PRINT: Rock Climb Saviour Heart, San Francisco Bay Area

Saviour Heart

5.9 X, Trad, Sport, 60 ft (18 m),

Avg: 2 from 20 votes
FA: Ken Stanton, Robin Madgwick 1990
California > San Francisco B… > Wine Country/No… > Mt St Helena > Far Side > Shute-Mills Area

Description

The bolted route on the same rock as Shute-Mills, go around the pillar and you'll see it. You'll also notice that there's more climbing right of the bolts route that is top-roped as a 5.10a.Saviour Heart is another strightforwar steep face where the numerous little pockets provide plenty of hands. The crux is getting over the same bulge as on Shute-Mills, but well further to the left.

Protection

There are 3 bolts on this route, 1 at the bottom, and 2 surrounding the crux at the top, the area between is ~5.7 climbing and there are plenty of opportunities to place traditional gear if you're at all uncomfortable.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Alexander Rose climbs the initial moves of Savior Heart. Photo by Gwen Johnson.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Tony B
Around Boulder, CO

Somebody tell me if I am wrong, but this is the route around to the left which is near a chimney at the bottom- it goes up the stemming chimeny or blunt arete and past a boulder on a sloping ledge half way, then to the top and up/right.

THe protection would be larger stuff (cams) int eh crack as you proceed up higher, and since there is plenty of it, as well as several bolts, the route is either bolted and only S or not S at all of you have cams.

Am I way off here? Aug 20, 2002

Brian Quiter
Oakland, CA

5.9

We declared the chimney moves off as they weren't really needed, and the crux is pulling onto the large boulder near the top. But yes, the blunt arete is Saviour Heart. As far as 's' versus 'vs' rating is concerned, I would agree that 's' may be reasonable, though without cams there's about a 20' runout when your only clip is 15' off the ground... therefore if you fall its 35' squarely into the groud. I guess the key is just using cams if your uncomfortable. Aug 21, 2002

Tony B
Around Boulder, CO

OK, so what is the name of the Route just LEFT of this, on the other side of the Chimney? Aug 21, 2002

Brian Quiter
Oakland, CA

5.9

To my knowledge, its as nameless as an abandoned baby. Aug 21, 2002

Jerry Dodrill
Bodega, CA

5.9 PG13

The climbing is easy at the runout.

The bolted route to the left is "Mystery Hole" .10a.

The wide crack just left was led with hand placed stone chocks in the late '60s by Forrest Shute and Wade Mills. Forrest led up to below the ledge, got scared, put in a bad pin and lowered off. Wade led back up with the rope in place. He fell, the pin ripped and a chockstone pulled. Fortunately the lower chock held and he stopped upside down just two feet above the ground after a 50' fall. He then gathered himself and climbed back up, finishing the route. Jun 10, 2010

Floyd Hayes

I just led the climb up the wide crack, clipping the first two bolts, placing a few cams, climbing left of the third bolt (didn't clip it), and finishing on a thin, well protected crack just below the anchor. It didn't feel any harder than 5.7. May 19, 2013

Brian Hansen 1
San Francisco, CA

5.9+ PG13

Climbed this on TR after leading New Tradition to the right; the runout didn't seem worth it. Pulling straight up through the bouldery overhang at the top is the definite crux (5.9+ maybe) and a fun challenge - well protected by a bolt too if you decide to take it on. Oct 19, 2015

Floyd Hayes

Having climbed the crack to the left several times, I realized it was a distinct line sharing only a few holds with Saviour Heart. The crack was first climbed in the early 1960s (see Jerry Dodrill's comment above), so I've added a description of the route as Forrester's Crack. May 10, 2016