BETA PHOTO: Preliminary topo for upper gibraltar, feel free to...
Description
Upper Gibraltar and Toxic Waste Wall together provide a high concentration of quality sport climbs mostly in the 5.10 range. One can spend a half day and log 8 pitches, and still have time to hit happy hour downtown. The panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean make for one of the more aesthetic cragging areas along the Central Coast, so be sure to pack the camera. South-facing means sun all day. This is a great winter crag, and rather miserable in the summer. Watch for poison oak at the base of the routes and along the approach trail.
Several routes on Upper Gibraltar are greater than 100'! Bring a second rope or a single 70m. If all you have is a single 60m, exercise extreme caution when lowering.
I like to bring a light rack (a few TCUs and larger cams to 2") to supplement bolt protection on a few of the routes. In addition, there are a handful of trad lines in the 5.6 to 5.8 range.
Getting There
Approach as for Toxic Waste Wall. Continue uphill past the right right end of TW along a good climbers' trail, until it is possible to scramble up to the left. Negotiate a couple of bouldering moves and continue right along the base of the cliff. Allow 10 minutes or so from the car.
The Classics
Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Upper Gibraltar:
The approach to the bottom of this crag is class 4 and can be kind treacherous for newbies, short people, and people not accustomed to climbing in their hiking shoes. An easier approach is probably to head out the trail to cold springs dome and then look for a overgrown path that leads to the right before cold springs dome comes into view. This path leads to the top of the crag.
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