The CCC is based in the Berkeley - San Francisco Bay Area and consists of climbers interested in all types of technical rock climbing, from traditional cragging, to sport and gym climbing, to bouldering and big walls. We have about 16 trips each year to major climbing areas in California, including Yosemite Valley, Tuolumne Meadows, Lovers Leap, and Joshua Tree. Occasionally we have longer trips to places further away like Utah or Norway. For in-town events, we organize gym nights, social meet-ups, picnics and local bouldering. Check out our current schedule of events.
Contact us if you think you might be interested in joining us on a trip or getting on our email list. We’ll put you on our email list and answer any questions you may have.
Submitted by Mark P on Dec 7 9:33 pm
By Dan Zimmerlin (Article originally from the CCC newsletter, The Crag)
Of course you are. You have been climbing for a fair length of time and have had no problems. A record of safety does indicate something. One big thing is that you probably have the good judgment not to get into bad situations. But what if something does go wrong, despite judgment? Will you know how to deal with it? And what about your partners? What do you know about them? Sure, you have known some of them for quite a while. You know what they know and you know they have good judgment. That is one reason they are your friends. But what about the others? The ones you don't know so well? What do they know?
Submitted by Mark P on Nov 10 10:05 pm
By Dan Zimmerlin
So, you want to learn how to climb. You want to prepare to do the classic, traditional free climbs. Many books have been written about technique, anchors, placing protection, etc.. But obviously you aren't going to learn to climb by only reading about it. You are going to have to get out there and do some climbs. But what climbs? Well, the ratings help some. But if you really want to learn you are going to have to choose the right climbs, the ones that will help you learn.
Submitted by Mark P on Nov 10 10:01 pm
by Dan Zimmerlin
This is the second installment of a list of what I am calling "educational climbs." Based on an idea in Dan Duane's book "El Capitan," these are, in my opinion, good routes on which to learn traditional skills in practice. This is not a list of classics, though there are classics among them.
Submitted by Mark P on Nov 10 9:39 pm
by Paul Minault
On September 29, 2002, I set out with Christian Dragheim and Chris Kerr, fellow members of the Cragmont Climbing Club, to explore the Lost Brother, a seldom-visited formation on the south side of Yosemite Valley between Sentinel Rock and the Cathedral Rocks. We hoped to locate the second pitch of the 5.6 first ascent route taken by David Brower, Ruben Schneider, and Morgan Harris in 1941. Christian, Sam Tabachnik, and Christian's friend Sean and I had explored the route the previous spring, but had not found the second pitch, ascending instead a strenuous 5.9 corner and lie-back system, after which we retreated. I later called Morgan Harris, the only surviving member of the first ascent team, who lived in Berkeley, to ask him to describe the route. He told me in a high, quavering voice that they had climbed a series of chimneys after the first pitch. The Sierra Club Bulletin for 1941 offered a few more details, but not much. Since Morgan was well on in years, I wanted to bring him a photographic record of the climb on our return. I particularly wanted to show him that we didn t have to use a shoulder stand to get through the bulging overhang on the first pitch, as he and Brower had done sixty years ago!
Submitted by admin on Sep 20 11:16 pm
Despite the threat of cold weather which scared some people off, this weekend’s trip to the Meadows turned out very nice. Nights were not too cold and the daytime weather was great for climbing. On the trip, we had three Marks, two Tims, and one each of the Mike, Craig, and Aaron variety. The only downside of the trip was the loud rowdy bunch in Group D that wanted to sing songs all night long. But they quieted down after one of the Marks - armed with a giant flash light - had a nice chat with them about quiet hours. Our next trip is to the valley on Sept 30th.
