Nodes in Mt. Shasta Area

Climbing at Castle Crags can be hugely rewarding but also dangerous due to the remoteness, loose rock, complicated approaches, and even more complicated descents. Bring a guide book. Grover Shipman's Mt Shasta Area Rock Climbing (ISBN 0988827204) and State Of Jefferson Rock Climber's Guide (shastabasecamp.com) are currently the most comprehensive and up-to-date.

Old pitons protect the overhanging start.

Descend by rappelling the Regular Route from the bolted anchors above the east face.

Great jams and frequent stemming rests characterize this obvious crack and left-facing corner on the south side of the spire. Bolted top anchor is near the summit, far from the top of the crack. Build a gear anchor for top-roping. Descend by rappelling from the east side of the spire. Pro to 4".

Two pitches up the south arête. The Falcon guide sandbagged this at 5.6!

~90ft to the chains, ~110ft to the tree which is reachable with a scramble up the gully to the left. The crux comes late with sparse gear placements for last 20 feet. Pro to 2" or 3".

Top-rope the line up the right side of the face to join Warmup Route just below the shared chains.

3rd class approach.

1. (5.9+ R) Climb the right side of the pinnacle, then wander up run out climbing past some bolts and fixed gear. Two ropes suggested.

2. (5.10c) Thin cracks with few placements lead to the summit.

Scramble off to the right.

1. 85ft (5.10c) Climb past five bolts to a bolted belay.

2. (5.10b R) Continue up runout climbing past three bolts and thin cracks to the summit.

Rappel after just pitch one, or scramble off to the right from the summit.

Chimney climbing. Approach from the right (4th class) or directly from below (5.7).

A bolt protects face climbing to the crack. A few good hand jams lead up to the 2 bolt top anchor with chains.

1. 140ft (5.10b) Ascend the crack, then clip bolts up the face to the bolted anchor shared with Whisper. Double rope rappel, or ...

2. 40ft (5.8/5.9) ... continue up the obvious crack. Walk off down the trail back to Newspaper Ledge.

Cracks and flakes lead up to a bolted anchor shared with Mild Steel.

1. (5.9) Lead up the crack to the overhang, and set up a belay above the overhang.

2. (5.11c) Traverse left. The first bolt is up and right. Follow the bolts to the top.

Careful footwork and technical face climbing leads straight up the line of bolts. Stick to the newer hardware, avoiding the (obviously) suspect bolt hanger as well as the (obviously) suspect chain top anchor.

Start right of Bulldog Direct and climb up to the hanging flake. Continue up the flakes, staying right of the bolts.

Starts to the right of Bulldog Direct. Ascend the huecos and pockets, then follow the right leaning crack up to the crux at the piton. Continue up, then left back to the Bulldog Direct anchor. Pro to 2.5".

From the summit, either rappel Six Toe Crack with a single rope, or double-rope rappel (free hanging!) off of the backside into The Grotto.

Climb the right-leaning crack in two pitches to join Six Toe Crack at the notch.

Climb the right-leaning crack to join Six Toe Crack at the first belay anchor.

1. 100ft (5.8) Move through the early crux, then follow the crack straight up,.

2. 100ft (5.8) Continue up the crack, then struggle through a short off-width section. Rappel, or ...

3. 100ft (5.6) ... continue up the dihedral to the right to gain the summit.

Pro to 4.5" with widest pro at the off-width crux. #5 C4 or #11 BD hex will see you through.

Climb the crack / chimney up the left-facing dihedral to the right of Six Toe Crack, tunneling behind the massive chockstone. Finish at the bolted anchor shared with Six Toe Crack. Pro to 4".

1. Start on Chocksucker, but traverse right to the arête after passing the P1 anchor of Six Toe Crack. Belay at the ledge with the bushes.

2. Continue up the arête to the summit.

Climb about 30' up easy 5th class dihedral, on left side of large roof, then traverse left and up face placing gear in flakes as you go. About 50' up, face thins out and you make delicate moves past 2 bolts and 10a crux to gain a right-facing dihedral. Layback up to the top of the dihedral, and reach left to a large detached flake with a spike of rock on top which can be slung with a long runner. Follow cracks straight up another 40' to chain anchor. Pro to 3". 60m rope suffices to lower to easy terrain (tie a knot in the end).

Start on Apnea. After initial bouldery start climb up layback crack about 10' then traverse right to a bolt on thin face moves (11-). Continue right a bit then straight up to another bolt and pass bolt crux (11b/c). Place #4 BD stopper or equivalent from a dicey stance, traverse back left a couple of moves, then up for about 10'-15' of solid 5.10r until you gain a layback flake and pro. Continue to a roof with a bolt, turn roof (10-), and traverse back into the 5.10 finish of Apnea. Pro to 3".

Ultra Classic. Start just left of large roof. Bouldery start at a bolt to sustained thin crack/seam with good but sporty pro. Turn a small roof, and climb face on thin but positive edges to a larger roof. Turn roof 'crux' and continue up steep sporty cracks to chain anchor. Pro to 3".

