Castle Rock State Park Bouldering-Clay Breitweiser

I’ve been exploring the climbing, hiking, and mountain biking in the Santa Cruz Mountains for over fifteen years, and I have been working as a rock climbing guide and instructor there for almost a decade.  I currently reside in San Carlos, California and make regular trips to the enchanted forest.  The Golden State is blessed with a multitude of primo climbing destinations, and I have had the good fortune to visit many of them.  However the sandstone towers and blobs that punctuate these densely forested mountains hold a special place in my heart.  Featuring impeccable pockets, shallow huecos, and smooth slopers, these pebbles offer up a unique style of full body contact climbing; truly pebble wrastlin’ at its finest!

One of the driving forces behind my climbing aspirations is the completion of first ascents.  The mystery of finding a path through the unknown is, for me, an exciting part of the the climbing process.  One of my more memorable first ascents took place when I first had the chance to climb with local climbing legend and fellow guidebook author Chris Summit.  We met at Biddles and hiked to Upper Biddles where he told me he had potentially put up a new problem the previous day, calling it “Tender Biddles”, a V3.  I took a look at the line and sure enough I hadn’t climbed it, so I sat down to attempt a second ascent. I soon my found myself in a most awkward position, legs quivering, fighting just to stay still.  But with Chris Summit behind me cheering me on, I’d be damned if I was letting go, so I powered through the final moves and found myself standing on top, as relieved as I’ve ever been about anything in this life.  Thats when I looked down and realized I had skipped the large bucket hold below the lip, and “Clay’s Eliminate”, V4, was born!

After completing around a hundred or so first ascents or second ascents in the region, I was looking for a way of documenting my pursuits and discovered Rakkup in my search.  Armed with an iphone, a background in photography and cartography, and an unhealthy obsession with bouldering, I set down the path of creating a bouldering guide to my much beloved area.  After considerable help from the team at rakkup, I was able to turn a whimsical idea into a polished product that I’m proud to offer the climbing community.

Featuring over 250 bouldering problems, as well as many high quality sport routes and top rope climbs, the Castle Rock area is the most extensive climbing site in the Bay Area.  Just over an hour away from San Francisco, this amazing destination is located near sweet single track, majestic old growth redwood groves, and world class wineries.  Blessed with a mediterranean climate, the area also offers year-round climbing in mostly pleasant and dry conditions. Paradise found!