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Gibraltar Area

Submitted By: EricT on Jan 31, 2006
Administrators: Mike Morley, andy patterson
Elevation: 3,000 feet
Latitude: 34.4783  Longitude: -119.6800 
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BETA PHOTO: Some of the lesser (or better..?) crags around the...


Description 

Gibraltar has a collection of ~5 sandstone crags that are generally south facing single pitch affairs. Popular with climbers and teenagers alike, the combined crags have some of the best climbing in SB. While the easier routes on the main Gibraltar rock may be gang toproped over the weekend, there just aren't that many climbers in SB to make any area crowded.


Getting There 

Head up Gibraltar road ~15 minutes to the obvious collection of cliffs.

Gibraltar road may be reached by heading up Mission to the 192, E on the 192 to the sewage treatment plant, and then up the hillside from there.


The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Gibraltar Area:
The Rapture   5.7     Sport, TR, 1 pitch, 60 feet   Lower Gibraltar
Lieback Annie   5.7     Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 50 feet   Lower Gibraltar
Hazardous Waste   5.10a     Trad, 1 pitch, 80 feet   Toxic Waste Wall
T-Crack   5.10     Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 60 feet   Gibraltar Rock
A Route Runs Through It   5.10c     Sport, 1 pitch, 110 feet   Upper Gibraltar
The Nose   5.11     Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 100 feet   Gibraltar Rock
Makunaima   5.11c     Trad, 90 feet   Cold Springs Dome
Browse More Classics in Gibraltar Area

Featured Route For Gibraltar Area
A local trad hardman boldly leading where few have gone before.  Just past the first crux on Makunaima.

Makunaima 5.11c  CA : Central Coast : ... : Cold Springs Dome
Start on steep jugs, gain a wide crack, climb past a potentially loose horn, then fire through a series of strenuous finger-locks to a small roof. Pull the roof into more burly finger-locks, then traverse off to the left to exit. If you feel bold, go straight up to finish on a difficult and run-out boulder problem which pushes the grade up to a 5.11d. Makunaima is rarely led and often top-roped. ...[more]   Browse More Classics in CA


Photos of Gibraltar Area Slideshow Add Photo
Santa Barbara, the Pacific Ocean and Channel Islands, from above Gibralter Area.

Santa Barbara, the Pacific Ocean and Channel Islan...

A climber hangs off the top of T-Crack, at Gibraltar Rock, as he belays his second.

A climber hangs off the top of T-Crack, at Gibralt...

A Santa Barbara classic - T-Crack at Gibraltar

A Santa Barbara classic - T-Crack at Gibraltar

Santa Barbara has a little something for everyone...here a climber performs a rare solo-aid ascent of the Nose at Gibraltar Rock.

Santa Barbara has a little something for everyone....

The Jesusita Fire brought destruction to Upper Rattlesnake Canyon and to the Gibraltar climbing area.  All of the individual crags were affected.  Lower Gibraltar, Toxic Waste Wall, and Upper Gibraltar seem to be the hardest hit.  To view more images, click <a href=here" />

The Jesusita Fire brought destruction to Upper Rat...


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By Matthew Fienup
Administrator
From: Ventura, CA
Oct 9, 2007

Detailed Directions:
From the Mission, drive 1/2 block north towards the mountains. Turn right onto Mountain Drive. After 100 yards, you will encounter a yield sign at an unusual serpentine intersection--continue straight-ish through the intersection on Mountain Drive and follow twists and turns for 1 mile. Turn left on Mountain Drive in front of the green municipal water building. After about 1/4 mile, where the road curves left, take a soft right onto Gibraltar Road (be careful not to take a hard right onto Mountain Avenue). After 1/3 mile you will reach a stop sign. Continue straight through the intersection and follow Gibraltar Road as it winds for 4.4 miles up the hill to the site.

By veedublvr
From: ?, Ca
Mar 29, 2009

The Municipal Water building is no longer green, it is white... It looks like a castle kinda with no windows. As of 3-28-09 there is a road closed sign (probably due to the fire that recently swept through the area) on Gibraltar Rd, however the road is open all the way to the top.

By Matthew Fienup
Administrator
From: Ventura, CA
May 26, 2009

Gibraltar Road is now open, following the devastation of the Jesusita Fire. Every crag in the Gibraltar Area (including Cold Springs Dome) was seriously affected. For a gallery of images of the various crags and the effects of the fire, click here