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Shimenguan Gorge Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Routes in Shimenguan Gorge

L › R R › L A › Z

	Apprentice of Satan S 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
	BB Kuen Kuen Chu S 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
	Blood Puke S 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
	Cherry Poppin’ S 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
	Donkey Schnitzel S 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
	Dry Humping S 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
	Flamingo Kid S 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
	Gardeners of Eden, The S 5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
	Kritz-arête S 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
	Land of the Laaa, The S 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
	Moxis on the Roof David S 5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
	Mysteries of Vulcan, The S 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
	Open PROJECT S 5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c
	Red Beard’s Choice S 5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
	Roast Goat Parade S 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
	So Long and Thanks for the Bolts S 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
	Stolen Baba S 5.10c/d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
	W.W.S.D.? S 5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
	Where’s the Peanut Butter? S 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b

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Elevation:	7,274 ft	2,217 m
GPS:	25.64956, 100.05391 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	3,602 total · 55/month
Shared By:	Bob Moseley on Jan 18, 2021
Admins:	Bob Moseley, Dan Flynn, Nate Ball Page Updates (admin only)

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Access Issue: Development of this crag was carefully negotiated with gov't land managers in 2010. However, by 2021 climbing was prohibited. Details

Description

The third sport venue to be developed around Dali is in Shimenguan Gorge in Yangbi Country on the other side of the Cang Mountains west of Dali Old Town. It is only 12 km straight-line distance, but considerably longer to travel there because you have to go round the southern end of the Cang Mountains. The Cang Mountains are the southeasternmost outlier of the Himalayan-Hengduan. Unlike the other two Dali area climbing venues, this area is hard gneiss associated with the Cang uplift. Nineteen routes were developed by the ClimbDali team during 2010-2012.

The area lies in the Cangshan Mountain World Geopark managed by the local government. Access to climbing has always been tenuous from the very beginning, but now (2021) the 19 routes in the gorge are permanently off limits as per Yangbi County Tourism Bureau officials. But let's hope this changes in the future. There is a huge surge in interest in climbing in China, especially now that it is an Olympic sport, and there is increasing understanding of the sport by land managers around the country and crag development is even encouraged by some.

Getting There

Downriver west of Dali New Town through the Stone Gate (Shimenguan) and then a little ways north up the west side of the Cang Shan.

As the crags are in the sun for most of the day, it’s best to plan a 2-day trip here. Try to arrive around 2pm on Day 1, and climb until dusk. Wake early on Day 2 and climb until the early afternoon. All access issues have basically been resolved. Simply sign the waiver at the end of the guidebook that releases the park from all liability, and bring a photocopy of your passports as backup. Otherwise, there is a chance that the park staff will not permit you to climb.

Access beta as of 2014: To get there using public transportation, take the #8 bus to 环城南路 (HuanChengNanLu ) in Xiaguan. Walk for 15 minutes in the direction of the highway. The bus station that you want is diagonally across from the highway toll gate. Catch a bus to 漾濞 (Yangbi) for 10RMB and tell the driver you want to get off at Shimenguan （石门关）. You can see the gorge from the road, but unfortunately upon getting off the bus you will have to walk for an additional 45 minutes or take a tuk-tuk or van for 15RMB. Since the gorge is a designated tourist area, there is a 10RMB charge to enter. There is a neat trail that leads into the gorge and a chance for some swimming, which can be a pleasant diversion when it becomes too hot to climb. Swimming is technically prohibited, so try to be discrete. Also, drinking the water (from slightly upstream) seems to be okay.

All of the routes are located just outside the massive gorge on a handful of massive boulders, and most are clearly visible from the trail. From the parking lot, follow the stone tourist trail into the park for about 10 minutes and where the main tourist trail turns right near a few large boulders, simply turn left onto a dirt trail [many thanks to Matt and Lara for dedicating a couple days to carving this out] through the bush, and up across a large boulder. Most of the routes can be accessed within a 10 minute walk from the main tourist trail.

BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT NOT DAMAGING THE NUMEROUS WALNUT TREES IN THE VICINITY OF THE CRAGS, IN ORDER TO AVOID HARMING OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LOCALS.