Platypus  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Page Views:  732. Good page?    Administrators:  Aron Quiter, M.Morley, Sam Vanderhyden, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  Daniel Trugman on Feb 28, 2010 Make this area a Favorite What's New   Print a Mini-Guide with routes Add Route  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event

Platypus west face

Description 

A forty-foot sandstone tower with a handful of fun climbs, mostly in the 5.10 range. Climbs are typically slabby and technical and fairly sustained. No gear is needed on any of them, just quickdraws.

The Platypus consists of three distinct faces, each with bolted routes on them. The South Face is the closest to the Chew Tooth, but is hidden in a gulley. You will likely see come across the West Face first.

Routes, from right to left, heading clockwise around the Platypus:

West Face (the most prominent and lowest angle face)
-- Moss Man, 5.10a, 3 bolts
-- Plat-A-Pussy, 5.10a, 3 bolts

North Face (around the corner, clockwise, from the West face)
-- Jelly Fish, 5.11b, 4 bolts (I didn't get to try this one)
-- Al Hussein, 5.10d, 3 bolts

South Face (around the corner, clockwise, from North face, in the gulley)
-- Rat-A-Puss, 5.10a, 3 bolts

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NOTE: One drawback to this crag is that only one bolted anchor (the one on top of Moss Man) is equipped for rappel (and even this is marginal - one quicklink on each bolt). So plan your routes with that fact in mind.

Getting There 

Approach as for the Chew Tooth
-- Follow Saratoga Gap trail from the main parking lot for < 5 mins. Take a left at the sign for Castle Rock, and follow the obvious trail as it heads uphill. After a few minutes you will reach a small sign that says "trail ahead" with a arrow pointing left. You want to go RIGHT. Follow this fainter trail into a clearing, and continue right past a trail that branches off to the left. You will soon see the top of the Chew Tooth.

From the top of the Chew Tooth, head uphill on a faint trail. Crest the hill and walk about 100 feet. Platypus will be on your right if you look sharp. If you reach Shady Rock at its obvious roofy climbs, you've gone to far.

Total approach time: 10-15 minutes.

The Classics

Featured Route For Platypus

Al Hussein 5.10d  CA : SF Bay Area : ... : Platypus

The first 2 bolts of climbing consists of a delicate and elegant lie-backing and smearing up a steep slab. Reach a great rest just before the third bolt, and reach the anchors after some bizarre, harder-than -they-look moves on and just to the right of the arete feature.I thought this was best route that I tried at the crag (my partner agreed). It isn't that much harder than the other 5.10s on the Platypus (though it is harder), and is well protected where it is difficult, so go for it!...[more]   Browse More Classics in CA