Fort Apache Rock Climbing
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Elevation: | 1,698 ft |
GPS: |
37.92637, -120.46105 Google Map · Climbing Area Map |
Page Views: | 7,263 total · 29/month |
Shared By: | Aron Quiter on Jun 19, 2003 |
Admins: | Mike Morley, Adam Stackhouse, Salamanizer Ski, Justin Johnsen, Vicki Schwantes |
Access Issue: Agreement in place at Gold Wall. Respect signs and private property owners near the crags.
Details
Update: April, 16 2021.
Gold Wall (which is privately owned) is open to climbing.
However climbers must follow the owners rules!
Rules for climbing at Gold Wall:
-No yelling/loud noises
-No fires of any kind
-No camping
-No trash/bathroom
-No publishing routes in books or online (ie Don't post on Mountain Project or other online sites)
-No disclosing exact location in books/online
The land owners continue to have full rights over the Gold Wall and the right to close access at any time if activities occur that make them uncomfortable. We are very thankful to the land owners who recognize the importance of Gold Wall to the climbing community and generously have allowed rock climbing to occur on their property.
Access Fund is working with Tuolumne County, Tuolumne County Land Trust, private landowners and the US Bureau of Reclamation to come up with a solution to the Shell Rd parking issue. Please be mindful of where you park when going to Table Mountain, do not block private driveways or vehicle access on Shell Rd and remember this area is a high fire danger zone so use abundance of caution!
It is up to us as a climbing community to ensure the owner’s rules are upheld so please if you see something say something!!
Gold Wall (which is privately owned) is open to climbing.
However climbers must follow the owners rules!
Rules for climbing at Gold Wall:
-No yelling/loud noises
-No fires of any kind
-No camping
-No trash/bathroom
-No publishing routes in books or online (ie Don't post on Mountain Project or other online sites)
-No disclosing exact location in books/online
The land owners continue to have full rights over the Gold Wall and the right to close access at any time if activities occur that make them uncomfortable. We are very thankful to the land owners who recognize the importance of Gold Wall to the climbing community and generously have allowed rock climbing to occur on their property.
Access Fund is working with Tuolumne County, Tuolumne County Land Trust, private landowners and the US Bureau of Reclamation to come up with a solution to the Shell Rd parking issue. Please be mindful of where you park when going to Table Mountain, do not block private driveways or vehicle access on Shell Rd and remember this area is a high fire danger zone so use abundance of caution!
It is up to us as a climbing community to ensure the owner’s rules are upheld so please if you see something say something!!
Description
This sport area is much like the other areas on the back of TableMountain, except that the rock here is considerably morepolished, making otherwise excellent footholds into slickinteresting nightmares. Resultingly, you will find the toughestclimbing on the backside of Table Mountain here, but you stillwon't find things anywhere near has hard as on the frontside ofTable Mountain.
The routes are all sport, ranging from 5.9 - 5.11b. There's alsoone project, that as far as I know has not been climbed. Itlooks dirty and smooth, though not exceedingly difficult. Anygear you find on this project should not be considered adequateprotection.
This and all the other back areas are in the sun in the midday,and see shade in the morning and late afternoon.Due to the longerapproach, it is obvious that these areas aren'tvisited quite as often as the front areas, though for 5.10climbers, this back is where you want to be.
The routes are all sport, ranging from 5.9 - 5.11b. There's alsoone project, that as far as I know has not been climbed. Itlooks dirty and smooth, though not exceedingly difficult. Anygear you find on this project should not be considered adequateprotection.
This and all the other back areas are in the sun in the midday,and see shade in the morning and late afternoon.Due to the longerapproach, it is obvious that these areas aren'tvisited quite as often as the front areas, though for 5.10climbers, this back is where you want to be.
Getting There
Approach time: 43 - 63 minutes
NOTE - THERE IS NO CAMPING ALLOWED ON SHELL ROAD ANYWHERE.
From the second gate (in your car). Park immediately after thesecond gate, and you will see two white gates. One is straightahead, and one is to the left. You want to take the gate on theleft, which is always locked. This leads you onto a wide fairlyunused service trail that gently climbs uphill. this routeuuphill, following the brown trail signs with arrows on them.
After about 1/4 of a mile, you will notice a smaller trail thatheads to the left, which you should take. Going straight leadsyou to the fissures. Following this narrow trail uphill andaround overgrown everything, WATCH OUT FOR POISON OAK. This willhead to less gently uphill switchbacks, which take you to the topof the mountain rather quickly.
Once at the top, you will find yourself in a huge upen area,which is quite georgeous, but WATCH OUT FOR SNAKES. You will see3 small Oak trees in the distance a little right from the ridge,which you should hea towards. There is no large trail headingover there, and there probably won't be anytime soon. Head tothe left tree, and you will find the STEEP downtrail heading leftoff the top about 20 yards from the leftmost (easternmost) tree.
This sketchy trail is covered in poision oak, and will go eastand away from the edge for a while, for a while, and then willhead back to the right and towards the cliff.
The first rock you see on the right with bolts on it is The FarSide. If you continue down (approx 20 yards) the scree field, atthe bottom you will find a trail heading right in the rocks, butat the bottom. This will head towards the right, and will head alittle ways West. It will then head uphill and back towards therock, and as soon you can see the wall, you will be right infront of the waterfall route. If you continue along the face,you will see the many bolted routes of the rest of the SeniorWall. Continue to the far West end of Senior Wall, where youwill find a trail heading further west that branches temporarilyoff the wall, but not very far. This will head through sometrees, and will very shortly (100 yards or so) head back to thewall. continue along through a grove of poison oak, and you willfind the bolts of the Apache Fort.
NOTE - THERE IS NO CAMPING ALLOWED ON SHELL ROAD ANYWHERE.
From the second gate (in your car). Park immediately after thesecond gate, and you will see two white gates. One is straightahead, and one is to the left. You want to take the gate on theleft, which is always locked. This leads you onto a wide fairlyunused service trail that gently climbs uphill. this routeuuphill, following the brown trail signs with arrows on them.
After about 1/4 of a mile, you will notice a smaller trail thatheads to the left, which you should take. Going straight leadsyou to the fissures. Following this narrow trail uphill andaround overgrown everything, WATCH OUT FOR POISON OAK. This willhead to less gently uphill switchbacks, which take you to the topof the mountain rather quickly.
Once at the top, you will find yourself in a huge upen area,which is quite georgeous, but WATCH OUT FOR SNAKES. You will see3 small Oak trees in the distance a little right from the ridge,which you should hea towards. There is no large trail headingover there, and there probably won't be anytime soon. Head tothe left tree, and you will find the STEEP downtrail heading leftoff the top about 20 yards from the leftmost (easternmost) tree.
This sketchy trail is covered in poision oak, and will go eastand away from the edge for a while, for a while, and then willhead back to the right and towards the cliff.
The first rock you see on the right with bolts on it is The FarSide. If you continue down (approx 20 yards) the scree field, atthe bottom you will find a trail heading right in the rocks, butat the bottom. This will head towards the right, and will head alittle ways West. It will then head uphill and back towards therock, and as soon you can see the wall, you will be right infront of the waterfall route. If you continue along the face,you will see the many bolted routes of the rest of the SeniorWall. Continue to the far West end of Senior Wall, where youwill find a trail heading further west that branches temporarilyoff the wall, but not very far. This will head through sometrees, and will very shortly (100 yards or so) head back to thewall. continue along through a grove of poison oak, and you willfind the bolts of the Apache Fort.
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