North Table Mountain/Golden Cliffs

Heavy rains in mid July brought a scourge of biting flies to N. Table, which made for some miserable belaying when the winds died down. Bird shit deposits on ledges are also a hazard, as they can be quite deep in places. Look before you grab.

If the Winter Warmer area is closed for the birds, like the Access Fund webpage says, someone should put a sign up there about the closure.

The bird closure means that only chickens can climb at Table Mountain. It is climbing-lite. Hardmen will be ticketed for such silliness.

What is the name of the little crag below the Brown Cloud Rocks? It's the first climbable thing you pass on the trail, about forty or fifty feet below the main section of cliff. There are several new routes there, as well as a large roof route that looks to be a few years old. I climbed five of the routes there yesterday (including a really fun squeeze chimney) and had a great time. I'd like to know the names of the routes, and also the story on the big, sharp block that's sticking out of the ground. It's pretty obvious it broke off from the route right above where it lies...I just wonder if it broke off when someone tried to yard on it!

I think you are asking about the Child Free Zone with routes ranging from 5.9 to 5.12. Click on CFZ and you'll get route info and the story on the spike stuck in the dirt.

Here's an idea for all of you who take your dogs up there... it's cool to bring your dog, but for god's sake when they take a crap next to the crags pick it up in a baggie and carry it out. In case you didn't know, this is actually a common courtesy that you should adopt when you take your dog to any public place where lots of people hang out. Hate to be negative on this site, but it's getting ripe up there.You can hardly smell the hops anymore.

Climbed up at Golden Cliffs for my third time tonight. Great last minute, late afternoon crag with lots of fun clip ups. I have used climbing guides all over the globe and I don't mean to come of like a jerk, as I know first hand how hard it is to compile a quality crag guide. Lots of hard work researching, sending, describing, photographing, publishing, funding, etc. Although, if you are considering purchasing the Falcon guide to Golden Cliffs, think again and save your cash... Absolutely worthless! Myself and four other groups at the cliff that had climbed there much more than myself shared the popular opinion that this guide was useless. The two other times I was there I watched people staring at the cliffs stumble back and fourth with this guide wondering where they were. Out of fairness to the guide and it's contributers who I respect and apreciate their efforts to the fullest, it was compiled in 1997 and many new routes have been added. But there are no route descriptions, just names and grades. This leaves a book full of pictures of various frames of rock that all look the same with no written descriptions for a user to gain a bearing and decipher one route from the next.

Poor guides is another unfortunate drawback to grid bolted cliffs. It is difficult to distinguish independent lines when bolts are lees than 5 ft apart. My advice, start climbing up any route, if it gets too hard, move 6-12 inches either direction and continue clipping.

The first time I came to this area, I thought it was the biggest pile of crap I'd ever touch.

But as I go back & back again, this place grows on me. It's unique featured vertical faces & sculptured holds makes this an area worth practicing various grades to apply to trad lines. Overall, a good place to kick back & work on better climbing moves.

There is a bad anchor at the top of Chunky Monkey. We marked the bottom with an X and the words bad anchor. Hope this helps!

Anyone know what the bolted route is to the right of Pack O Bob's. A low crux (5.8ish) at the second bolt to gain a short slab and then a fun jug haul. There are two blocks sitting on the ledge at the top where the anchor is. I would like to add the route to the database.

Grade?

Name?

Thank you,

Dale

There is a short bolted route (3 bolts plus anchors) to the right of (as you face the rock) and around the corner from Table Manners. It's a shallow crack that looks good but is not as good as I would have liked. Does anyone know what this is?

Thanks,
Laura

Is it Bad Manners you're asking about, or maybe Dan's line?

It's been probably four years since the first time I went to this crag - about the same time that Christian put up his note - and I have to agree that the Hubbel and Schovajsa Flacon guide to the place is one of the most worthless guides I have purchased. I don't go up there much, but each time I do I spend the first 20 minutes trying to figure out where the hell I am. Adding to the absurdity of the situation is that almost everyone I pass seems to be alternately staring at the guide and the rock with the same puzzled expression that I have. And even though the cliff is grid bolted, I still think that you can put together a reasonable guide (this isn't the only area that is).

It must be the way these guys think, but it seems totally backwards, the photos are totally ambiguous (they all seem to look the same and seem massively underexposed) and (as Christian pointed out) there are absolutely no route descriptions. This guide is not worth the paper it is printed on and I hope that someone is putting together a new one (maybe with some color - or at least better photos)...until then, I will probably continue to wander around, looking for someone who knows the area better than me...

Don't fear Matt, there is a new color guidebook with all photos and no topos (and now descriptions!) in the works for the area that should be available sometime in late spring or early summer is what I heard. I'm not personally writing but I know the guy who is.

My wife and I just installed about $300 worth of winch hooks and quick links on anchors up at Golden Cliffs, just like the hardware found on every route in the Owens River Gorge. Go ahead and just clip in to lower and top rope. Wear is not really an issue. Most hooks came from Golden's Home Depot, so they will be easy to replace. The introduction page for Overhang Area has more details and a picture.

Good job Ken...nice way to spend that retirement money.

I have just finished the manuscript for a new Golden Cliffs guidebook! Expect to see this comprehensive, full color photography guidebook in shops early this fall. I've climbed 100% of the routes there in an effort to make the book as accurate as possible. However, I'm still looking for FA info that hasn't already been posted here. Also, if you've got any great action photos you think might be a good addition to the book, send 'em my way. Let me know if you have any questions or inquiries.

Thank you Ken and Marsha for your endless effort at making the Cliffs a fun and convenient place to climb!!

So, yeah, I printed the MP mini-guide and headed up to the overhang area today. Has anyone else noticed that almost all the beta-pictures are the same, and that every route is #7?

The new Table guidebook will be available as of Friday, November 28th! "North Table Mountain: Rock Climbs at the Golden Cliffs." It should be available for purchase Friday morning at Neptune Mountaineering (Boulder) and Wilderness Exchange (Denver). Bent Gate will also be selling it, but they won't have if for sale until Friday afternoon or Sunday at the earliest. This is our first book for our new publishing company (Fixed Pin Publishing - www.fixedpin.com) so please let me know what you think! We're super excited and think everyone will love the new book. Here's a few of the highlights: 100% comprehensive sport and trad, the new "South Quarry" area is included, 100% color description photographs, 10% of the profits will be donated to the Access Fund (the property owners) and an innovative navigation banner to help you figure out where the heck you are. Also, we chose to try to start our business with environmentally and socially responsibly printing practices, choosing to print domestically via sustainable printing and harvesting practices. See the inside cover of the book for more details....