This route is a classic moderate climb that is well protected and has some great moves and a spectacular and unique finish. It starts on a slabby face and climbs around some small caves and up a large colorful water streak into a grassy cave perched high above the ground. You have several options to build an anchor in this cave. However, the nature of the route (like most of the routes in Pine Canyon) dictate that you bring gear to build your own anchor. A few cams .75" - 2" should do the trick. The second pitch is short but interesting and fun. You climb through a small squeeze chimney (protected by two bolts) which burrows through the back of the cave and out the back side. You emerge from a small hole on the back side of the Rock of Ages and set up a belay by walking down the hill a few yards and sitting down. There are no anchors here but by sitting down you will see that this is a good enough anchor because there is no way anyone is going to pull you through that hole. The lack of bolted anchors on a sport climb deters some people form climbing this route. They don't understand why a sport route would not have a more convenient method of anchoring. This is the nature of Pine Canyon. Bolts are not placed in many area's where they are not needed, usually for anchors. I think this adds to the quality and uniqueness of the place. Pine Canyon has some of the oldest routes in the Bay Area, and this is certainly one of them. It also has the best quality of rock in the canyon.
Location
This is one of the easier climbs to locate. It is highly visible by the presence of the large cave half way up the climb. Start directly below the cave and follow the bolts up. The base of this route is one of the cooler places to hang out in the hot summer months. However the climb is still brutally hot when the temps rise above 90. Best head to Tahoe on those hot days.
This was definitely the coolest climb I did the day I climbed here. Really easy climbing but way fun!! Going through the chimney is so cool! This is not a two pitch climb - with a 60m or 70m rope you'll make it in one pitch. The way to belay described above worked fine. Not really any need for gear, just do it in one pitch and belay from the backside of the chimney - there is no way that your belayer is gonna come through that chimney. THIS IS A SUPER FUN ROUTE!!! GO CLIMB IT.........GO CLIMB IT NOW!!
Fun first pitch. Easy climbing with TONS of bolts. Looks to have been rebolted, but all the old homemade bolts are still there. Cool cave, and easy to set up belay with a few cams (a 1,2 and 3 Camalot did the trick). The second chimney pitch was full of bird droppings (making it quite slick). This route is easily doable in 1 pitch with a 60m rope (what I should have done), but you might get some rope drag.
Rock of Ages - Pine Canyon
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