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paranoid-android
Gym climber
san francisco, ca
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jul 2, 2012 - 04:27am PT
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I am sure many have driven past this point and wondered. So, there must be an obvious reason why people don't climb here. I've seen signs warning about unstable cliffs and county ordinance explicitly prohibiting climbing/hiking in this area.
But my curiosity gets the better of me, has anyone tried climbing this? What can you offer up in terms of beta? Anyone?
Google Maps Street View
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Bad Climber
climber
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Looks like serious choss. Of greater import, when is that dang tunnel going to open? I do a lot of long distance cycling, and that part of the coast has always been a bit of a problem. From what I understand, the existing hwy 1 will become a bike/pedestrian route, although there will be a good bike shoulder through the tunnel. The steep, narrow curves just up from Pacifica don't seem to be slated for widening, however, so cyclists will still have to deal with that. Oh well.
BAd
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Srbphoto
climber
Kennewick wa
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If there ever was a thread that needed "your gonna die" this may be it.
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paranoid-android
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 2, 2012 - 09:58am PT
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Bad,
The tunnel is scheduled to open "late 2012". I've been on that stretch quite a bit lately. The tunnel looks almost done. It appears they are working on the last bit of connecting road to the existing highway.
So, I guess one of these months ..
It sucks there is so much choss out there. I've been scouting the area (newbie enthusiasm, it hasn't worn off yet) quite a bit. On a sunny day its so damn beautiful. And to climb in that cool air would be just surreal.
That said, even though it appears 'chossy' in the pics, there are sections of it that are more grabby and clean. Or so they appear. I really don't know since I don't have the brass nuts to find out.
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Spider Savage
Mountain climber
The shaggy fringe of Los Angeles
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The world is full of choss piles. Someday someone will figure out to make dirty climbing fun.
A few have done it but forget safety.
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stonefly
Social climber
Alameda, California
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The photos here are from Lewis Clark's collection and date from about 1938, I think. I always figured they were from the Devil's Slide area but can't be sure. I know they climbed there after the war but gave up after a death in 1948 or so. Read this in an old club bulletin, not sure on the date.
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paranoid-android
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 2, 2012 - 11:59am PT
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That bluff in the last pic resembles the Devil's Slide promontory. Pretty cool pictures.
May I ask where these archives exist?
On a clear day, that place is just a piece of heaven on earth. Really awesomely beautiful!
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apogee
climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
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Years ago, my girlfriend & I biked that section of PCH...normally a somewhat dicey endeavor due the proliferation of wandering rented Winnebagos...we lucked out, though, as they had closed that beautiful portion next to Pacifica due to a car accident. They let us roll through, without another car on the road...awesome!
The accident was very impressive- an over-the-side accident where they guy must have launched full-on Dukes of Hazard style into the rocks and waves below.
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paranoid-android
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 2, 2012 - 01:16pm PT
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Dingus,
I kid you not I actually spent good part of the weekend thinking about how I would/could top rope using ice tools (and crampons) on chossy bluffs along hwy CA-1.
There are some impressive bluffs there along and most of them are either rotten/crumbly rock or just massive sand bluffs.
Confession: I am a jackass!
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apogee
climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
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Looks like that incident occurred ~2009...the one I witnessed was ~1999...no doubt there's been plenty of such incidences over the years (probably with much less positive outcomes)...
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Talusfeeder
Social climber
Here
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Bad-That stretch used to be part of my regular training circuit when I was racing road bikes-the best way to pass it-even once the tunnel is done-is by simply popping over Montara Mountain. You can also use it as a shortcut into San Bruno if you choose. It is a beautiful ride and a real hoot with skinny tires...
Also, the reason why people don't rock climb here is because there isn't really any rock to climb-just dirt. Want a real tease? Head down do Ross' cove at low tide and check out the alcove on the south end of the beach...its like most of my girlfriends-looks great, but is flaky as hell!
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tom woods
Gym climber
Bishop, CA
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Those old pictures are great. Thanks for posting them. It doesn't look good, but I'm sure they found an adventure for the day.
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Brandon-
climber
The Granite State.
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I've driven by there many times and it's always looked like choss.
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Dr.Sprock
Boulder climber
I'm James Brown, Bi-atch!
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we used to hike down the stairway to the old war bunker to get high and then drunk,
my buddy launced his car off the side on night, there was a stalled vehicle in the middle of the foggy road with no lights on, so he decided to bail off the cliff, the hauled him up with pulleys and stretchers and sh#t, so he was drunk but ok,
we used to climb down below the big steel door that swings up and down for japanese shells, zen asked james conley what would you do if i fell of this cliff but managed to get hung up on the rockds below, groaning with broken ribs?
conely: i would throw rocks down the hill until the groaning stopped.
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murcy
Gym climber
sanfrancisco
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There's some actual rock. I remember reading that it was a standard practice crag in the 30s and 40s, and (I think) that a fatality there put the kibosh on that.
I thought it was in the book "The Stanford Alpine" club that I'd read that, but now I don't see it there . . .
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Andy Fielding
Trad climber
UK
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Slightly less chossy Devils Slide in the UK.
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tuolumne_tradster
Trad climber
Leading Edge of North American Plate
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The rocks along Devil's Slide are mainly highly deformed and fractured meta-sedimenary rocks of the Fransciscan Formation (i.e., choss) that are too loose and dangerous for climbing. BITD, a friend made an attempt to climb the north face of Pedro Pt shown in this photo from a raft. He didn't get very far up it before abandoning the idea.
EDIT: Wow that's interesting that Klaus posted the same rock. Did you really climb that sea stack?
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stonefly
Social climber
Alameda, California
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from the 1948 Sierra Club Bulletin, page 130:
and for the android, all these photos are serendipitous find;
see here:
http://www.thehighsierra.org
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tuolumne_tradster
Trad climber
Leading Edge of North American Plate
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Klaus: Cool photos. If I remember correctly you have to go out at low tide to gain the sea stack without getting wet...correct?
The "granite" mentioned in the accident report is Salinian Granite that is highly weathered and also not suitable for climbing, IMO. Interestingly enough, this granite originated from the southern Sierras and has been translated northward along the San Andreas fault.
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