Styx

This is a good place for a beginning trad leader. Very accessible and good protection for most of the climbs. As usual for Diablo, watch for loose rock.

(Much like hell...) Styx bakes in the sun in the summer; but is shaded in the winter as the sun is too low in the sky and blocked by cliffs.

Denny Newell and friends did some (probable) FAs in this area in the early '90s, but he forgot which lines, exactly.. [edit- Kiser, Wezwick, and Kessler also did these climbs early on. I didn't intend to start an argument about who did what first.. I don't know, it doesn't matter much anyway and there's no clear way to resolve it.]

The names for most of these routes came much later than their FAs, with the guidebook being published.

Great little wall for some easy trad. Remember a rope bag or ground cloth; super sandy at the base.

Newell et. al. placed none of the anchors in the area. Beverly named four of the routes with the guidebook because they needed a name.

I agree this is a good venue for a new trad leader. Most of the protection is extremely straightforward, especially if you have cams.

I also believe this is one of the best places at Diablo to bring beginners for some top roping. If you think it's worth dragging some gear down here, your top roping friends will have a blast.

For what it's worth I have never placed a cam larger than a #1 C4 here, so you don't need to bring a big rack. In fact a double set of cams from very small (purple TCU) to #1 C4 will suffice. You don't need to bring nuts (unless you want to of course). Likewise if you are more adept and motivated than I, you could probably get away with a rack of small to large nuts instead.

Due to potential (but somewhat rare) loose rock I always bring a helmet for kids, or adults who want it.

As George hinted at above, this area is best in spring and fall.