Napa Palisades

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KP Ariza

climber
SCC
Dec 21, 2008 - 04:49am PT
No worse than pinnicles? Come on Sal, keep sellin' but I have a prediction, Palisades = obscurity and cob webs
Roughster

Sport climber
Vacaville, CA
Dec 21, 2008 - 12:01pm PT
DK: What is invariable the 1st few complaint from Bay Areas climbers about local stuff:

 Anything truly "local" is short. Really short usually. We have our exceptions but most of those are outside of what most people consider truly "local". Many of the currently single pitch routes (which potential for upper pitches) are rope stretchers with a 60M barely getting you down.

 There is no "real" sport climbing area. No, I didn't say there wasn't sport climbing locally, I said sport climbing area aka an area that was developed with sport in mind. Not 2 bolt 40 foot routes. Not that some areas don't have isolated pockets of good sport climbing (Bear Cliff, Mickey's, Bear Gulch, etc..) but when you think, "I'm going sport climbing today" in the Bay Area that means driving to Sonora (until Auburn opens up at least :P ) Table has been 100% sport climbing from the get go. Mostly 1/2" bolts, reasonably spaced, threadable anchors.

 Multi-pitch sport climbing. There just isn't any. Not just local, but pretty much most of California is lacking a true sport climbing multi-pitch area. Table does offer that. With both easy base and top access, it is pretty ideal for it. The rock is ultrafeatured so even steep routes often go at a reasonable grade. Many different walls have multipitch potential so it won't be an isolated route here and there either. I would expect the majority the routes to have 2nd, 3rd, and some 4th or 5th even.

 Finally, its the Napa Valley. Could you ask for a more scenic area? After we were done developing out there, we would stop by LaPrima at the bottom and get a BBQ Chicken Pizza and a pitcher of beer. Several times we sat on the balcony scarfing down good food/drink reminiscing over the days events all in an amazing setting. What's to complain about that?

If choss avoidance is enough to justify driving an extra 100 miles to the other "sport" climbing areas, feel free. Nothing wrong with it. Hell, I used to drive 4 hours each way to Natural Bridges when I was putting up routes out there.

But wont it be nice to know there is a true local option? IMO it is what is the big selling point of the area. Then to think about being on track with getting Auburn open puts East Bay'ers 70 miles in either direction to a killer sport climbing area.

Between Auburn and DTSA there are over 100 sport routes that most people in the Bay don't even know about with both areas have a lot of additional potential.
guido

Trad climber
Santa Cruz
Dec 23, 2008 - 02:00am PT
St Helena Palisades 1960-61

Could only find one photo from the "Archives of Antiquity" of climbing in this area. Probably a first ascent as few people were crazy enough to play on this fabulous rock, let alone repeat a route. I am leading, Roper is belaying and Foott is messing about.
I know it is Roper from his classic red sweater tied to his waist. Anyone have any clue what route this is?

Roughster

Sport climber
Vacaville, CA
Dec 23, 2008 - 02:09am PT
From the looks of it, that route is on the backside of the formation and has some sweet runnels/chutes across a wall about 100 feet long and 80-90 ' tall. I have looked at it for awhile but have devoted attention to other areas since it is kind of by itself down the hill half way then a scramble up a gully. Or you can start at the top and go around the back to the South and follow slabby gullies to the base then circle back to the West where the wall will be on your right.
berghold

Trad climber
Calistoga
Dec 23, 2008 - 01:11pm PT
Thanks Guido for the great historical reference, though I'm not sure this will excite the sport-climbers still on the fence!
This photo reminded me a "universal theory" Will Gadd wrote about in recent R&I issue #173:

"The quality and size of the rocks below a mountain face are inversely proportional to the quality of the stone. For example,there's a very limited debris field below El Cap, and the boulders tend to be quite large."

There's a fairly large debris field beneath Table Rock, you just can't see it because there's grass growing out of it!
Ha ha, by the way, friendly reminder: I've had fun climbing Roughster's routes around the corner.

Also when comparing rock type to Pinnacles. . . Think obscure west-side machete ridge, balconies, etc. NOT east-side discovery wall or monolith which has lots of fairly smooth- textured rock/holds compared to Table's grit.
splitclimber

climber
Sonoma County
Sep 11, 2012 - 02:37pm PT
bump for Bay area multipitch :)

guido- that pic is awesome. I started soloing some of that stuff one day, then thought better of it and downclimbed.

great views anywhere out there and climbing is climbing, eh. ;)
PSP also PP

Trad climber
Berkeley
Sep 11, 2012 - 04:53pm PT
a few decades ago a local trogladite took me up one of the palisades climbs.

He had carved holes in the rock for cams and had placed bolts like 6 inches long because the rock was so soft. He said Harding tested his BAT tent/ledge on those cliffs.
squishy

Mountain climber
Topic Author's Reply - Apr 24, 2018 - 08:42am PT
Bump for more NorCal leakage....
clode

Trad climber
portland, or
Apr 24, 2018 - 09:15am PT
Crappy, death bolts in choss? Perfect combination!

That rock looks almost like welded tuff, the same kind at Smith Rock, and look how it turned into a world destination! But then Smith has 600 foot walls, lots of sport routes, AND trad!

I declare that Napa Palisades will NEVER be in the same league as Smith. Of course, Smith does not have that Napa Valley wine feel, but then there's Deschutes River Brewery, to name only one of many in the Bend/Redmond area, near the Smith Rock State park.
Fossil climber

Trad climber
Atlin, B. C.
Apr 24, 2018 - 03:47pm PT
Did my first "roped climb" on St. Helena Palisades just off the Oat Hill Mine Rd., back at about 18 and just having read a lot of Rebuffat and his ilk. i showed my younger brother how to hip belay a top rope with a piece of half-inch hemp from the hardware store. Somehow survived that, and went back a year or so later and got up a little spire near there. When I later discovered granite it was like discovering heaven.
splitclimber

climber
Sonoma County
Apr 24, 2018 - 05:40pm PT
Awesome fossil climber.

a super top secret hand written guide by Roper is in existence. Some of us deranged locals have been scheming to repeat some of the horror routes, document fixed gear, scare ourselves silly, then get a mtn bike descent down oat hill mine trail.

It keeps getting pushed off for some reason. ;)

Thornburg put up a sweet looking 12c at table a few years ago.

jim on the opposite side of the lens, photo Samuel Crossley

guido

Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
Apr 24, 2018 - 08:36pm PT
Circa 60-61, last photo I posted on here was via PhotoF*#kit so here it tis again.

Guido leading, Roper belaying and Jeff Foott over smashing rocks with his piton hammer. Roper and I worked on a Guide for the area but I "loaned" it to Harrison years ago.........

Those crazy license plate hangers were one of our many crazy endeavors to save money and make our own gear.

Fuzzywuzzy

climber
suspendedhappynation
Apr 24, 2018 - 11:09pm PT
Holy Sh#t Dr Woo where do you get this stuff?/

Remarkable. Historic. Hilarious!!!
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