I’ll be Home for Christmas – Climbing at Mount Diablo

Posted by SBClimber on January 15, 2012 · 2 Comments 

My hands clutch the steering wheel as we make the grueling seven hour drive to my parents house. The 101 flowed like a snake before us, as the traffic glides North on this Christmas Eve. We were delayed on our normally five and a half hour drive because of the two stops we made to feed my nine week old son.

We opened our presents on Christmas eve, which included my new GriGri 2, slept in on Christmas morning, ate breakfast at 10:00 am and enjoyed the company of the rest of my family in the afternoon. The start to a much anticipated 5 day break from work and the perfect babysitting situation.

My big plans for this trip was to spend the day after Christmas skiing at Kirkwood with my dad and brother, but a lack of snow axed this idea.  Instead, we headed up to do some climbing at the  sandstone outcrops at Rock City on Mount Diablo.

We had a great day of climbing. When we arrived I immediately jumped on Amazing Face (see the video below); a 90 foot, 11 bolt, 5.9+ sport climb. There is some debate as to what this climb is rated. My Dad remembers this climb being a 5.8, but the moves felt more like 5.10a.  The line is very aesthetic and a few run outs make it an exciting lead.

There were three other groups climbing near us that day, so after my brother made good use of the anchor I set after the climb, we spent the rest of the day trading top ropes with the other climbers.

I climbed Diagonal Crack 5.10c, seen above, which felt more like a 5.9 jug haul, but I am not complaining. I also top roped Bolt Route which is a 5.11a/b face climb where your first breath comes once you have clipped the anchors.  This is the climb I look most forward to leading the next time I am here.

Win’s:

• On-sight lead of a 5.9+ 5.8 5.10a climb 5.10c crack
• Got to climb with the pop’s and brotha
• My new GriGri2
• Top Roped a 5.11a/b and 5.10c Crack
• Climbing in the middle of winter
• My brother climbing Amazing Face – 5.9+

Fail’s:

• Da weather dat brings da snow

After climbing for the day, we were pleasantly surprised by some a group of highliners enjoying the upper tier.

It was a motivating trip since it was the first full day of climbing I have been able to do since my son was born and it was a great one. Here’s to climbing in 2012!

Happy New Year!

Enare

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Filed under Climbing Journal, Rock Climbing Locations · Tagged with Adventure, bay area climbing, climbing partners, Climbing Wall, highline, mount diablo, mount diablo rock climbing, Rock Climbing, slackline, Sport Climbing, Top Roping