Salt Point offers incredible, tough climbing at a very beautiful, isolated beach or forest settings north of Jenner.
There are over 20 routes (nearly all sport, along with a 5.7 crack), and over 30 boulder problems as of 3/4/2005, with more being developed. While a good portion of the routes are 5.12 and up, the easier routes are worth the trip (Captain Hook, at 5.10a, is an instant classic). The area is pretty new.
The developed sport climbing at the cove is all located on a crag called Sentinel Rock. This area is sandstone - though a tougher version than that found at other Bay Area sandstone areas. Some parts are a little crumbly, and the holds are occasionally pretty sharp on the hands.
The developed and developing bouldering is all around the park, mostly to the southeast of the parking lot and could eventually yield as many problems as castle rock, though in more secluded setings. Excellent boulders with unique sandstone texture and some shitty landings.
Access to the rock is a non-issue, except in one respect - watch the tides! At high tide or high surf, the Treasure Chest wall will get waves that could soak you and your gear if not drag you out to sea entirely. Watch out for sleeper waves when the belay slab is dry! Avoid high tide there, and use caution to keep you and your pack high and dry.
Getting There
Salt Point is located up Hwy 1 from Jenner Beach. The drive is probably at least 2 hours from anywhere south of Marin county.
From the Bay Area, get on 101N until the Hwy 116E Napa/Sonoma exit (in Petaluma).Turn right off the exit onto Lakeville/Hwy 116 heading west. Turn left 1 mile later onto E. Washington St. Follow E. Washington as it becomes Bodega Ave and later Valley Ford Rd, which intersects Hwy 1. Go north on Hwy 1. Fisk Mill Cove is 23 miles north of the intersection of Hwy 116 and Hwy 1.
For Senital Rock, Turn left off the highway at the Fisk Mill Cove sign (it's easily visible from the highway) into a parking lot. Continue west to the second parking lot; a trail leads down to the rock from the far end of this lot.
For Shroomland and other rocks not accessed via the main parking lot:
Park Southeast of the main parking lot at a pullout on the West side of the road at mile marker 42.
This route ascends the second most arete to the right on the wall, which is just left of the first cave. Climb up a juggy climb with hidden but excellent surprises on the way, as you ascend to a top out that's quite high, but completely secure. Enjoy!...[more]
This is a great location to do a lot of different recreational activities. There's good SCUBA diving and great free diving for abalone (only take 3 per person and only with a license).
Also, there's great camping there, or if you're a little sore, you can go down the road a bit to Salt Point, where there are accommodations with hot tubs.
There is most certainly some good bouldering here! Winecountry Rocks is currently the best book that describes the bouldering in the area. None of it has been put on the web site becaues Aron and I haven't spent much time bouldering there, and Drunkenmaster is understandably climbing rather than adding routes.
Can we change the name of this rock to Salt Point since that is the area that includes Fisk Mill Cove? It would make posting other rocks in the Salt Point area easier.
Salt Point State Park
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