Interesting climbing, good rock, ideal location--all in all a fun diversion on busy weekends.

There is one hard, height-dependent move past the overhang.  The grade only applies if you can reach the decisive handhold.

Return On Investment

Vanishing Flakes

Rockocco

The Heckling

Chavez/Mosher

Puny Prow

Face Lift

Applied Magnetics

Fine Line

Many Happy Returns

Haunted by Waters

Too Mucking Futch

Rick's Route

Peels of Laughter

Scrub Job

Daddy's Girl

Young William

The Weeny Roofs

Great Race

Orangahang

Enigmatic Voyage

Super-fun route!  And often over-looked.

This route climbs a slightly-overhanging wall 25 yards down-stream from the main cliff.  To locate the route, look for the remains of a small water tank on a ledge above the creek--Daddy's Girl is just to the right of the tank.

Steep pocket pulling leads up and left past a bolt.  From here, climb straight up through an intricate and sequential crux past another bolt to the anchor.

On the left side of the main wall is a blank face with a fixed pin and a bolt. 20' of delicate slab climbing leads to a more moderate (5.5) trad finish.

Super fun easy route.

Start in the obvious right-facing corner just to the left of Applied Magnetics.

The first few moves are height dependent.  Shorter climbers will find that this sequence feels more like 5.7 (which is incidentally the rating given in the CLASSIC 1988 guidebook "Climber's Guide to Southern California," by Hellweg & Warstler).

After about 20 feet, hang a sharp left and foot traverse the ledge until reaching an obvious hand crack.  Fire up the crack, past a large roof (with thank-God jugs) to the anchor.

A short 5.9 section leads up and right past a bulge, to a large stance from which it is possible to clip the route's only bolt.  From the bolt, angle up and slightly right to the top of the wall.

The crux is several moves of delicate slab climbing.  Mantel and stem between sloping holds.  Surprisingly enjoyable.

Same start as Scrub Job.  Climb up to a large hole, and clip the bolt above the right-hand side of the hole.  Exit the hole on the right and follow a shallow trough that angles slightly right as it ascends the wall.

It is possible to use the trough for hand holds, doing a psuedo-lieback to the right. There are just enough edges among the lichen to the right of the trough for your feet.

The difficulties continue well above the bolt.  A fall near the top of the trough would deposit you very painfully in the gully.  As the trough ends, follow good edges straight up to a bolt.  Then traverse horizontally to the right to a third bolt.  Climb straight to the top from here.

The arete and face to the left of Vanishing Flakes.  A suitable alternative when San Ysidro is crowded.

Start by the Oak tree on the left-side of the arete.  Climb up the left side and angle right, joining the right-side of the arete about 10 feet up.  It is possible to place a Tri-Cam in a pocket before setting off on the runout face above.  There is a hangerless Rawl about 15 feet higher.  Continue on the runout face to the top, avoiding the crack that forms the top of Rockoco & Vanishing Flakes (although it is possible and quite appealing to step right and place gear).

First Ascentionists Note

:

I did the FA of Puny Prow in 1980 when I was in graduate school at UCSB. I drilled the bolt from a free stance. I think it was a 3/8" Star Drive and the sleeve deformed; the original metal was a lame installation! I don't remember it being very runout.

- Mack Johnson

This route begins at the obvious flake between Applied Magnetics and the descent gully.  Climb the flake to a bolt (alternately, you can climb the 5.10a face left of the flake past a Leeper hanger).  Easy friction leads to a second bolt.  From this second bolt, the route continues straight up to a third bolt near the "Too Mucking Futch" trough.  A traverse and a very long sling is required to gain the fourth bolt.  I prefer to forego the third bolt in favor of keeping a more direct and aesthetic line to the fourth bolt.  This makes it a little more runout, so use your judgment.  From the fourth bolt, diagonal up and right to a triple bolt belay in a dish.

After the belay, head up and left to the gully (passing 2 bolts), or up and right to a hole and a second bolt, eventually passing two more bolts on the final headwall (my book calls this variation 5.9, but I believe it is 5.10a).

From the first belay one can also angle right to a large hole to climb "Scrub Job" or "Chavez/Mosher."

Applied Magnetic is one of the few moderate trad routes in the area.

In true Santa Barbara tradition, the crack is more of a seam, and there are only a few good jams before the route gives way to face climbing.

The route is the pocketed crack left of the 3rd class gully and right of Vanishing Flakes.

This route is on the right hand formation and starts about ten feet to the right of the undercling that marks Rick's Route.  you can see an obvious scoop from the ground.  Inside the scoop is a bolt (the bolt used to be missing a hanger, but I think it has been replaced).  The line continues up past 2 or 3 more bolts and ends on the blocky area (higher than the belay for "Orangahang."  Alternately you can wander around the face and traverse to the Orangahang belay.

