N.E.W.S.
Wine Country / Sonoma Coast / Nor Cal - Rock Climbing
Resumé
Last winter a huge chunk broke off the east face of the Humpback Boulder (pictured below)
taking with it all the classics - Humpback (V6), Medula Oblongota (V5), Humpback Arete aka
Chalka Khan (V4), Hibi Gibis (V3) and the easy way up and down called the South Face (V0R).
There could be a couple new lines but it will probably never be as good as it was before.
Volcanic boulders on Mount Konocti near gorgeous Clear Lake. Small but fun areas may not
be worth a long trip just to visit but if you're in the area or just want to try somewhere new then
it could be good. The main area is called the Black Forest and as of a 2007 land trust that
preserves the north-east slope of Mount Konocti they are now open space. Old growth
Douglas Firs, wildlife habitat and a natural outdoor playground of about a dozen boulders with
about 30 technical, powerful problems all fairly close together with mostly flat, fir needle
covered landings. The rock is volcanic welded tuff with cool little pockets, edges, slopers and a
few jugs. Nearby a few more boulders can be found along with camping, boating, fishing,
swimming, chilling and sight seeing at Clear Lake State Park. About 5 boulder problems are
found alongside the parks entrance and about 5 more are found in campsite #110. You can
not park in Campsite 110 unless you pay for camping in it so you have to park at the bottom of
the hill just before the campground entrance in the big main lakeside parking lot and hike
about 5-10 minutes up the road to it. If you plan to camp call and reserve Campsite 110.
The Black Forest is between Clear Lake State Park in Kelseyville and Konocti Harbor about 1.5
miles from Konocti Harbor. For more info get the latest 2008 edition of Wine Country Rocks
*The Black Forest was privately owned – it became open space in 2007 but with very little
parking on the busy streets in this quiet neighborhood that could change unless we respect the
parking rules, the neighborhood land owners, the other forest users and the forest it-self.
Last winter a couple gigantic (100ft tall by 5ft wide) redwood trees fell up against a few of the
best problems at the Milky Way Boulders in Sugarloaf Ridge State Park.
The Asteroid Boulder no longer has a beach/chill spot/landing zone under the main face
instead it has giant trees :( the problems that are gone until the trees are gone(?) are:
"Milky Way Traverse" V7** (Wine Country Rocks pg37 - #15)(Bay Area Bouldering pg75 - #44)
"Space Monkey" V4 ** (Bay Area Bouldering pg75 - #45)
V2** (Bay Area Bouldering pg75 - #46)
There are not a lot of problems in the park to begin with and most of them are spread out and
easier (VB-V3) so to lose these good moderate/hard problems at what once was the main area
is a bummer.
A few winters ago a few trees fell against some of the boulders at Shroomland in Salt Point
State Park. The main face of the Shroom Boulder has a tree on it now and so does the
Hourglass Boulder. The problems that are now either harder/riskier/dirtier or impossible are:
Shroom Boulder:
"Vise Grip" V4*** (Wine Country Rocks pg37 - #15)(Bay Area Bouldering pg17)
"Between a Rock and a Hard Place" V6** (Wine Country Rocks pg25 - #27)
Hourglass Boulder:
"The Houglass" V4*** (Wine Country Rocks pg25 - #21)
"Standing on a Whale Fishing for Minnows" V5** (Wine Country Rocks pg25 - #22)