Tour des Picnics

Easy route that goes all the way to the top of the cliff. Short interesting climbing at the bottom. Long interesting climbing at the top - (better if there was less of the grassy scrambling in between). Afterward could set up top-ropes on other interesting easy (shorter) near the top of the cliff.

Start by climbing up to and around the right side of the top of the Mushroom block. . Variation: Fun to go straight over the top (5.6). Next a couple of slab moves, then scramble a bit right on grass + rocks to gentle ground - Aim for a gully below twin cracks (which is the bottom of the Mambo route). Climb the gully, exit left, then up to bottom of left-hand of twin cracks. Right-hand crack ( Ballroom ) is fun interesting (slightly easier) climbing, and quicker simpler to protect on lead. Left-hand crack ( Mambo ) is plenty interesting (easier if "borrow" some holds from right crack), requires wide cams (up to #3 Camalot) to protect.

Afterward could easily set up a top-rope on variations of Mambo or Ballroom, or try other routes in the Baldy sector. And with a bit more work could set up a top-rope for interesting easy routes in the Albion sector.

Descent: Easy scramble and walk WSW to the top of the Tower Wall , then the usual trail down around its SW side.

warning: The rock on and around this route has not been climbed much yet, and much of the rock is still breakable and loose -- so the belayer and other people should stand far away from underneath the climber.

. . . (Lots of vegetation on this rock as of 2015. Be prepared when climbing to navigate around protruding trees and branches, and dealing with holds slippery with grass, lichen, moss, dirt).

Below the Mushroom perched block. This is the larger and lower of two substantial rocks resting on top of the main south-facing wall of the Sunny Picnics base area.

About 30 feet Right (east) from the Picnics Dihedral -- which is the junction of the wider South-facing wall of the Sunny Picnics area with East-facing wall which forms the Right end of the Tower Wall.

As of 2015 there is a large fallen tree on the rock ten or fifteen feet to the right.

--> See on Routes Photo

Leading: standard Trad rack, with emphasis on larger cams (#3 Camalot could be useful in the upper Mambo crack). . . (Careful with rope drag).

? Top-Rope ? is possible but not recommended. For top anchor, see instructions for the Mambo route. Likely need a directional placement. Difficult to get both strands of the rope down to the base of Sunny Picnics without getting at least one end stuck -- so perhaps plan to rappel down to base after building top anchor.