California Central Coast Pictorial: Part 2 Big Rocks (Hwy 166)

If you thought the Pinnacles was adventurous, they you gotta try Big Rocks. Located off Hwy. 166 on Rock Front Ranch. Cobbles in half-baked sandstone. If you pick the 3 star routes, you can actually get in some really good climbing. There are a set of spires called Twin Rocks nearby on the hillside (you can’t miss ‘em) with some airy summits and some cool aid up horrific rock. None come easy. I think Precious has only seen a second ascent. Summer is hot, fall is best, but spring will do but mind the ticks. Sometimes closed during the winter after rain.

Ken Klis on Odyssey .10c. Big Rock is a 200’ tall face with good 2 pitch routes.

Larry Harris taking on Millennium, .10a, with his brother on belay.

Katie Greig on Summer Sizzle, a fun but short 5.6.

Larry Harris on Flowers on Venus 5.8, a great route up cobbles and holes on the back Outerspace Wall.

Paul Bernard on Deep Impact .10a.

Stephanie Utterback on Dodgeball 5.7.

Slater on Sith .9, on a nearby crag called Miller’s Crossing.

Slater on the FA of Tempest .10c, an intimidating line at Miller’s.

Brandon Thau on top of the first spire after the FA of the Slater-Thau .10/A1.

Twin Rocks from the 4x4 ridge.

Slater on the onsight/onlead FA of Precious .9, one of the most dangerous routes on the coast. Yes, a lot of those bowling ball sized rocks are loose. Brandon finished the route. 70' of climbing took us nearly 3 hours.

This shot was on the cover of the Santa Maria Times. Ken Klis and I were able to rescue a pair of sheep that had been stranded on a 2’ wide ledge 100’ up a cliff nearby for over 4 weeks. CDF lowered a waterline in from above to keep them alive. It took two climbers and a crane to finally get ‘em down.
I literally took the ram by the horns and chucked him in the basket. The ewe was waaaay tougher.

Happy Holidays, Tom