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There are (at least) three ways into Old Camp Bluff from Highway 88. Starting landmarks are the two locked gates across the highway from the southwest and northeast ends of old Kays Rd. One can park for free at the SW end by parking right along the highway or by the gate, or you can pay for parking at the E.I.D.-maintained Sandy Cove picnic area. At the NE end, there is room for several cars just near the locked gate there. Otherwise, park north of the bridge just inside the turn into Kit Carson Lodge.
SW end: go northwest through the gate, walking on old macadam, then bear right about 75m back (the pavement makes a loop). At the back end of the loop, a faint use-trail (may have to wander a bit due to tree-fall) takes off to the north. Follow it back for 50m, then turn right and go between two old cedar fence posts lying on the ground. From here on, wander mostly north, on well-ducked trail, to reach the top of Old Camp Bluff.
NE end: go through the gate, uphill, on old pavement. Where the road bends left pick either of these ways: 1) just as the pavement rounds, turn right into an unmarked open area, going downhill briefly, where you will find ducks. You'll be turning left then, cross a couple of logs, go up a large granite slab, westerly, following ducks right/left, right/left, eventually headed uphill and northwest towards the prominent knoll (if you have a dog, go right or left around the knoll). Scramble down a slot on the backside of the knoll, then walk on the right side of a <probably-dry> pond, passing it. Then turn left for a couple dozen meters. Where the trail turns right again, either walk through the short scrub brush to the right, to go to the northeast walls, or, continue upwards, reaching a sandy plateau. From the sandy plateau, and beyond the beautiful spreading Jeffrey pine, turn right to get to the Old Camp Bluff top anchors, or bear left, then right, down a vague ravine to go straight to the bottom of the cliff; 2) where the pavement bends left, stay on it (becomes dirt) and wander back near old cabins, passing the first "road" that goes right, until you come to an old redwood water tank (still there?). There, turn right on the second and more prominent road and follow it back to a larger metal water tank. Just before the water tank, turn right for a few meters, then left, and wander down into a vague swale, following ducks. Do not go right, down the swale, but cross it, and from there on, upwards, to the prominent knoll. From there follow the directions as above.
THE FAR RIGHT NORTHWEST WALL
1. "Oranger Than A Marmot". 5-9. Climb the diagonal orange base-wall crack (straight up is very hard), step across, climb the left-leaning orange intermediate-wall crack, step across and finish on the darker face. TR.
2. "Camp Featurette". 5-7. Climb the small orange face at base, step across and climb many featurettes to top of a block, then finish on face crack. TR.
3. "Blackberry Jammin' ". 5-8. Start at bottom of, and stay in, the crack. Can be made easier by climbing the right pillar to platform. Strenuous trad.
4. Possibility at high grade; goes blank in middle section. Would be a great direct start for "Evil Variation".
5. "Ear No Evil". 5-9. Small piece of gear to start. Don't pull outwards on the big hollow "ear". Two bolts, smaller gear, one more bolt up high.
5v. "Evil Variation". 5-11. Starts up "Ear No Evil" then finishes on right face. 4 bolts & smaller gear.
6. "Hollow Point". 5-9. Trad, named when leader placed gear behind a hollow flake.
7. "Marshmallow Crack". 5-9. Trad.
8. "A Chickaree's Tale". 10d/11a. Two bolts then finish on "Marshmallow Crack".
9. "Third Degree Burn". 5-13. Starts hard in the curving diagonal and just gets harder in the upper groove. TR.
10. "Dragon's Back". 5-11a/b. Start just to right of north corner, climbing diagonally up and right on undulating edges which end at the dragon's-head knob, then a bit left and up, to anchors. Bolts.
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FARTHER EAST ON THE NORTHWEST WALL
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FARTHEST LEFT ON THE NORTHWEST WALL
10. "Dragon's Back". 5-11a/b. Start just to right of north corner, climbing diagonally up and right on undulating edges which end at the dragon's-head knob, then a bit left and up, to anchors. Bolts.
