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Mount Doom
California
> San Francisco B…
> S Bay Area
> Castle Rock Area
Access Issue: Trails are closed from sunset to 6:00 am.
Details
Trails close at sunset. Give yourself enough time to be back at your vehicle (or campsite if you're staying at one) before dark, or the rangers will fine you.
Mount Doom is a spectacular pyramid-like crag hidden away in the brush of Castle Rock State Park, northwest of Goat Rock. Although visible from below, via the Saratoga Gap Trail, the difficult approach guarantees some degree of solitude, relative to Goat. The easiest route, "Slab Route", is a long and sporty 5.7 on Mount Doom's expansive west face. An amazing number of anchor bolts allow numerous toprope options on other routes.
Getting There
From the CRSP parking lot, descend toward Castle Rock falls for about 1/2 mile. Follow signs to Goat Rock and continue for another 1/2 mile. Just a short distance past Goat Rock, turn left toward the scenic overlook. Turn right onto a faint use trail about a hundred feet from the overlook proper. The track improves as you descend steeply through Manzanita and Madrone. After a couple hundred yards, you arrive at the shaded south face of Mount Doom.
[Hide Comment] Etymology: Mount Doom was named by Chris Hawn. Chris told me in an e-mail that, "I was big on the Lord of the Rings trilogy 20 years ago, and when I/we came across the obelisk from the regular trail, it just seemed plain it was Mount Doom. Plus, as we bushwhacked up to it, we thought we were "doomed" many times! The name seemed appropriate."
Nov 8, 2002
[Hide Comment] A worthy little crag. The approach is about 25 minutes from the parking lot. The easiest way to set up a TR is to climb the 5.7 slab route. Very pretty views from the top, one can see the ocean.
Dec 7, 2008
[Hide Comment] Here's my update after visiting Mt. Doom for the first time. I saw 3 sets of shiny, stainless bomber anchor hangers on top: 1) On sloped ledge above summit route. Had quick links but no rings. I added additional steel quick links and forged aluminum rap rings (the nice Omega Pacific aluminum rap rings). 2) Above middle of the slab route, as shown in the picturers. Has steel rap rings permanently attached to the hangers. When top roping the slab, your rope will drag a little on the top of the big step. A very long anchor setup could avoid that by putting the master point 5 or 6 feet below the anchor hangers. Because of the rap rings, some locking carabiners won't fit through the hangers. 3) Above the West Face route. I think it had rap rings but I don't remember. You can reach them easily by standing on the top of the slab route at the West end of the big step and reaching over the top.
At least 2 of the old rusty hangers seen in the photo are still there to the right (east) of the nice anchors above the slab route. They look pretty scary. Big thank you to whoever put in all the nice anchors (probably BACC), as we ended up top-roping all 3 routes.
Getting to Mt. Doom is easy once you know the way, 7 minutes from the top of Goat Rock if you are comfortable going down a steep trail slippery with fallen leaves. Some in my group had very slow going downhill, but everyone found it fairly easy (but strenuous) to hike back up from Doom to the main trail near the Goat Rock overlook.
Nov 25, 2019
[Hide Comment] Went looking for this and found a small trail near the overlook, but it was absolutely covered in poison oak. I turned back, but was curious if that was probably the trail.
Jun 3, 2021
[Hide Comment] The reason to come here is not the climbing, but the view from the top, which is fantastic, looking over a sea of trees with bits of rock sticking out and a trail far below with hawks circling and the curve of the coast and the Monterey peninsula off to the left. So belay from above on the 5.7 and enjoy. Also, you don't want to be hanging out in the aggressive Manzanita mess at the bottom. The trail isn't easy to find. I walked past it twice! Heading from the top of Goat Rock, the path to the Castle Rock Camping site branches off to the right. Continue for about 80' and just before the trail curves left to go to the overlook, turn right and search for the very faint trail. It's flat at first, but then descends. The 5.7 is very runout, essential a free solo, but mostly far easier (5.4). The only gear placements I could find are were a few dubious pockets down low and one small crack on the right near the top.
May 15, 2022
Access Issue: Trails are closed from sunset to 6:00 am.
Details
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Redwood City
San Jose, CA
1) On sloped ledge above summit route. Had quick links but no rings. I added additional steel quick links and forged aluminum rap rings (the nice Omega Pacific aluminum rap rings).
2) Above middle of the slab route, as shown in the picturers. Has steel rap rings permanently attached to the hangers. When top roping the slab, your rope will drag a little on the top of the big step. A very long anchor setup could avoid that by putting the master point 5 or 6 feet below the anchor hangers. Because of the rap rings, some locking carabiners won't fit through the hangers.
3) Above the West Face route. I think it had rap rings but I don't remember. You can reach them easily by standing on the top of the slab route at the West end of the big step and reaching over the top.
At least 2 of the old rusty hangers seen in the photo are still there to the right (east) of the nice anchors above the slab route. They look pretty scary. Big thank you to whoever put in all the nice anchors (probably BACC), as we ended up top-roping all 3 routes.
Getting to Mt. Doom is easy once you know the way, 7 minutes from the top of Goat Rock if you are comfortable going down a steep trail slippery with fallen leaves. Some in my group had very slow going downhill, but everyone found it fairly easy (but strenuous) to hike back up from Doom to the main trail near the Goat Rock overlook. Nov 25, 2019
San Francisco
The trail isn't easy to find. I walked past it twice! Heading from the top of Goat Rock, the path to the Castle Rock Camping site branches off to the right. Continue for about 80' and just before the trail curves left to go to the overlook, turn right and search for the very faint trail. It's flat at first, but then descends.
The 5.7 is very runout, essential a free solo, but mostly far easier (5.4). The only gear placements I could find are were a few dubious pockets down low and one small crack on the right near the top. May 15, 2022