Mount Woodson Bouldering

Professor Keith A. Brueckner, University of California, San Diego, 1987

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Mt. Woodson is a prominent high point in the ridge east and northeast of San Diego between Poway and Escondido and the Ramona Valley. Visible from many points in San Diego and north along the coast, Mr. Woodson appears as a triangular peak studded with boulders. Access is from the Poway-Ramona highway, on the Mt. Woodson road turning north from the main highway, just east of the col between Poway and the descent into the Ramona Valley. A few hundred yards from the turnoff, parking areas on the secondary road are reached, near two gates barring entrance to two roads toward Mt. Woodson. The climber is urged to used the eastern "Mt. Woodson Road" gate to avoid trespassing over private land. Follow the road (soon dirt) turning left which passes after a few hundred yards between boulders #1 and #2, where the climbs start.

The map is approximately to scale. The only boulders indicated are those with identified climbs. In some cases the climber must explore in the general area to locate the particular boulder and climb. The climbs are often located with respect to the main switchbacks in the road (SW1-SW8). Names of boulders and/or climbs are given only where there is some consensus. In other cases, suggestions for names would be welcome.

The listed climbs are usually easily accessible from the road to the Mt. Woodson lookout tower. The climbs selected include several in the 5.5-5.8 range of difficulty but are usually more difficult. A number of extremely difficult (5.11 & 5.12) climbs are described, where the rating may be controversial. Many new interesting and difficult climbs are included in this updated version of the original guide (1979). The climbs previously listed were rated in difficulty by the consensus of several climbers climbing in EBs or similar shoes. With the advent of Fires, most climbs are easier, particularly those depending on the limit of friction in EBs. Several other climbs which depend on slender fingers for thin jamming, big fists for offwidth cracks, or long reach for small holds are underrated (or impossible) for climbers not having these special requirements. The ratings of difficulty have been changed for overall consistency.

For completeness, four groups of climbs (Y-CRACK, MT. EVEREST, K2, and FALL SEMESTER) are included which are well-separated from the main groups of boulders. The author also expects that hundreds of climbs comparable to those included may be found by enterprising climbers willing to penetrate difficult brush to explore areas away from the road.

Climbs of particular interest because of difficulty and/or elegance have been marked with one to five stars.