11. "A Camel Came To Camp", for the humps. 5-10d/11a. Start just left of the north nose, staying towards the right edge. Bolts.
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FAR RIGHT ON THE NORTHEAST-FACING WALLS
11. "A Camel Came To Camp", for the humps. 5-10d/11a. Start just left of the north nose, staying towards the right edge. Bolts.
12. "Humpty Dumpty's Delirium", 5-12/13?. Becomes very difficult after first couple of moves, climbing the hump to the left of "A Camel Came - - ", and to the right of "Nutty Butter".
13. "Nutty Butter", for the thousand little bumps. 5-8. Start in the Old Camp Dihedral until you can just reach out right for first clip; step out onto to the lowest sloping ledge. A series of mantles. Bolts. If you must, you can make it easier by moving up in the corner and stepping out onto the second ledge.
14. "Old Camp Dihedral". Strenuous 5-7 trad w/ perhaps a 5-7+ move from bottom platform.
15. Possibility at high grade. Has been climbed up to the horizontal, but blanks out above. TR.
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NEXT SECTION TO SOUTHEAST ON THE NORTHEAST WALLS
13. "Nutty Butter", for the thousand little bumps. 5-8. Start in the Old Camp Dihedral until you can just reach out right for first clip; step out onto to the lowest sloping ledge. A series of mantles. Bolts. If you must, you can make it easier by moving up in the corner and stepping out onto the second ledge.
14. "Old Camp Dihedral". Strenuous 5-7 trad w/ perhaps a 5-7+ move from bottom platform.
15. Possibility at high grade. Has been climbed up to the horizontal, but blanks out above. TR.
16. "A Foot In The Eye". Step left into the eye from the arete. Very hard (13?/14?) overhanging route. TR.
17. "Meat Lover Crack" aka "Bat Crack". 5-10b. Rough crystals in there! Wearing shorts almost guarantees bloody knees. Trad.
18. "Right Fork". 5-12. Uses the thin seam at bottom and just the right-hand crack. Bolts and small gear.
19. "The Fiddler". 5-10/11. Start at left base or the thin seam. 2 bolts, small gear; uses both cracks.
20. "Left Fork", aka "Green Alien". 5-12. Uses the left base, then just the left crack. Use "Fiddler's" bolts and small gear.
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FARTHER LEFT ON THE NORTHEAST WALLS
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THE NORTH FACING WALL OF THE NORTHEAST WALLS
16. "A Foot In The Eye". Step left into the eye from the arete. Very hard (13?/14?) overhanging route. TR.
17. "Meat Lover Crack" aka "Bat Crack". 5-10b. Rough crystals in there! Wearing shorts almost guarantees bloody knees. Trad.
18. "Right Fork". 5-12. Uses the thin seam at bottom and just the right-hand crack. Bolts and small gear.
19. "The Fiddler". 5-10/11. Start at left base or the thin seam. 2 bolts, small gear; uses both cracks.
20. "Left Fork", aka "Green Alien". 5-12. Uses the left base, then just the left crack. Use "Fiddler's" bolts and small gear.
21. "Northeast Tower Right". The start is actually to the right on the bright bottom face. Cobbled together by Lars Ensign, Aug. 2017, at12a. TR.
22. "Northeast Tower Left". 5-12+. TR.
23. "Don't Want S'mores". 5-10+ way narrow offwidth inside, for chimney masters only. Finishes in steep left crack up high. Can be climbed on the outside at easier grade. Big gear or TR.
24. "Tulip". 5-10c. Start up 25, "Mustard Drippings". At the top of the vertical crack, move right on a diagonal, then climb face and crack straight up to the anchors. Trad. Still dirty up top?
25. "Mustard Drippings". 5-10a. For the bright yellow lichens. Climb the vertical crack, step around the connecting horn, climb the steep corner, finish on the vertical 5-7 crack. Trad. A hard variation with one bolt starts in a curving feature a few meters to the left, then joins at the connector horn.
