All Locations > California > Sonora Pass Hig… > Table Mountain

The Grotto Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Routes in The Grotto

L › R R › L A › Z

	AC Devil Dog S 5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
	Bad Habits T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
	Bandito T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
	Bombardier, The S 5.12d 7c 28 IX 28 E6 6b
	Chicken Ranch Bingo S 5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
	Digital Distress T 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
	Ejection Seat S 5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a
	Flight Simulator S 5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b
	Go with the Flow T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
	Granted T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
	Gyro Gearloose T 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
	Hole in the Wall T 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
	Journey to Find the Sun S 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
	Men's Crisis Center T 5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a
	Mine and Yours T 5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b V3 6A
	Moss Appreciation T 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b PG13
	Moss Critique S 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
	Premature Ejection S 5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b
	Prime Directive S 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b R
	Rawhide T 5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
	Sidewinder S 5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a
	Snake Bite T 5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c
	Squealer T,S 5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
	Table Manners T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
	Table Manners - Left T 5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
	Table Manners - Right T 5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b
	Three Fingered Jack T 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
	To Pin or Not To Be T 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
	Trigger Finger T 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a

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Explore this area in 3D

Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more. Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.

Elevation:	1,588 ft	484 m
GPS:	37.926, -120.4635 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	147,041 total · 537/month
Shared By:	Brian Quiter on Jun 22, 2002 · Updates
Admins:	Mike Morley, Adam Stackhouse, Salamanizer Ski, Justin Johnsen, Vicki Schwantes Page Updates (admin only)

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Access Issue: Agreement in place at Gold Wall. Respect signs and private property owners near the crags. Details

Update: April, 16 2021.

Gold Wall (which is privately owned) is open to climbing.
However climbers must follow the owners rules!

Rules for climbing at Gold Wall:
-No yelling/loud noises
-No fires of any kind
-No camping
-No trash/bathroom
-No publishing routes in books or online (ie Don't post on Mountain Project or other online sites)
-No disclosing exact location in books/online

The land owners continue to have full rights over the Gold Wall and the right to close access at any time if activities occur that make them uncomfortable. We are very thankful to the land owners who recognize the importance of Gold Wall to the climbing community and generously have allowed rock climbing to occur on their property.

Access Fund is working with Tuolumne County, Tuolumne County Land Trust, private landowners and the US Bureau of Reclamation to come up with a solution to the Shell Rd parking issue. Please be mindful of where you park when going to Table Mountain, do not block private driveways or vehicle access on Shell Rd and remember this area is a high fire danger zone so use abundance of caution!
It is up to us as a climbing community to ensure the owner’s rules are upheld so please if you see something say something!!

Description

The trail which is typically used to access the Grotto is deteriorating and has many loose blocks which are likely to shift and roll with the slightest movement. This gully has already resulted in a serious accident where several climbers were hurt due to rockfall. Extreme caution should be taken when entering and exiting the gully. Alternate approaches or destinations should be considered when climbing with members of a party who may not have extensive experience scrambling through extremely loose and unstable terrain.

The Grotto is one of the most alien places I've ever seen (alongside Joshua Tree)! You're in a 30-foot deep pit, surrounded by climbing. The main wall is columnar basalt until it gets to the surrounding ground level, then becomes more featured and very overhung above ground.The area is also a lot cooler due to its location, and doesn't see much sun. The lower part of the wall has mainly trad climbs, though a few bolted routes like the classic AC Devil Dog are present too. The upper wall is all sport and is mostly very difficult. It can only be reached by climbing the lower routes first.

Getting There

Approach time: 20 - 25 minutes.

NOTE - THERE IS NO CAMPING ALLOWED ON SHELL ROAD ANYWHERE.

Use the "Getting There" description for Welcome Wall, then simply continue left another 2 minutes on the trail. You'll go down a steep trail between some rocks, and you will see the columnar Grotto in front of you on the right, the Ort Wall on the left, and The Cave Routes ahead and left.

29 Total Climbs

Route Finder - Best Climbs for YOU!

Location:	The Grotto Change
Type:	to Trad Sport Toprope
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Classic Climbing Routes at The Grotto

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.

5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c 191 ● Bandito Trad
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c 194 ● Table Manners Trad
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a 158 ● Go with the Flow Trad
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a 116 ● Granted Trad
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a 79 ● Hole in the Wall Trad
5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a 54 ● Chicken Ranch Bingo Sport
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b 121 ● Three Fingered Jack Trad
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b 220 ● AC Devil Dog Sport
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c 156 ● Rawhide Trad
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c 43 ● Table Manners - Left Trad
5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c 81 ● Snake Bite Trad
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c 24 ● To Pin or Not To Be Trad
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a 37 ● Squealer Trad, Sport
5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a 37 ● Men's Crisis Center Trad
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b 24 ● Flight Simulator Sport