Classic. Start left of Apnea about 40' up on a ledge just left of flaky right-facing dihedral. From ledge do a mantle 10a move on perfect marble like rock to gain a bolt, then up a rounded arête to a layback crack. Throw in some bomber gear, and layback up a couple of moves. Make a face move back right, and climb up to a roof. Power through roof 11a crux, then up thin face to another cruxy move 10d to chain anchor. Pro to 0.75".

Same start as Aliens Are My Friends. From top of crack head left and up to split crack in roof. Place gear and bust over roof crux, then traverse right and finish up on Aliens Are My Friends. Pro to 3".

Left of Aliens Are My Freinds about 15' climb up thin cracks with tricky gear then clip a bolt. Head up and left to a crack, place some gear, and make thin moves left to another bolt. Bust straight up and over powerful roof crux, then up more thin moves and tricky gear. Head right to the top anchor shared with Aliens Are My Friends. Beware of loose blocks near anchor. Pro to 1".

Classic. One of the few sport climbs at the Crags. Bring a sling for a horn up high. Top anchor shared with The Seeker.

On east face of the Grotto behind and a little up from Apnea. Climb up steep clean right facing crack, place a large cam in a pocket and make powerful move over a roof 10d'crux' then head left and up on steep terrain with large hold and marginal gear. make a move up onto a ramp head up ramp until you can access a tree with slings around it to rappel and/or set up a top rope. Pro to 4".

Climb up face past 3 bolts, slinging horns between bolts.

Pro to 3".

Climb overhanging splitter crack on arête, which is at the opening of the Grotto, for 40'. Then turn corner onto lower angle side and meander up face with tricky gear placements for another 60'. Pro to 4".

Just walk down the Castle Crags Trail.

Approach via Crags Trail:

Finish on P2 of The Good Book.

Finish on P2 of The Good Book.

Pro to 3".

Approach via Root Creek:

Pro to 4".

1. 100' (5.9)

2. 100' (5.11)

3. 80' (5.10 R) Run out on 5.9 terrain.

4. 150' (5.10+ R) Run out on 5.8 terrain.

5. 230' (5.8 R)

6. (5.9)

Pro to 4". Guides disagree on grades (5.8 to 5.10) and number of pitches (5 to 8).

Most pitches are PG13 / R. An area classic, but long run-outs, old bolts, tricky placements, and a 4th class walk off should deter anyone not solid at the grade. Pro to 3".

1. 165' (5.9 R)

2. 160' (5.8)

3. 90' (5.10c)

4. 95' (5.10b)

5. 110' (5.10d)

6. 100' (5.9+)

7. 150' (5.9)

8. 200'? (5.0)

Descend by downclimbing the 'Regular Route'[18567493] on the SW face.

Pro from micro nuts to 2".

Pro to 1".

Pro to 3".

Pro from micro nuts to 2".

Pro to 4". Descend by down climbing The Regular Route.

1. (Class 2-3)

2. (Class 2+)

3. (Class 3)

4. (Class 4 / 5.0)

5.10b or 5.9 C0 via pendulum traverse (on 1/4" bolts).

Pro to 3".

1. (5.4)

2. (5.8)

3. (5.4)

Pro to 3".

1. (5.8)

2. (5.9)

3. (5.7)

4. (5.10c)

5. (5.0)

1. 200' (5.7)

2. 165' (5.10d)

3. 165' (5.10a R)

4. 100' (5.9+)

5. P5 of Cosmic Wall.

After P1 of Cosmic Wall, move left to climb inside the ogre's eye. Continue up, rejoining Cosmic Wall at the base of P4.

Stay high on the saddle to follow faint trails through the manzanita from the Crags Trail towards the descent gully. Skirt left around the base of Mt Hubris until you reach the large tree at the base of the right-facing dihedral that marks the beginning of the route.

1. 180ft (5.5) Follow the right-facing dihedral to its end at a chockstone and large tree (optional belay). Continue up the low angle face to belay from a smaller tree.

2. 110ft (5.6) Continue up and right along a broken dike, passing a piton. When level with the ogre's eye, make an airy crux traverse right to the bolted anchor on the comfy ledge.

3. 200ft (5.6) Reverse the traverse, then head up low angle run-out slabs to a left-facing dihedral. Pass a pair of bad bolts and continue up and left to a large ledge with a tree.

4. 160ft (5.6) Large flakes lead up to a notch just below the final ridge line. Belay from gear.

5. 140ft (5.4) Follow the ridge line to the bolted summit and soak up the exposure.

Descend the NE face with a 90ft rappel from chains, then an 80ft rappel from rings. Follow the 3rd class gully back down to meet the saddle approach trail in the manzanita.

Gear: 60m rope, standard rack to 3" plus long slings for horns and thread-throughs.

1. (5.7 R)

2. (5.9)

3. (5.0) Traverse left to link up with P4 of Cosmic Wall.

Pro to 1".

Pro to 0.75".

Pro to 4".