PHOTO: The cliffs of Fort Ross as seen from the pullout l...

Description 

Excellent, hard beach bouldering on a calm beach in Sonoma? Nah!

Welcome to Fort Ross Bouldering, on a soft small pebbled and sand beach just South of the town of Fort Ross, and just north of Fort Ross Historical Park.

While the Quantity of bouldering isn't great, the QUALITY and 3 minute approach makes this a great stop (if not entire day) for a Sonoma County rampage.

Climbing is varied on solid sandstone: There are excellent routes for beginners with many uncrowded rocks and problems with V0 or simpler climbing on them. Intermediates will find fewer chioces. Experts will love the main boulder, which has problems from V0+ to V9. There are also a few top rope (5.11-5.12) options, though most people avoid them due to their proxminity to other climbing in the area, and also to the loose quality of the rock.

All routes walk off the backside of the boulders.

Sand level can play a major factor into the difficulty of the climbing here. Living a Dream (V5) which ascends the right arete of the main rock simply cannot be done as the 5 in the winter. Climbing the HARD "sit start" Living La Vida Loca (V8) is the only option, as the step into Living a Dream is well overhead. The other difficulty about sand level is that in the winter most of the soft sand goes away, leaving a rocky often jagged beach for highball landings. There are no access fees.

Getting There 

To reach Fort Ross , head north on 101 from essentially anywhere in the Bay Area. Upon reaching the town of Petaluma, take the East Washington exit. Go left and drive west, over the freeway. When Washington intersects Highway 116, it turns into Bodega Avenue. Keep on Bodega for about 25 miles, and it will become highway 1 - Northbound. Keep on Highway 1, through Bodega Bay, and into Jenner. At the intersection of hwy 116 (same highway as in Petaluma, it just winds a LOT) and hwy 1, you have 14 miles until one 4 - 6 car pullout on your left, right next to mileage sign 34.20. This is where you should park.

The trail to most of the climbing heads down to the beach from the North end of the pullout. See the pictures for some views.

The Classics

Featured Route For Fort Ross

Living a Dream V6  CA : SF Bay Area : ... : Fort Ross - Main Rock

Stand start on overhanging side of the right arete as high up as you can reach on several pads. Lower starts are different problems, but the "normal" stand start at high sand goes at about V7....[more]   Browse More Classics in CA

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BETA PHOTO: The main bouldering rocks as seen from where the p...