Mountain Project: Climbing SF Bay Area

Overlooking Napa Valley, Mount St. Helena is about the most scenic climbing in the Bay Area. If you're willing to hike there's a ton of trad climbing in the area, but thus far, I've been too lazy to get anywhere but the three sport climbing areas. The rock is volcanic in origin, and ranges widely in forms, thus specific descriptions will be saved for each crag. Recently, Aron and I discovered that Forrest Shute has been hiding in the Los Angeles area. He mentioned that he had about half of all the first ascents on the Mountain, and that there's a lot more climbing past the Far Side than just that available in guidebooks. Hopefully, we'll be able to share a little more of his wisdom in the future.

Getting There

From the majority of the Bay Area, it is quickest to take 80 East (though it goes mostly north) PAST highway 29, and take 12 west until it intersects 29 at a stop light. Here, go right and drive through wine country (buy wine too). In the town of Calistoga, 29 takes a right at a stop sign. Continue on 29 out of Calistoga where it begins to get windy. The road proceeds up the shoulder of Mount St. Helena. At the top, there will be a pedestrians crossing sign promptly followed by parking areas on both the right and left sides of the road, they're pretty easy to fly by, but that's where you park. There's a trail leading out of the left parking lot. Take this as it switches back up a hill until you're to a fire road. Go left on the fire road, the bubble is about half a mile up the road.

The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Mount St. Helena:

Table Scraps 5.8 Sport, 1 pitch, 65 feet Table Scraps Pinnacle

Shute-Mills Route 5.8 Sport, 1 pitch, 60 feet The Far Side

Old Ladder Route 5.9 Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 70 feet The Bubble

Face, The Bubble Mt. St. Helena 5.9 Sport, TR, 1 pitch, 60 feet The Bubble

Kola 5.9 Sport, 1 pitch, 50 feet The Far Side

Separation Anxiety 5.9+ Sport, TR, 1 pitch, 60 feet The Far Side

Aperitif 5.10a Sport, 1 pitch, 60 feet Table Scraps Pinnacle

Silverado Squatters 5.10b Sport, 1 pitch, 60 feet The Bear

Kidnapped 5.10b Sport, 1 pitch, 50 feet The Bear

Atlas 5.10c R Sport, 1 pitch, 65 feet The Far Side

Rampage 5.10c Sport, 60 feet The Bear

Black Hole Sun 5.10d Sport, 1 pitch, 60 feet The Bear

The West Face 5.10d R Sport, 1 pitch, 50 feet The Bubble

The Ladder 5.10d X Sport, TR, 1 pitch, 70 feet The Bubble

Solar Power 5.11a Sport, 40 feet The Bubble

Beast of Burden 5.11c Sport, 1 pitch, 50 feet The Bear

Stone Free 5.12a Sport, 1 pitch, 60 feet The Bear

Treasure Island 5.12a Sport, 1 pitch, 60 feet The Bear

Jason and the Argonauts 5.12b Sport, TR, 1 pitch, 50 feet The Bear

Swallow My Pride 5.12b Sport, 1 pitch, 50 feet The Bear

Comments on Mount St. Helena

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Comments displayed oldest to newest — Skip Ahead to the Most Recent Dated May 14, 2013

By Anonymous Coward
Sep 18, 2003

Plan for an extremely hot hike that strenuous on warm days. Our crew concluded that these climbs would be a million times better if it were a cloudy cool day. The hike took so much out of us that many were unable to climb once we got to the far side.... For those who did, it was splendid! Amazing views and fun volcanic rock with lots of little holes.

By Smitty
Mar 24, 2004
Gear Alert

We climbed up on the main rocks not to long ago in a quest for long sport routes. Was stoked to see a few two pitch routes, although the pitches we kinda short. We did Mikes Moderate and it was pretty fun. The approach was a MF and the rock was a bit chossy but all in all it was a good day. I do feel that if you are going to drive this far from the bay area you might as well go to the leap. I mean its a 1.5 hr drive and an hour approach for a handful of routes. Also beware some of the bolts up there we manky.

By Dodrill
From: Sebastopol, CA
Jan 19, 2008

Random/relevant info:
Parking Lot Elevation: 2408'
GPS: N38.39.146 W122.35.960

By Avery
Mar 30, 2009

The approach to The Bear is significantly different and easier than the description in Bay Area Climbing. The guide says to go ~1/4 mile past the bubble, and then hike up a loose steep slope toward The Bear. If you continue past 2 "trails" up the road cut that fit the description in the guide book, you will come to a good real trail in another couple hundred yards. This trail starts well past the Bear and traverses the hill to approach The Bear from climbers right.

By Giulio
From: Waterville, ME
Jun 3, 2010

What is the guide book for this area called?
I thought it was wine country rock, but i couldn't find it

By Dodrill
From: Sebastopol, CA
Jun 4, 2010

Wine Country Rocks is out of print. Not sure about the status about other books, but this site has the most accurate and current info, though lacks topos. There are rumors of a new Bay Area Climbing book from SuperTopo due out next year.

By Bob Hulsy
Jun 4, 2010

Bay Area Top Ropes is now in print. Check the touchstone gyms in the Bay, where it just landed on the shelves.

By Mark K. Howe
Jun 9, 2010

To Smitty above: That would be Marks Moderate

By Renzo
Nov 14, 2010

I used the Bay Area Topropes guide when climbing at the Far Side and didn't find it very helpful. There is one picture of the area that looks like it was taken from across the valley, making it difficult to locate specific routes. Also, many of the routes are not listed. If you are leading I would suggest the Bay Area Climbing book from Falcon.

By Jared W.
Aug 19, 2011

I would only use the Falcon book for a fairly decent topo that it provides of The Bear. However, Falcon's topo is outdated. Routes seem to have changed, and there are more now. Until a better, up-to-date guide book comes out, I'd recommend sticking only to the information found here on mountainproject.com. There's sufficient to finding the routes on The Bear and much better topos.

By Dodrill
From: Sebastopol, CA
Dec 9, 2012

Hey folks,
Conditions have been great lately and lots of people are visiting the park. Please keep in mind that there are no bathrooms at Mt. St. Helena/ R.L.S. State Park. Please poop in town before driving up. The parking lot is becoming a disaster of toilet paper behind every bush. If you really have to go when up on the mountain, bring a WAG BAG, or at least dig a deep hole out in the woods away from climbing areas and do NOT burn the paper! If you are really feeling like a rock star bring a couple trash bags and help by pick up some trash in the parking lot before driving down the hill.

Thanks a ton, and enjoy!
Jerry

By andand89
6 days ago

On the subject of guidebooks: I just picked up a new copy of "Bay Area Rock" and it has pretty good topos/route descriptions for the Far Side, Table Scraps, and Table Rock (the latter two aren't even mentioned in the Falcon guide).

Is there any chance at all of finding a copy of "Wine Country Rocks"? I'm curious if there's more info there that's not in guidebooks or on this site.

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Mount St. Helena

Description

Getting There

The Classics