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 Far Side, The (Mt. St. Hele...

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

Seymour Frishberg 5.9 X Sport, 1 pitch, 70 feet Far Side, The (Mt. St. Hele...

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

Kola 5.9 Sport, 1 pitch, 50 feet Far Side, The (Mt. St. Hele...

Separation Anxiety 5.9+ Sport, TR, 1 pitch, 60 feet Far Side, The (Mt. St. Hele...

Mark's Moderate 5.10a R Trad, Sport, 2 pitches, 120 feet Bear, The

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

Jekyll and Hyde 5.10b R Sport, 1 pitch, 50 feet Bear, The

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

Outer Space 5.10b Sport, 1 pitch, 50 feet Satellite Rocks : Wednesday Wall

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

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

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

Solar Power 5.11a Sport, 40 feet Bubble, The

Bubble Boy 5.11b Sport, 1 pitch, 80 feet Bubble, The

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

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

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

Comments on Mount St. Helena

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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
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 Gorg
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
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 Robert 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

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Mount St. Helena

Description

Getting There

The Classics