Mountain Project: Climbing Sonora Pass (Hwy 108)

Table mountain is an amazing place. Flat on top with sheer cliffs on each side, it winds for miles across the Sonora Pass area.

It is a source of pride for local geologists, as it is an amazing example of an "inverted stream" formed by a river bed filling with lava, explaining its flat-topped, winding appearance. There is some disagreement on this subject, but the rock is Latite.

Presently, there's a lot of development in the area.

WATCH OUT FOR POISON OAK. The approach to many of the climbing areas is overgrown with it, and it can be found at the base (and even on the rock face) of many climbs.

Getting There

Table Mountain is a ways east of the Bay Area, but it kicks ass none-the-less. From the Bay Area, head like you're going to Yosemite; 580 east to 205 east to 5 north for a mile, then 120 east. A while after Oakdale, go straight on 108 where 120 goes right. At Jamestown take a left on Rawhide Road (there's a stop light) go over the narrow bridge and continue on Rawhide for 1.9 miles, then make a sharp left onto Shell Road. Shell Road turns into a dirt road at a gate 1.5 miles down road. At this point you're probably going to want a high clearance vehicle, or to just hike it.

Open a closed gate at the presumed end of the road, drive through, close the gate, and drive (carefully, you're on private property) over some rough road. Continue onwards to a second gate (which is sometimes closed, sometimes open) and pass through. Parking is between this gate and the final (semi-permanently) locked gate.

The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Table Mountain:

Bandito 5.8 Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 50 feet The Grotto

Table Manners 5.8 Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 40 feet The Grotto

Granted 5.9 Trad, 1 pitch, 40 feet The Grotto

Go with the Flow 5.9 Trad, 1 pitch, 50 feet The Grotto

Hole in the Wall 5.10a Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 40 feet The Grotto

Wing of Bat 5.10a Sport, 1 pitch, 70 feet Welcome Wall

Color Coded Quickdraws 5.10b Sport, 1 pitch, 30 feet Ort Wall

Chicken Ranch Bingo 5.10b Sport, 1 pitch, 80 feet The Grotto

Three Fingered Jack 5.10b Trad, 1 pitch, 60 feet The Grotto

D.C. Angel Cat 5.10b Sport, 1 pitch, 85 feet Eastern Front

Rawhide 5.10d Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 40 feet The Grotto

Clip, Clip, Wow 5.10d Sport, 40 feet Ort Wall

AC Devil Dog 5.10d Sport, 1 pitch, 50 feet The Grotto

To Pin or Not To Be 5.11a Trad, Sport, 1 pitch, 50 feet The Grotto

Geronimo 5.11b Sport, 1 pitch, 40 feet Ort Wall

Snake Bite 5.11b Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 40 feet The Grotto

Squealer 5.11c Trad, Sport, 1 pitch, 120 feet The Grotto

Men's Crisis Center 5.12a Trad, Sport, 1 pitch, 50 feet The Grotto

Grotto Monkey 5.12a/b Sport, TR, 1 pitch, 30 feet Cave Routes

Flight Simulator 5.12b Sport, 1 pitch, 50 feet The Grotto

Comments on Table Mountain

Add Comment

Show which comments —
Comments displayed oldest to newest — Skip Ahead to the Most Recent Dated Mar 11, 2013

By jared toettcher
From: San Francisco, CA
Aug 31, 2002

WATCH OUT FOR POISON OAK. it basically carpets the approach to the climbing at table mountain! oh and a lot of the rock is loose enough that you might want to have your belayer stand out of harm's way. otherwise it's a very cool place; i'd give it $1, figuratively speaking...

By Brian Quiter
From: Oakland, CA
Sep 30, 2002

As of 9/30/02, the poison oak has been cleared out on the approach to the Grotto, though wandering off the trail is still a good way to find yourself itching for a few days.

By Aron Quiter
Administrator
From: Berkeley, CA
Jun 17, 2003

Poison Oak is in season again, and I'm itching like hell. We tried to clear out the pathinto the back areas, and now are covered in the shit ourselves. Yuck. It also should benoted that access into the Grotto, Mid wall, Welcome Wall etc requires an additional hike,as there is a new white gate locking the continued road for a time that is not specifiedon the information sheet. The second gate (when we were there) appeared to have been runover, and is still there, but not even close to functional locked in a bowled over openposition. Not good!.

By Joel Cortez
Sep 1, 2003

Labor Day weekend: Access onto the dirt road (first gate) was closed off to vehicles. The swinging gate had a lock on it and the metal handle was removed. There was no sign posted indicating closure so we just parked outside the gate and hiked in to the Grotto. The 30 minute walk makes a good warm up. :)

NOTE: According to some locals, the gate, as of the Monday of Labor Day weekend is OPEN. Joel is correct that the 30 minute walk into the regular parking areas is about 30 minutes.

By mungeclimber
Sep 11, 2003

I checked with locals. One person reported to the authors that they were there on Labor Day (monday) 2003 and the first gate was not locked on that day, though of course as previously reported the second gate is locked due to some Burea of Reclamation and County issues.

By Aron Quiter
Administrator
From: Berkeley, CA
Apr 6, 2004

Please note that the general information about Table Mountain has changed. Camping is NO LONGER allowed in the Table Mountain area. There's a nice pretty sign telling you that the area is now day use only.

By Anonymous Coward
Mar 2, 2005

When going to table mountain most climbs are not in the book being that new routes are being established monthly. The gold wall is not even in the book, and it offers some of the best climbing. A great, great climbing adventure area.

By Aron Quiter
Administrator
From: Berkeley, CA
Mar 4, 2005

The Gold Wall is not listed, since it is on private property. Until someone tells me that is "ok" to climb there, I'm not going to add it, which sucks because I'd like to. There are climbs there, a lot of them, and some of the ones I've been on are FUN.

I moved your comment o Anonymous Coward from 5N06, I'm not sure why it was there?

By dean fleming
From: sonora ca
Feb 18, 2006

they "as in geologists" of the area are sure that the rock is Latite, not Basalt.

By Brian Quiter
From: Oakland, CA
Dec 8, 2006

Gold Wall is still on private property. But that is not keeping the crowds away. Last weekend, about 40 people were there! If you're planning on going during the weekend, I strongly recommend a helmet and a lot of patience.

By J. Albers
From: Colorado
Nov 4, 2009

Brian,
I am not trying to be a censor, but given the delicacy of the property situation, I think it would be best if we didn't add or post about the GW.
Thanks.

By fivefun
Apr 21, 2011

Climbed and camped here a few weekends ago. Is it true from the comments above that this area is day use? If so we got lucky camping out on a Saturday night. We didn't leave the Grotto until nightfall and set up camp down by the reservoir. We saw a Sheriff in the morning and he appeared to be giving us the stink eye from afar, but didn't ticket us or the car the night before.

By M.Morley
Administrator
From: Sacramento, CA
May 17, 2011

Updates and info at www.sonorapassclimbing.com/Content%20Pages/Updates_Page.htm#>>>

By Justin Johnsen
Administrator
From: Sacramento, CA
Mar 11, 2013

The main parking area is here:

37.932142, -120.462365

Home - Destinations - iPhone/Android - Gyms - Partners - Forum - Photos - Deals - What's New
	ADVANCED

Table Mountain

Description

Getting There

The Classics