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Cactus Kiss
5.8 PG13,
Trad, Sport, 350 ft (106 m), 3 pitches,
Avg: 1.5 from 15
votes
FA: Moise-Swann
California
> San Diego County
> S San Diego County
> El Cajon Mountain
> Mountaineer Walls
> Toe
Please avoid raptor nests. El Cajon Mountain- Golden Eagles nested successfully at this site in 2009, after relocating twice between alternate nest sites. The Golden Eagle nest at El Cajon Mountain was not successful in Spring 2010. This nest was successful and fledged young in 2011 - 2021. Details from USFS posted here: fs.usda.gov/detail/clevelan…
The El Cajon Mountain climbing area is in close proximity to the San Diego River Park Foundation property. This property's purpose is to protect and conserve San Diego's threatened habitat and wildlife in perpetuity. Specifically, the San Diego River Park Foundation are protecting golden eagles that nest in the area and ceanothus, a California lilac that is an endemic sensitive plant species. Please avoid and limit recreational activities at the San Diego River Park Foundation property to promote San Diego's threatened habitat and wildlife. Thank you!
The Toe area is technically located in the El Capitan Open Space Preservesandiegocounty.gov/parks/op… and less than 4,000' from an active golden eagle nesting site. Agreements between climbers and county officials have never been reached to officially allow climbing and development in this particular part of El Cajon Mountain. This is the exact reason why 3 others areas have been omitted from public eyes. I personally don't think it's a good idea to make this information public just yet for fear of losing access all together. -Dave Alden
Description
First pitch all bolts. As you pull up on ledge remember the name of the route. Second pitch starts with a few small to medium cams up broken face and finger crack then left to belay chains on face. Last pitch up bolted friction face to crux move through triangular roof (medium cam protected) and up past bolts and easy featured climbing to top chains. Four rappels with 60 meter rope but ropes don't fall free and take frequent mending. Rap first pitch to west of fall line(base of More Bits) First pitch makes a good family top rope if you use an occasional runner and have a 70 meter rope
Location
Route starts on wall to right of large cleft in Toe. Descent is 4 rappels with 60 meter rope but ropes don't fall free and take mending. Route goes to top of wall and is a good way to get to all West Tier routes
[Hide Photo] Leading Cactus Kiss, almost half way up
[Hide Photo] First pitch of Cactus Kiss. Climb up the arette and from there the route leans alittle to the right. Its a fun 5.8 on the easier side. 6 or 7 quickdraws will do, then anchor gear.
[Hide Photo] At the anchors on Cactus kiss. Just to the right of that cactus up top.
[Hide Comment] P1: 20 ft of 5.7/5.8 until you gain the arete and it is 5.2 to the anchors.
P2: Hard to tell where the route goes from the top of P1. But it is a crack that is a little hard to see from the anchor at your 12 o'clock. The crack has bushes in the first half and is unusable for gear or jamming. Climb the suspect face holds to the right to gain a splitter finger crack (5.4) for another 10 ft. From here if you look up and left you can see the anchor at the top of P2. Find the best route through all the bushes to make the final face moves past one bolt to an anchor.
P3: Go up past bolts to a ledge. Move right to a 3-4 ft vertical crack leading up to a suspect coffee table sized flake that forms a triangle shape at the top. CAUTION: THIS FLAKE FLEXED AND CREAKED WHEN I PULLED ON IT. It is definitely going to come off just a matter of time. Take extra care to not crank on it. This move (what gives this climb its 5.8 rating) can be protected to a certain extent but since the only decent rock is at the base of the ledge any fall at the crux would result in you decking.
Me and my partner thought this climb was a bomb. Recommend just avoiding. Juice wasnt worth the squeeze.
Dec 12, 2015
[Hide Comment] I only climbed the first pitch. All bolts are still in good condition, the chain is getting alittle weatheted but definitely still acceptable. About 6 or 7 quickdraws for the route, then the anchor. Make sure you tie knots in the end of your rope it takes a 60m to the max.
Jun 16, 2017
[Hide Comment] I climbed the first pitch as well, and when looking up at the second pitch it just didn't seem worth the effort, even if the 3rd was decent.
Dec 12, 2017
[Hide Comment] Referring to Dan Evans comment about the flexing flake on the 3rd pitch: When the route was established this flake was considered with jaundiced eye. The minor flexing was noticed and subsequently tested with a 30" wrecking bar. It went nowhere. Further inspection revealed that the flake was the left edge of a large formation that got thicker to the right and merged with the solid face with no cracks or seams present. The minor flexing leaves plenty of margin for the move to be protected with a medium quadcam as it would be a pity to miss what is probably the most fun move on the climb. As Dan said it could certainly come off in a matter of time. Probably in a little more than 3000 years.
Jan 26, 2018
[Hide Comment] The middle of the route is a bit contrived with the ledges and bushes but it was originally envisioned as being a direct route to West Tier without having to go back to the main trail. It is not a lot of fun to rap (single 60) but it turns out that in its entirety it is an excellent route for introduction to mixed alpine multipitch with lots of lessons along the way.
Jan 26, 2018
[Hide Comment] Pitch 1 At the 3rd bolt off the ground angle right to stay on Cactus Kiss (5.7), the pink painted hanger straight above is Up (5.9).
Pitch 2 After the finger crack angle hard left up the lower angle slab to stay on Cactus Kiss. The bolts above the finger crack protect 5.6 climbing on the remainder of Up.
Also, when rappelling Cactus Kiss, Shiver, Up, or Green Fountain; There are 2 new plumb line (straight down) rap anchors all within 95' of each other, 4 single rope raps or 2 double rope raps. Final 100' rap anchor to the ground would be off the anchor of Shake.
Mar 19, 2021
Avg: 1.5 from 15
votes
Access Issue: Raptor Nesting Advisory
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Phoenix, AZ
P2: Hard to tell where the route goes from the top of P1. But it is a crack that is a little hard to see from the anchor at your 12 o'clock. The crack has bushes in the first half and is unusable for gear or jamming. Climb the suspect face holds to the right to gain a splitter finger crack (5.4) for another 10 ft. From here if you look up and left you can see the anchor at the top of P2. Find the best route through all the bushes to make the final face moves past one bolt to an anchor.
P3: Go up past bolts to a ledge. Move right to a 3-4 ft vertical crack leading up to a suspect coffee table sized flake that forms a triangle shape at the top. CAUTION: THIS FLAKE FLEXED AND CREAKED WHEN I PULLED ON IT. It is definitely going to come off just a matter of time. Take extra care to not crank on it. This move (what gives this climb its 5.8 rating) can be protected to a certain extent but since the only decent rock is at the base of the ledge any fall at the crux would result in you decking.
Me and my partner thought this climb was a bomb. Recommend just avoiding. Juice wasnt worth the squeeze. Dec 12, 2015
San Diego, CA
At the 3rd bolt off the ground angle right to stay on Cactus Kiss (5.7), the pink painted hanger straight above is Up (5.9).
Pitch 2
After the finger crack angle hard left up the lower angle slab to stay on Cactus Kiss. The bolts above the finger crack protect 5.6 climbing on the remainder of Up.
Also, when rappelling Cactus Kiss, Shiver, Up, or Green Fountain;
There are 2 new plumb line (straight down) rap anchors all within 95' of each other, 4 single rope raps or 2 double rope raps.
Final 100' rap anchor to the ground would be off the anchor of Shake. Mar 19, 2021