Fire Crags is a relatively new sport climbing area on large sandstone boulders above Highway 154 at Painted Cave Road near Santa Barbara. Access to these rocks was made possible after a fire burned off the impenetrable brush surrounding the rock. These routes get sun in the afternoon and are hot in the summer. Unfortunately, there was significant chipping and "alteration" of the rock by a fool. Hopefully, by exposing this stupidity, we can prevent further abortions from occurring. Chipping destroys our rock and steals climbs from the future.

Topo

Route List

16. Europe Revised, 5.7. Two Bolts.
17. Tester, 5.9. Three bolts.
18. Short Shot, 5.7. Toprope out of cave.
19. Bent Brain, 5.8. Toprope route.
20. Jensen's Jugs, 5.10b. Four bolts.
21. Movin' Out, 5.11b. Five bolts, chipped holds.
22. Grib Dat Hole, 5.11a. Six bolts, chipped.
23. Finger Fit, 5.11b. Five bolts. Has been done without the drilled pockets (5.12).
24. Face the Seam, 5.10. Four bolts.
25. Black Crack, 5.9. Take a #3 Friend.
26. Quick Crank, 5.10+. Don't bother.
27. Screaming Knee Knee, 5.11c. Three bolts.
28. Flaccidily Flexing Forearms, 5.11d. Three bolts. Would have gone without the drilled pockets.
29. Crack It Up, 5.9. Long boulder problem.

Directions

From Santa Barbara take Highway 154 toward Santa Ynez; turn right at Painted Cave Road, and head up the road for about 1/2 mile to a hairpin turn with a pull-out on the left. Park here. A five minute walk along a traversing climbers trail leads to the boulders. Be sure to park completely off the pavement--you don' want a ticket do ya?

References

This information was first published in Issue #6 (May/June 1997) of mOthEr rOck magazine.

Copyright (c) 1996-1999 Reese Martin. All rights reserved. Questions? Comments? Send E-mail to rsm@reesemartin.com.