Corso - Best climbs: Santa Barbara and Ventura

Damon Corso, a freelance photographer, writer, and videographer, has been photographing and filming rock climbing professionals for the past twelve years across the United States and Europe. His work can be found on the covers and in feature articles of a multitude of major magazines, such as Climbing, Rock & Ice, Deadpoint, Urban Climber, Los Angeles Magazine, Time Magazine, National Geographic Adventure, and Exercise & Health Magazine. His work is also on display at the Museum of Photography in Bad Ischl, Austria. Damon and his wife, Crystalyn, currently live in Southern California, where he dreams of spending a majority of his time searching the High Sierra for untouched granite boulders.

A climbing guide is a passion project, and it is impossible to attain the highest possible passion for something without an influx of past and present experiences from members across the community. Without the dedication of the major players in Santa Barbara and Ventura, this book wouldnt be possible. Rocks were discovered, trails were cut, poison ivy was contracted, and projects were sent, and this pattern was followed decade after decade starting with the areas originator, Herbert Rickert. From Herbs first ascents at Gibraltar Rock and Sespe Gorge in the 1950s, to Yvon Chouinard attracting world-class athletes to the region in the 1960s, all the way to the latest high-end additions in the area from Bernd Zeugswetter, Andy Patterson, and Sean Crozier, Santa Barbara and Ventura may never tap out of good rock.

The following people have been instrumental in developing and nurturing climbing in Santa Barbara and Ventura, and have in some form or manner been a part of the creation of this guidebook and deserve a huge thank-you: Bob Banks, Andy Patterson, Mary Patterson, Bernd Zeugswetter, Hjrdis Rickert, Matthew Fienup, Bryson Fienup, Sean Naugle, Steve Tucker, Kevin Steele, Herbert Rickert, Dave Armstrong, Rick Knight, John Hestenes, Yvon Chouinard, Bob McTavish, Sir Chris Bonnington, Dick Blankenbecler, William Thompson, Hans Florine, Jim Donini, Henry Barber, Wills Young, Reese Martin, Arvind Gupta, The Castle, Stuart Ruckman, Tony Agulara, Mike Gould, Liza Butler, Alex Bury, Reese Martin, Matt Polk, Dan Frame, Romain Wacziarg, Jesse Groves, Tim Nelson, Kip Gerenda, Garrett Gregor, Chris Lindner, Crystalyn Corso, Buck Branson, Cary Carmichael, Chris Broomell, Paul Dusatko, Natasha Barnes, Sean Crozier, Sean Denny, Joe Roland, Chuck Fitch, Steve Fitch, Kevin Brown, Rick Mosher, Jeff Smith, Curt Dixon, John Chavez, Mike Forkash, Pat Shourds, Jim Tobish, John Mireles, Marc Soltan, John Perlin, Todd Mei, Doug Hsu, Jason Houston, Viju Mathieu, Rick Freidland, Russell Erickson, Scott London, Stephen Duneier, Mike Colee, Thomas Townsend, Amos Clifford, Gary Anderson, Galen MacDougall, Elijah Ball, Becca Polglase, and Geneva Damico. Lastly we cannot forget the renaissance man of Santa Barbara, Steve Edwards; may he forever rest in peace. Thanks also to anyone else who has or plans on setting foot in one of these majestic climbing areas.

Gear Shops

Great Pacific Iron Works: Patagonia

235 West Santa Clara St.

Ventura, CA 93001

(805) 643-6074

Mountain Air Sports

14 State St.

Santa Barbara, CA 93101

(805) 962-0049

Real Cheap Sports

36 West Santa Clara St.

Ventura, CA 93001

(805) 648-3803

REI

2700 Seaglass Way

Oxnard, CA 93036

(805) 981-1938

REI

321 Anacapa St.

Santa Barbara, CA 93101

(805) 560-1938

Gyms

Boulderdash

880 Hampshire Rd., Ste. A

Thousand Oaks, CA 91361

(805) 557-1300

Crux Climbing Center

1160 Laurel Ln.

San Luis Obispo, CA

93401 (805) 544-2789

Goleta Valley Athletic Club

170 Los Carneros Way

Goleta, CA 93117

(805) 968-1023

Santa Barbara Rock Gym

322 State St.

Santa Barbara, CA 93101

(805) 770-3225

SLO-Op Climbing

289 Prado Rd.

San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

(805) 720-1245

Vertical Heaven

5600 Everglades St.

Ventura, CA 93003

(805) 339-9022

Guide Services (Southern California Area)

ATS Adventureworks, (626) 434-3636

Earthworks, (805) 320-2739

On Rope Consulting, (310) 804-7303

Sierra Mountaineering International, (760) 872-4929

Sierra Rock Climbing School, (760) 937-6762

Southern California Mountaineers Association, www.rockclimbing.org

Vertical Adventures, (800) 514-8785

Wilderness Outings, (877) 494-5368

Hospitals

Community Memorial Hospital

147 North Brent St.

Ventura, CA 93003

(805) 652-5011

Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital

351 South Patterson Ave.

Santa Barbara, CA 93111

(805) 681-6473

MedCenter Inc.

319 North Milpas St.

Santa Barbara, CA 93103

(805) 965-3011

Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital

400 West Pueblo St.

Santa Barbara, CA 93105

(805) 682-7111

St. Johns Regional Medical Center

1600 North Rose Ave.

Oxnard, CA 93030

(805) 988-2500

Ventura County Medical Center

3291 Loma Vista Rd.

Ventura, CA 93003

(805) 652-6000

Ventura Urgent Care Center

5725 Ralston St., #101

Ventura, CA 93003

(805) 658-2273

West Ventura Urgent Care

133 West Santa Clara St.

Ventura, CA 93001

(805) 641-5620

Wheeler Gorge, just a short drive from the center of Ojai, is a great location for a short day of climbing. A quick walk from the car, Wheeler Gorge sits along a beautiful twisted canyon of the North Fork of Matilija Creek (ma-TILL-a-ha), where water has carved sheer cliffs into the mountains of Los Padres National Forest. A beautiful campground lies just past the climbing area and offers shady sites on a reservation basis. The creek runs right through the camp and has occasionally been stocked, making the trout fishing quite good. Wheeler essentially is a year-round crag: In the summer months you can escape the heat because the canyon is so narrow the sun doesnt heat it up as quickly as other locations; the fall and spring are perfect; and in the winter the temps can drop to the low 30s and 40s at certain parts of the day, perfect temps for sending that last project.

Development began in 1992 with Stuart Ruckmans ascent of the now popular greenschist route Stu Boy (5.9). In 1994 Mike Gould and Tony Agulara put up a handful of classic routes that were soon followed by major development in 1995 by Steve Edwards and Arvind Gupta. Development continues to this day. There are numerous well-protected beginner climbs that lead to softer climbs in the 5.10 range, making this area an ideal spot for a new leader to work his or her way up the grade scale with confidence.

After rainy days the rock can take some time to dry out, so be cautious and dont climb for a few days after rain. In addition, the creek can sometimes rise and make it difficult to access the start of a handful of routes.

Getting there: From US 101 drive north on CA 33 for 13.5 miles to the junction of CA 150 and CA 33 near the town of Ojai. Continue north on CA 33. You will drive through a tunnel after 7 miles (mile marker 18.23); two more tunnels follow another 0.5 mile down the road (mile marker 18.77). Just past the last tunnel is a pullout for gorge parking on the left-hand side of the road (mile marker 18.98).