Left of Orangahang is a lone bolt in the middle of the slab. Climb past and then head right towards the bolt and lieback. After liebacking the detached block, climb weird fingerlocks up the slab to the nice ledge. The route finishes just right of the 3rd class gully.

"...The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time.  On some of the rocks are timeless raindrops.  Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs.  I am haunted by waters."

--Norman Maclean

Delicate slab climbing on really nice rock which is punctuated by two small overhangs.

Six feet right of Applied Magnetics an obvious crack climbs past a small shrub. Step right and continue up the run-out crack until it turns into a wide bushy gully. The run-out up high is about 20 feet and goes at about 5.6.

Step left onto the face before the gully and climb up and left to a bolt.

The crux is climbing past the shrub about 18 feet up.

This route starts about 30 feet to the right and uphill from the classic Orangahang.

Climb straight up a shallow corner past a large tuft of grass and clip a bolt.  From the bolt, step straight left onto sloping holds.  Continue traversing left under a small overhang (crux).  At the far left end of the overhang is a thank-God-hold that makes pulling up and over the roof a straight-forward and fun endeavor.

After gaining a small ledge, traverse back right into an obvious wide crack.  Climb this crack until it ends.  Clip a bolt and pull over a small bulge onto sloping face holds.  Follow these sloping holds and a series of large holes up and left to the large oak tree which can be tied as an anchor.

Note: after clipping the second bolt, the original line climbed up and right to finish on Fine Line.  This is considerably harder (perhaps 5.9) though less run-out.

Easy but unprotected climbing up the corner leads to a shallow horizontal ledge (5.4).  Alternately, climb the face six feet right of the corner (5.6/5.7).  Foot traverse right along the ledge until reaching a crack.  Gratefully place a piece or two as you climb the crack up to  an obvious overhang.  Foot traverse left to the corner.  Bypass the roof on the left-hand side.  Climb the airy and exposed arete past two bolts to the top.

The true crux of the route is passing the second bolt (at 80 feet) which involves a committing and somewhat awkward mantel (5.7).  Many people risk a significant swing and bypass the crux by traversing 6 feet right on the ledge and climbing face holds to the top (5.6).

The route is 110 feet long!!  Do not try to rappel the route with a 60m rope.  The only way to run a redirected toprope is to extend your anchor 10 feet below the two bolts out on the arete.  NOTE: multiple directionals must be used when toproping in order to avoid a swing of up to 30 feet!

This route begins in the descent gully, approximately even with top of the first pitch of Face Lift.  A better option is to climb the first pitch of Face Lift.  From the Face Lift belay angle up and right to the large hole (this is about 20 feet with no pro).  The business begins above the hole.  Clip a bolt and friction up an insecure trough, climbing significantly above the bolt.  This section is very solid 5.9 (read at least 5.9).  Eventually easier climbing leads to a headwall and the top of the alternative second pitch of Face Lift.

Wonderfully subtle face climbing on marginal holds--you must have mastered this surface to hold-on.  Simply "visionary."

This route climbs the face 8 feet right of the SY-classic "Vanishing Flakes."  Climb past a mangled lead bolt without hanger and up to the second bolt of Flakes.  Give your feet a break on a small ledge before stepping up and right on a blank face.

Finish on the upper half of Rockoco.

Mostly a top-rope or a solo.

Solo 30 feet of 5.5/5.6 face climbing to reach the first bolt.  Clip a second bolt and climb past an obvious roof with long, powerful moves off of positive crimps.  Bolts adequately protect the leader through these awkward and sandy roof moves.

Traverse left on a ledge.  Pull a few steep, strenuous moves on the right side of the arete before pulling left onto the face.  This section is the crux of the route.  If you fall at the crux, the route's third bolt will not keep you off of the ledge below.  Clip one last bolt which adequately protects slabby moves leading to a huge ledge.

Unprotected 5.4 face climbing leads to the summit--although it is possible to escape right by walking along the ledge.

In between the various bolts, expect little in the way of protection.  This is not a sport route.

This is the hardest 5.10 at the cliff (much harder than either Great Race or the 5.10a alternates of Face Lift).

Great Race is on the right wall of the 3rd class gully and is a great sporty vertical line. Steep, slabby (is that an oxymoron?) moves down low give way to buckets higher up.

Orangahang is located 30 yards right of the 3rd class gully, and ascends an obvious break in the bulge. Juggy moves over the bulge lead to easier slab/crack climbing.

Ascend the left side of the arete next to Rockoco.

Sloping foot holds get you off the ground and lead to a gaston followed by a wild mantle (the crux).  From here, climb sloping, lichenous holds to the 20 foot mark where Enigmatic Voyage joins Rockoco.

This route is tricky and sequential, requiring real creativity and athleticism. Being 6'-1" tall with a +2 reach also helps tremendously.  For my shorter climbing partner, the crux felt more like 5.11+ as he simply couldn't reach a decisive crimp.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in San Ysidro