roboboy Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 Trip: Castle Crags - Cosmic Wall, etc Date: 4/5/2007 Trip Report: James mysteriously disappeared for the winter but when he re-emerged from ? we quickly decided on a road trip to northern California. The first day we did Mt Hubris, Cosmic wall, recently reported on by some others. 2nd pitch 3rd pitch: Back on the ground. The next morning we scrambled to the top of Castle Dome. The clean white granite slabs were fun and super grippy with rock shoes. After that we went to Six Toe rock and did some routes. The climbs here seemed like typical moderately high angle granite climbing with continuous cracks systems with jams and laybacks. James led 2-pitch Six Toe crack: On the third day it rained so we retrieved our gear and headed home but glad to get in two great days of climbing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catbirdseat Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 Oh, man... so jealous. Nice trip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlympicMtnBoy Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 typical moderately high angle granite climbing with continuous cracks systems with jams and laybacks. Umm, yeah, that's what I was climbing too. Those nice ones over in Renton. Lucky bastard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catbirdseat Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 I asked Fred what he thought of Castle Crags. He said he'd climbed there once and didn't like it, "the rock was soft". I couldn't get him to elaborate. Soft? Soft granite? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lambone Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 well, catbird... the granite at Castle was never glaciated, and it is a realatively "young" formation in geologic terms. so it is still exfoliating. Much of the big towers are covered in questionable flakes.The cracks can be flairing, and the faces have oinion skin flakes that peel off sometimes. options for pro are sometimes limited and that was probly Fred's main complaint. It is not that it's chossy, it's just that the lines and features tend to be discontinous, hard to pick out from the ground, reqiuring a mix of face climbing between sparse pro. power drilling is illegal there, and shunned by the local hardcores in Shasta, so bolts are few and leads can be spicy. climbing at your limit in CC can be an eye opening experience. there are quaility moderate lines that are solid rock, lots of hard and heady lines and acres of granite that has never been touched. %99 of people going into the Crags just do Cosmic wall and maybe 6 Toe crack. But there are many other gems to be had. I have heard that the East Face of Castle dome (i.e. the Dyke Route), is the best line up there but goes at a heady 10c or so. Stop by the "Shasta Base Camp" in Shasta to get the guide book or gleen beta from a bunch of great guys who work there. They are putting up new lines every season and there is a ton of stuff that is unpublished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevbone Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 Great pics....more, more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roboboy Posted April 10, 2007 Author Share Posted April 10, 2007 Some more, mainly for kevb, never let it be said that I don't post enough pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AR_Guy Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 Sweet pics Rob.... Cool TR. I was salivating looking up at that rock as I hiked past on the PCT last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
layton Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 Plumbline, Castle Dome NF and EF are really fun...especially plumbline. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoCallies23 Posted May 7, 2007 Share Posted May 7, 2007 Thanks for the props to SHASTABASECAMP.COM We love the crags and ian our web desinger and ran up the cosmic on the 23 of april. And i may do it again on monday with six toe second then some grotto action. Glad to see you guys coming down here hit us up we have way more crags than most people know about. We just started work on a new cliff band and found two more in the process. cheers great climb and photos thanks Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoCallies23 Posted May 7, 2007 Share Posted May 7, 2007 The crags are a very secret place true Trying to find out whats been climbed is real hard. Some new routes are going up and new batina granite has been found on hundred plus foot walls. The dike route is a classic true at 10 plus cant wait to do it! Stop in the next time your in town and talk to ian styles or matt at basecamp well take you out to some other crags. cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwilson23 Posted April 16, 2009 Share Posted April 16, 2009 Is there a good route guide for the Crags? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winter Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 there's a flimsy little falcon guide that will get you up the cosmic wall and a couple of other routes, but that's it as far as I know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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