26. "Wile E Crack". 5-11a/b. Traverse up and left in the obvious crack, one crux at the block/roof, then wander up the face to anchors. The anchors are a little challenging to access from the top. Gear and bolts. 26v is the direct start, up a curving dihedral with one bolt out right.
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SAME NORTH FACING WALL, MORE DETAIL
21. "Northeast Tower Right". The start is actually to the right on the bright bottom face. Cobbled together by Lars Ensign, Aug. 2017, at12a. TR.
22. "Northeast Tower Left". 5-12+. TR.
23. "Don't Want S'mores". 5-10+ way narrow offwidth inside, for chimney masters only. Finishes in steep left crack up high. Can be climbed on the outside at easier grade. Big gear or TR.
24. "Tulip". 5-10c. Start up 25, "Mustard Drippings". At the top of the vertical crack, move right on a diagonal, then climb face and crack straight up to the anchors. Trad. Still dirty up top?
25. "Mustard Drippings". 5-10a. For the bright yellow lichens. Climb the vertical crack, step around the connecting horn, climb the steep corner, finish on the vertical 5-7 crack. Trad. A hard variation with one bolt starts in a curving feature a few meters to the left, then joins at the connector horn.
26. "Wile E Crack". 5-11a/b. Traverse up and left in the obvious crack, one crux at the block/roof, then wander up the face to anchors. The anchors are a little challenging to access from the top. Gear and bolts. 26v is the direct start, up a curving dihedral with one bolt out right.
27. "Bulbousness". 5-11. Start at the roundish nose, climbing features, then stay left of arete going up. TR setup can be a bit awkward, as there's no place to put a directional piece. Maybe some directionals will go in during 2017.
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FARTHEST EAST, NORTHEAST FACING WALL
27. "Bulbousness". 5-11 or 12. Start at the roundish nose, climbing features, then stay left of arete going up. TR setup can be a bit awkward, as there's no place to put a directional piece. Maybe some directionals will go in during 2017.
28. "Ledgerly Stroll Up A Crack". 5-9, trad, and use caution under the hollow flake above.
29. "Smooth As A Hotdog". 5-10. Stays on the rounded nose without using the side cracks. TR.
30. "Groovin' At The Old Camp". 5-8. Trad.
31. "Camptown Shindig". 5-8. Step onto first block to start, but not on the next higher. Strenuous move up through the shallow groove / crack. A bit easier after that. Wanders left and right. Take a very small nut for first move on ramp at the top. Mostly smaller gear; trad. If on TR, watch for swinging fall at start.
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MOVING WELL AROUND LEFT TO THE EAST SIDE
OF THE BLUFF, THE ENE FACING WALL
32. "Area 32". This lower angle and ledgy area is to the right of this photo. Many possibilities for beginning and intermediate climbers. Set anchors with gear. On the very right side of of the area, is "Tunnel Chute", a fun 3rd class adventure through a cave, to the top of the rock.
33. "Ovaltine". 5-11+. Step up into the oval, then use thin face holds to reach the overhang, where one can go to the right corner, move up on a small feature in the center, or even farther left; all options are 11. TR.
34. "Blackbeard". 5-11+. Climb up immediately to the right of the black water streak/beard, to the left side of a block. Step up with difficult balance, then use two parallel curving features to surmount the overhang, then straight up to the anchors. TR.
35. "Leftist Levity". 5-11. Rap off the top and put climber's rope in the directional anchor. Climb just to left of black water streak, to a flaring "crack" to surmount the overhang, a major balance problem. Stay near the left edge, then near top, traverse right when you're about halfway up the diagonal feature. TR.
36. "Alvin's Affray". 5-9. A very enjoyable and mixed route. The angled crack system just to the left of Leftist Levity. Start in the crack at the very bottom, angling up and left. There are bolts at the top of the crack, but it is better to use the anchors that are way up high on a tower-block, and finish on any of the three routes on that block.
37. "Four Stages". 5-10. Start on the narrow face between Alvin's and Chipmunk, challenging yourself to not use the cracks on either side. Pass three block-tops, then pass a horizontal doing the fourth stage. Can make it five stages by climbing the highest block-tower. TR.
