One of the best Arêtes around. The Bodhisattva is the most obvious, inspiring, proudest, line that exists at Old Castle. The whole route is pretty sustained and steep, starting out at 5.10 and continually getting more difficult toward the top around 11b.

The crux comes at the last sequence as you crank off the hold Dubbed "The Shark Tooth", to a grim V6 Move to Jugs. Blow it here on lead and you will take the 30 footer of your life, as your last good pro is a solid 15 feet below you. :)

Bodhisattva Arête

Thunder Bunny

Wounded Eagle

Lightening Bear

Tatanka Direct

Samsara Roof

Tatanka

Conception

One of the better sport climbs in north county, Thunder Bunny climbs continuous bulges via technical crimps, slopers and side pulls.  Pretty sustained definitely get the stances you need to make each clip.

Wounded Eagle combines technical strength, balance and superior mind control all into one spectacular climb. Sporty Bouldery moves for 35' will get you to the last crux, "The Step Across", improbable iron cross move left will get you to the Gray Streak. Climb the Gray Streak 5.8 to top.

With excellent positioning pulling the roof on the right wall. Lightening Bear has a stiff Bouldery Crux. Once You have pulled through the overhang you have gained the Grey Streak, climb the left-hand margin of the grey streak to the top 5.9.

Tatanka Direct climbs the same start as Tatanka, instead of working your way up left at the visor roof pull directly through splitter roof crack in center!

Samsara Roof is the classic Old Castle roof crack test piece.

Boulder problem off of central ledge gets you into this stellar overhanging finger crack. The crux is definitely pulling the lip of roof but another ankle busting crux occurs after roof, pulling into Conception.

One of the Easier routes at Old Castle. From far right side of Central Ledge, climb up and right 30 feet through grassy, blocky, 5.0 terrain. This will put you directly under the right slabs of the Gorilla Head Buttress. Climb either very large grassy right facing corner, or better yet climb broken cracked feature 15 feet right of corner to large visor roof. Pull the roof on left side in the corner via awkward body slot groove. Now climb directly up vertical yet protectable face 25' to belay station at top of buttress.

On my solo ascent of this superb line is when I received a phone call from my wife mid route, that we were having a child. Having done the climb hundreds of times over the course of 10 years and never having named it, this name stuck. CONCEPTION! One of the most classic lines at Old Castle crag, if not one of the most classic in San Diego. Conception climbs the striking double finger crack straight up the center head wall of the Gorilla Head Buttress. It is as sustained as it looks from the ground. With significant crux being the transition from the starting dihedral into the double finger cracks.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Main Wall (aka The Gorilla Head Buttress)