El Cajon Mountain 

Just a warning, some one "don't want to mention any names" has been chopping bolts and anchors all over the place at El Cajone Mountain. Be aware of this and inspect a route before you start to climb. If the bolts looks disfigured, it is a good bet that the bolt has been smashed and rendered useless.

I have heard of one report (not confirmed) of someone starting up a route only to find the second half of the route was chopped. This person was forced to run it out in order to get to another set of anchors.

This is extremely disappointing to see one of San Diego Counties best climbing areas being destroyed but it is so be careful.

Thats too bad. I'm heading out to visit in a couple weeks and really wanted to climb at El Cajon. I read about it in Rock and Ice and few months ago and it looks great. Anyone know how many routes are affected by the bolt chopping?

Why are they chopping bolts do they want to keep it traditional? Can you place trad gear in place of the bolts? Or is someone doing this to prevent climbers from climbing here?

I have been searching for a while now for current route conditions.

If you want the full on bolt chopping history, go to climbingsandiego.com. Read the first posted link, it lays it out there pretty well in a couple of letters from involved parties. Be prepared. This dude is psychotic.

If anyone has any current info on mutilated routes, it would be appreciated. We have been hearing stories of routes chopped after the 5th or 6th bolts, so it may not always be clear from the ground whether or not your route has been defiled. Very scary stuff indeed.

The latest issue of Rock and Ice has an article on the bolt chopper. This is a very worrisome and very dangerous development. Aside from that, I'm sure this person could be held legally liable if someone gets hurt - there is a such a thing as tort law in this country. The dispute apparently also involves the theft of a drill and of bolting equipment, the trashing of other peoples' bolting equipment and of a trail, as well as the destruction of some holds. Some of these involve eyewitnesses. Theft and vandalism are illegal and could serve as the basis for legal action.

Another guide exists. Check out CH's site at www.climbingtoposofsandiego.com/ for topos around San Diego. His ECM guide tends to be more accurate for the center routes than the other PDF guide.

Now a new guide option is available. The Allied Climbers of San Diego have created a guide for El Cajon Mtn, Eagle Peak, and Corte Madera. It's quite good. I recommend you check it out at a local REI or better yet come to a member meeting. www.alliedclimbers.org .

Hey CD the trail head is 100 yards east of the mile 5.5 parking. There is no P.O. on the trail. It seems you missed the trail. The rest of the riverbed is full of poison oak. Once you cross the river there isn't any and none at the crags.

Oh dang! Thanks Hubbard. Next time I'm down in the area I'll have to check it out.

Made it out to this crag for the first time in 6 years after climbing here a handful of times back in 2005/2006.

A few notes I wanted to add:

- This wall is almost directly south facing, and on warm days it gets flat out HOT up there. There is also little to no options for shade at the base or on the wall. Bring cool clothing (even if it's cold at the parking area, you're probably going to want to be in t-shirt and shorts), and LOTS of water. We got stuck here on an exceptionally warm day (for march) and ended up bailing after only 1 pitch of climbing as the sun was unrelenting.

- The approach is an hour for fit parties that don't take any breaks, more like 1.5 hours if you stop at the few shady spots on the way up. The trail also goes pretty much straight up (i.e little to no switchbacks, other than the final apron to the wall) so it's a workout both going up and down.

Great crag, but very weather dependent due to the aspect.

Does anyone know the latest about the condition of bolts at El Cajon Mtn? Has the hideous chopping fiasco come to an end?

I have been climbing at ECM for quite a while now. Recently it seems the squirrels at the base have figured out that packs left at the base while we climb often contain tasty snacks. This has lead to two of my packs being chewed completely through by the bastards. On one occasion I watched from two pitches up as one gnawed through my new climbing pack, and could do nothing about it at the time. To remedy this I packed in a large, green Rubbermaid storage tote. I brought this up so that other climbers like myself can climb without worry of losing our snack, and packs. I left the tote near the base of Leonids. Please use it with respect (i.e., don't leave garbage or food to spoil in it) and also...don't feed the squirrels. Climb on!

-Mike T.

Mike, I admire your being proactive about _doing_ something about the squirrel problem at ECM.. The last time I went up leonids last year, there was this fat squirrel that just was certain I had food in my bag, and I couldn't chase it off... it would scamper away by about 10 feet and then wait until I gave up. Unless I was willing to do something permanent to it, I knew it was going to get into my bag, and sure enough, my bag had a hole, my apple had a bite out of it, and my buddy's bag was torn up (maybe it was tastier?). After my experience with this squirrel (among others), I asked around and was pointed to a company that makes a product called an ursack that's advertised as being bearproof (though I don't believe it's approved for yosemite). I carry all of my food in it now when I'm out climbing and car camping, and nothing's gotten into it yet.

Also, if we can keep the squirrels away from the base of the cliff, hopefully this will also imply that rattlesnakes will likewise follow them elsewhere, and not congregate at the base.....

My vehicle was vandalized yesterday while I was climbing at El Cajon Mountain. I was parked at the trailhead near the reservoir. The passenger window was smashed when I returned. Just a friendly warning to climbers/hikers.

Unfortunately the squirrel problem still exists - Trango Splitter pack torn up... Wish I would have read this post sooner haha.

I was just there on 4/5/13 and could not find that storage bin. Either it was moved, removed, or just hidden well, but we looked around Leonids and couldn't find it.