38. "Chipmunk Chicanery". 5-8. This is the left of the two slanting crack systems, and also starts in its own crack at the bottom. By the way, both this and Alvin's Affray are named after the zany chipmunk that kept us in humorous company while we cleaned and worked these routes. This route finishes in the 5-7 alcove / corner on the left side of the upper block-tower.
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38. "Chipmunk Chicanery". 5-8. This is the left of the two slanting crack systems, and also starts in its own crack at the bottom. By the way, both this and Alvin's Affray are named after the zany chipmunk that kept us in humorous company while we cleaned and worked these routes. This route finishes in the 5-7 alcove / corner on the left side of the upper block-tower.
39. "Groovin' On A Tueday Afternoon". 5-10a/b. Moderate face and crack climbing, 'til you reach the difficult flare in the upper face. Finish to the anchors on the block-tower above.
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40. "Two Pocket Rocket". 5-11+. Two little pockets make the start, then hard face moves followed by more moderate face climbing. Step across the platform and finish on the steep featured block-face above, very difficult just to right of the lower crack, a little easier to the left of it. TR.
41. "The Hourglass". 5-7. Start left or right on the bottom triangle of the hourglass, climb up the left side of the upper hourglass block, and complete the lower section in a flaring groove. Above, there are three, and maybe even four ways to finish the climb, all about the same difficulty. Gear or TR.
42. "Double Ender". 5-9+ or 5-10. TR. Climb up just left of the dark water streak, followed by a low-angle section, then up steeply, in the left crack or right face-crack (harder, hollow flake). As a matter of fact, try both finishes.
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41. "The Hourglass". 5-7. Start left or right on the bottom triangle of the hourglass, climb up the left side of the upper hourglass block, and complete the lower section in a flaring groove. Above, there are three, and maybe even four ways to finish the climb, all about the same difficulty. Gear or TR.
42. "Double Ender". 5-9+ or 5-10. TR. Climb up just left of the dark water streak, followed by a low-angle section, then up steeply, in the left crack or right face-crack (harder, hollow flake). As a matter of fact, try both finishes.
43. "The Dodo's Beak". 5-8. Climb up the angling crack system 'til it gets awkward, then reach and stem way across onto the beak. Step up through some blocks, then straight up to the anchors. TR.
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42. "Double Ender". 5-9+ or 5-10. TR. Climb up just left of the dark water streak, followed by a low-angle section, then up steeply, in the left crack or right face-crack (harder, hollow flake). As a matter of fact, try both finishes.
43. "The Dodo's Beak". 5-8. Climb up the angling crack system 'til it gets awkward, then reach and stem way across onto the beak. Step up through some blocks, then straight up to the anchors. TR.
44. "Junior High". 5-7. A mixed bag of tricks of faces, cracks, and blocks. Climb up towards then just right of a tuft of grass, passing the bonsai tree to the anchors. A directional piece of gear would be in order for the less secure climber. TR.l
45. "First-Time Camper". 5-4. Climb up to and then left on the diagonal. Stay on the face to the right of the major crack. Up through blocks, aiming just left of the tuft of grass, and pass by the bonsai at the anchors. A directional piece of gear is in order for beginning climbers. TR.
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UPPER TIER, FARTHEST WALL TO THE SOUTHEAST
46. "Facial Expression". 5-12+. Start on easy holds in the alcove, right away stepping out left onto the steep face. Moving over the roof and the next few moves are the cruxes. TR.
47. "A Taste Of Orange Smoothie". 5-12. Start from the ground, not the blocks to the left. Move up to the horizontal, then it gets harder. Stay somewhat left until the last finish moves up the angling feature. TR.
48. "Wrastle Crack". 5-10. So-o-o offwidth. Can climb straight in (harder) or as a chimney. Tape up or wear your Jammies. Common start with " - - - Orange Smoothie". Big gear or TR.
49. "Where's Fifty?". 5-9. Harder than it looks. At the step about 6m up, move out onto the face to finish at about 10c. Trad or TR.
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