BETA PHOTO: Photo taken from the path leading directly down fr...
Description
Sandstone... Mmm. This Sandstone is REALLY loose, and hanging on some of the pockets makes you wonder how many more hangs the holds can withstand. The bolts in the area seemed ok a year ago... but with sandstone that can change far too quickly.
It's worth noting that Pine Canyon takes a LONG time to get into, and is a tiring experience in almost all cases. It is also REALLY hot here in the summer, and the bright sandstone and non-existant shade spots ('cept in the caves) will make this place a real cooker on a sunny summer afternoon. Hey, that said... There are few places in the bay area offering so much local isolation with surrounding city for a background.
Flintstone rock can be a great place for lunch if you're climbing in the Pine Cliffs area, as you can often find shelter from the blistering east bay sun under it's large overhang.
Because of the fragile nature of this rock, bring long slings for topropes(20'+), don't climb this area for at least 3 days after a rain storm, and be careful of loose bolts and anchors, as many of them cannot withstand too many serious falls.
The rock itself offers a variety of climbing, despite the fact that presently only two climbs have been developed on it. Yabba Dabba Dudes (5.10a) is on a very chossy face that is on a large portion of rock that has cracked off the main cliff. The chimney climb that ascends this crack is the other route, Pidgeon Tunnel. To the left of these two routes is an enourmous overhung cave with tons of features. I would assume that the difficulty of top-roping this area has served as a barrier against further developement.
Getting There
Getting into this area is a pain in the butt, but if you're into longer climbs and terrifying leads, this place is worthwhile.
Wear long pants, long sleeves, and shoes. Sharp things sticking up from the ground and inconsistent trails make this area quite interesting to enter.
Approach #1:
Approach time 25 minutes
Instead of going by car into Mt. Diablo State park via the North entrance, continue south on Oak Grove Road passing North Gate road (which takes you into Mt. Diablo State Park) on your left. Oak Grove becomes Castle Rock Road. Head up Castle Rock Road past the high school until it ends, which is the parking lot for Castle Rock Regional park (no, not the state park in San Jose). Park, and continue on into the park about a third of a mile via the main trail. Go straight through the developed park, which has a swimming pool, several large fields, and a bathroom just to the left of the trail. The teeth, a large band of cliffs just left of the main Pine Canyon area that look like a set of crooked teeth, are visible for most apporach hovering on the horizon just left of the trail. Continue on the main trail to a cattle gate (not one of the cattle gates near the parking lot), where the trail forks. Cross through the cattle gate and continue straight on the main trail, which is now called Stage Road. You will see a dam on the left eventually. From this point continue on the main trail following the barbed with fence which borders the left side of the path. The main sections of rocks will come into view on the left side of the trail as you walk, eventually all of Pine Canyon will loom to the left of the trial.
Once the Barbed wire fence ends, find a spot to head uphill, and hike uphill keeping the appropriately named Castle rock as a reference.
You will find lots of sharp things to step on and run into. You will find poison Oak everywhere. You will loose your footing a time or two, as the soft rock and loads of loose leaves will turn a sure foot into a hill slide. Things get taller as you go uphill, so the scrapes incurred will move from your ankles and thighs to your arms without proper clothing on. Don't step on Snakes, they don't like that.
Flintstone rock has a very large cave in the front of it, and is located directly below Castle rock. Approach #2:
Approach time: 30 minutes.
To access the Pine cliffs area, enter from the north section of the park for the shortest drive and simplest reference points. Approximately 1.5 miles from the gate is a "Mt. Diablo Northwest Border" sign on the right. Park alongside the road, and head off the road at the fire road entrance, which has recently been changed from an orange gate to 5 wooden posts. On the middle post a sign stating "59 - 13", which you can see from your car hanging about 2 feet above ground. You should head onto the fire roadhere and head uphill through the wide area. Initially parallel to the main paved road, the fire road will move away from the paved road.
Walk along the fire road, and hang a right at the signed intersection. This heads switches back up the hill, and around a bend. About 1/2 a mile later you will reach a small pond on the right side. After the pond, you will notice a faint set of trails heading through the tall grass, one of the later ones has seen more wear. Pick your favorite, and walk along until the join into one larger trail (you can see this walking down the trail once the pond comes into view about 200 yards off the trail, and 50 or so feet above the valley floor), which heads nearly stright uphill. Walk uphill for 400 or so vertical feet to the ridge, where you will find a crossing larger trail.
You will find lots of sharp things to step on and run into. You will find Poison Oak everywhere. You will loose your footing a time or two, as the soft rock and loads of loose leaves will turn a sure foot into a hill slide. Things get taller as you go uphill (you're going downhill, so the frustration is backwards heading in this way), so the scrapes incurred will move from your arms to your thighs and ankles without proper clothing on. Don't step on Snakes, they really don't like that.
Continue on past the ridge trail on a very narrow trail surrounded by really tall sharp thorny bushes. Abruptly, Lookout Rock will appear in front of you. Hang a right on a trail just prior to lookout rock, and you will find your way to Castle Rock, which has no bolts on it.
Flintstone Rock is the next rock 100 feet downhill and left from Castle Rock, and the top is visible and reachable from the left side of Castle Rock. The trail to climbing on this rock is around on the far right side of the rock, and is also surprisingly steep narrow and loose.
You know you're in the right spot when you're inside of a LARGE overhang that has lots of graffitti on it. There is an overhang on Castle rock, but they are set apart because the Flintstone rock overhang is larger, and there is a vertical chimney in the right side.
Print a Mini-Guide - Includes Routes!
RSS Feed
