BETA PHOTO: Approximate topo for 5.7 South Face route.
Description
The South Face route offers 3 pitches of fun 5.7 liebacking and face climbing in one of Santa Barbara's most wild and scenic locations overlooking Santa Barbara, the Goleta Valley, and the Channel Islands. The route starts at the base of the prominent left-leaning lieback flake approximately 50 ft right/uphill from the huge cave at the base of the crag.
P1: This is the steepest pitch, and probably the technical crux of the route. Follow the lieback flake until it ends, then face climb up a few more feet via face holds out left to a small belay ledge with tattered old slings and build yer own anchor. (5.7, 80 ft, pro: bigger cams to 4")
P2: Trend up and left the whole way, zig-zaging past a series of small right-facing dihedrals to a shady belay in a large cave. You'll get some nice exposure when you move left over/around the last small dihedral. The last 30 feet is runout, but much lower angle. (5.7, 180 ft, pro: cams to 3" plus small nuts and micro stoppers)
P3: Exit the cave on climber's right and head up/right over a bulge via the slingable manzanita to a low-angle chimney with good face holds that leads to the summit. (5.6, 80 ft, pro: small cam, then manzanita, then 4" cam)
From the summit block, scramble off the backside down then right to reach the ridgeline and the trail back to La Cumbre Peak.
Location
Start 50 ft right/uphill from the huge cave at the base of the crag, scramble up 15 ft of easy slabs to the start of the lieback flake.
Protection
2 sets of nuts, 1 set of micro stoppers, and 1 set of cams to 4” plus many long slings.
You can fairly easily run the South Face in two pitches with a 60m (see photo)
[WARNING: BETA SPOILER FOR ONSIGHTS---ha!]
Toward the end of the rope on the first pitch, look out left for a thin ledge that will lead to a cave. You're going to be about 20-25' above your last piece so tread carefully. Once inside sling the big boulder (a double is plenty) and the smaller one behind it for the belay. Leading back out of the cave on the second pitch you've got about 15 feet of friction 5.7 before it eases to the big open area (halfway). No good placements coming out of the cave so don't bother trying to find something; you'll be on class 2 stuff before you know it. To minimize rope drag, you can set your first pieces in the cracks at the base of the right diagonal crack. Sling the manzanita above that and you're free to run to the top. (Sling the big boulder on the summit and there's also a perfect nut slot down on the north side near where the register box is for the belay.)
A standard rack is plenty. Gear used (I kept track this last time):
(Second pitch) TCU #3 C4 #3 a sling around the manzanita
This is the best route on the rock and is as "alpine" as you can get in the area. The first pitch has some thin moves and a few awkward transitions from face to lieback. Make sure you tap those flakes when you're slotting cams, because some sections will definitely blow if you fall and could seriously dislodge some big chunks.
Also be prepared to hike out in the dark if you're moving slow or doing more than one route.
Great route a lot of fun definitely not a lot of pro on the second pitch but it was easy climbing, 3rd pitch I wouldn't really call that a chimney definitely seemed like an offwidth to me but doesn't make a difference since you use the face holds anyways. Make sure to bring lots of water (we didn't bring enough). And pay better attention on the approach so you don't end up bushwhacking through chaparral on the way back when you get off trail. All in all a great adventure climb and excellent workout! Also be careful with gear placements on the first pitch as some of the sandstone behind the flake sounds hollow and may not hold a fall if gear is placed there. But there is still plenty of good pro on the first pitch.
Cathedral Peak
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