Bear Valley

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clustiere

Trad climber
berkeley ca
Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 19, 2013 - 02:44am PT
Hey All,

I'm looking to visit the Bear Valley (CA) area during the week of 4th of July. I'm curious if anybody has info on some of the climbing up there aside from Calaveras? Thanks for the info!!

Warmly,

Clustiere
mrtropy

Trad climber
Nor Cal
Jun 19, 2013 - 01:26pm PT
Bear Valley has lots of half pitch stuff 30-100ft. Most stuff is moderate.3-.10 Also a few good lakes in the area for kayaking, paddle boards,sailing etc.... Excellent mountain biking and road biking too. I think I will be up there during that time and can maybe show you around.

If you need any info let me know and hook you up with what you need about climbing, camping, biking or hiking. Of the 150 routes on Ebbetts Pass I have put up about 50 of them Some areas you will need a local to show around. I have homemade topos on most of the areas. Most areas are very easy to set up for top ropes. Let me know what you need.


Here is a start:

The top of Cal Dome is a tricky 1 hr. drive on dirt roads.

Spicer Terraces- 30-70 ft. .4-.11 sport and trad- all have top anchors.(Good for families.) 20 routes

Box canyon-60-100 ft. .3-.8 maybe a couple of .10s great beginner area. About 10-15 routes. Like DMT only a few minutes from the village. Kid friendly

Little crags along spicer Road. sport and trad .3-.10 up to 40 ft.

The Scrotum (a small dome)12 routes .7-.10's. (hard to find)

The Stan- About 25 routes .6-.11 mostly sport and some trad. Great Alpine feel and cooler if other areas are hot- a local will almost have to show you around to find the climbs. 20 minute drive and 25 pleasant hike in. I think this is the best area.

A couple of crags over the pass.

Bouldering- everywhere this is a little bit- Hells kitchen has the best and is the best known.
an .11 TR


Unclimbed choss chimney

part of Spicer Terraces-

Mountain biking[Click to View YouTube Video]
SteveW

Trad climber
The state of confusion
Jun 19, 2013 - 01:31pm PT

Oops, I thought you said Beer Valley!
mrtropy

Trad climber
Nor Cal
Jun 19, 2013 - 01:46pm PT
Only the photo above is on a blasted wall. The other 20 routes are on natural rock, however I kind of like the blasted wall, a different type of climbing than the other stuff.
Powder

Trad climber
the Flower Box
Jun 19, 2013 - 02:19pm PT
...happened to be in the area over the past weekend.

Saw the sign "Hells Kitchen" and I just had to stop and check it out. There were funky boulders and formations all over the place and I felt like in a playground. ...was kicking myself for not bring climbing shoes. Really liked this whole area (Ebbetts) and I'm definitely coming back, whether for climbing or peaks bagging.


Apparently this is a poser shot. Please ignore the human object - after all, the center of the attention is that cool formation. : ]

Michelle

Social climber
1187 Hunterwasser
Jun 19, 2013 - 04:00pm PT
I lived in Avery for a few years. Lots of what people have been saying already. There's ton of top secret stuff too along the river. That's all the beta you'll get. Hells kitchen area is pretty fun bouldering, Box Canyon has a few fun easy climbs. Bug MAS, they might clue you in on some stuff.
mrtropy

Trad climber
Nor Cal
Jun 19, 2013 - 08:50pm PT
Ron, Alpine county is on both sides of the pass- a couple of the listed crags are in Alpine county, the others in Calaveras and Tuolumne County.

Powder, I think the straight up problem is Scary Monster.

Michelle I think you might recognize this crag near Avery, I think most of the lower crags are too hot in summer.
Slater

Trad climber
Central Coast
Jun 19, 2013 - 10:23pm PT
Clustiere

If you had a copy of California Road Trip: Nor Cal you'd know all about it!
Shame on you... now go buy a copy!
Michelle

Social climber
1187 Hunterwasser
Jun 20, 2013 - 12:21am PT
yep!

mrtropy

Trad climber
Nor Cal
Jun 20, 2013 - 01:10am PT

Ron, I guess I was confused because you capitalized alpine, so you meant alpine country not Alpine county. ;) BTW I would really like to explore that area, looked it over but have not hiked it much.
Michelle

Social climber
1187 Hunterwasser
Jun 20, 2013 - 10:42am PT
Nope, can't recall if it was there. It's been more than 10 years. I lived by the old hotel. I used to walk the grey highway to the dam and nose around Love Creek area tons. Small world, indeed!
D-Rail

Trad climber
Calaveras
Jun 20, 2013 - 12:02pm PT
Many of the standard spots have been mentioned already. Stanislaus Meadow/Terraces area is pretty good, especially if it is hot. Aaron at Mountain Adventure Seminars has a topo of this area and likes to encourage visitors!
The Cal Dome from the top adventure is really good. The drive is not hard, is subaru-able, 45min from Bear. Nobody is coming along to help you if you get lost though- be prepared. Rap in to Banzai-End of the Tale from the summit, or walk down a ways and rap in to the upper part of High Times (Silk Road).
There are many areas near Hells Kitchen where you can walk into the woods and discover and scrub the newest and best pebble in the state. Bushwacking required. Rock quality: Excellent.

Bear is a special place, rough around the edges though...

Daryl
mrtropy

Trad climber
Nor Cal
Jun 20, 2013 - 08:24pm PT
A couple photos from the Scrot.


clustiere

Trad climber
berkeley ca
Topic Author's Reply - Nov 17, 2013 - 12:28pm PT
Thanks for the beta!
Strider

Trad climber
ಠ_ಠ
Nov 17, 2013 - 05:27pm PT
I remember the old store in Avery. Used to go shopping there all the time in the old days. Now its an auto parts store. And the 19th Hole Bar closed down and the golf course is defunct nowadays. It is sad to see the area slowly deteriorate.

-n
i'm gumby dammit

Sport climber
da ow
Jul 28, 2016 - 08:12pm PT
Heading up there for a few days later tonight. Ideally we'd like to find some deep water soloing or just boulders in the water of Spicer, Union, or Utica. Anyone have any info on whether that exists?
But we'll also be climbing more usual stuff. Spicer Terraces, Hell's Kitchen. Particularly interested in the Scrotum (yeah, I said it) if someone could point that to me on a map I'll get there.
Also we'll be biking. Haven't researched those options yet but Slick Rock keeps popping up. Is that any good? What else is? Could be on Spicer Road or somewhere between there and the top of the pass since we could do it on our return day in the morning. Prefer moderately technical single track.
splitclimber

climber
Sonoma County
Jul 28, 2016 - 08:44pm PT
check your inbox gumby
i'm gumby dammit

Sport climber
da ow
Jul 28, 2016 - 09:10pm PT
Hmm. Nothing there that I can see. And I sent myself a test email which also didn't go through. Can you send it to court who is at aboutlaketahoe with a .com after it?
Thanks in advance.
splitclimber

climber
Sonoma County
Jul 28, 2016 - 09:36pm PT
i figured a pm wouldn't work. just emailed ya.
i'm gumby dammit

Sport climber
da ow
Jul 28, 2016 - 10:02pm PT
Thanks a ton splitclimber!
Definitely looking forward to whatever we find.
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