Thursday, April 19, 2007
Sunny San Diego
During Northern California’s rainy season, it helps to remember that parts of the southern end of the state can stay a lot drier. That means more opportunities to get out and climb.
San Diego is one such region. Most years San Diego sees less than 10 inches of rain, and sometimes as little as six inches. And it offers a couple of thousand climbing routes, both bouldering and top roping.
It’s easy to do some scouting from your computer. For details about places, visit San Diego Rock. You’ll find more free guides in PDF format, plus descriptions of individual climbing areas ranging from the popular to the obscure. Most popular by far is Mission Gorge, also credited as the oldest climbing site in the area. It’s in Mission Trails Regional Park and features more than 180 routes.
The San Diego Rock site also tells you which areas have been closed or otherwise should be avoided. Links will take you to free topos at other sites. There’s also a set of San Diego-specific topos at www.climbingtoposofsandiego.com.
Another source for detailed information, often with photos, is Rockclimbing.com. Go straight to the San Diego section and see what other climbers have to say about specific routes.
Don’t forget to check in with the Access Fund for news and alerts. Late last year the Access Fund reported that housing development was threatening access to the popular Santee Boulders area. While efforts are being made to get the city of San Diego to set aside the area containing the boulders, the bureaucracy is proving tough to navigate. You may want to visit the site while you can. On the other hand, the Access Fund reports that the Magnolia Boulders nearby are now under the control of the state Fish & Game Department.
And be aware that the U.S. Forest Service is considering some seasonal closures within the Cleveland National Forest to protect the Golden Eagles and the Prairie Falcon.
During Northern California’s rainy season, it helps to remember that parts of the southern end of the state can stay a lot drier. That means more opportunities to get out and climb.San Diego is one such region. Most years San Diego sees less than 10 inches of rain, and sometimes as little as six inches. And it offers a couple of thousand climbing routes, both bouldering and top roping.
It’s easy to do some scouting from your computer. For details about places, visit San Diego Rock. You’ll find more free guides in PDF format, plus descriptions of individual climbing areas ranging from the popular to the obscure. Most popular by far is Mission Gorge, also credited as the oldest climbing site in the area. It’s in Mission Trails Regional Park and features more than 180 routes.
The San Diego Rock site also tells you which areas have been closed or otherwise should be avoided. Links will take you to free topos at other sites. There’s also a set of San Diego-specific topos at www.climbingtoposofsandiego.com.
Another source for detailed information, often with photos, is Rockclimbing.com. Go straight to the San Diego section and see what other climbers have to say about specific routes.
Don’t forget to check in with the Access Fund for news and alerts. Late last year the Access Fund reported that housing development was threatening access to the popular Santee Boulders area. While efforts are being made to get the city of San Diego to set aside the area containing the boulders, the bureaucracy is proving tough to navigate. You may want to visit the site while you can. On the other hand, the Access Fund reports that the Magnolia Boulders nearby are now under the control of the state Fish & Game Department.
And be aware that the U.S. Forest Service is considering some seasonal closures within the Cleveland National Forest to protect the Golden Eagles and the Prairie Falcon.
Labels: Access Fund, climbing, hot spots
¶ Thursday, April 19, 2007
