Big, powerful moves on fairly good holds. A workout.

The Hell of Being Crushed Alive

The Natural

Chips Ahoy

Better Than Life

Rubble

New Shatterhand

The Power Of Eating (a.k.a. "Power")

Auto Magic

Anchor Punch

Super Crack

Happy to be Here

Strictly Ballroom

Gala Gala Happy

Spearmint Rhino

When The Sea Doesn't Want You

Old Shatterhand

Hell of the Upside Down Sinners

Hai Karate

Terrible Angel

The Old Pro Skill

Burly Shuffle

White Cougar

If like 2-finger pockets, you'll love this route. Oh yeah - there a couple of 1-finger pockets.

There is no crack.

One of the shorter routes at the Owl Tor. Some of the locals don't like it. Other climbers love it for its short, bouldery crux. Either way, it has some memorableand very powerfulsequences.

The crux comes about halfway up with a strenuous move off a crimp to a poor two-finger pocket, then a rather dynamic lunge to a jug. Then you just hang on till the chains.

Another inimitable Perlin route. Some call it straightforward pocket-pulling, others call it the best route for hundreds of miles. Either way, it's no give-away and keeps you engaged for the whole pitch. Stout crimps lead to pocket after pocket after pocket... awesome!

Many V4 and V5 boulder problems with no rest.

Just right of Auto Magic, sharing its anchors. This abandoned Steve Edwards line from many years back has been finished up to provide 12 incredibly powerful and blissful hand movements.

If your looking to add even more hard climbing to what was already a desperate crimpy pump fest, try New Shatterhand instead of the Old.

This direct start adds a plethora of rad holds to the fun.

More hard crimping down low, a desperate pinch, a crazy looking brain sloper and other cool embedded rocks, pockets and more great holds get you warmed up for the top.

This route has two distinct cruxes.

The mid way point crux will have you wishing you could lock off like John Brzenk in his heyday.

And of course the crux right at the end just waiting to spit you off.

When your eye level with the anchor and pumped out of your mind you'll be contemplating if you have the gumption to pull out a mouth full of slack to get the job done.

If you blow it trying to clip the anchor your going to catch some serious air.

But don't let that stop you, this new line makes an Old classic even better.

This route deserves classic status for a variety of reasons: the climbing is super fun, long, and varied; and it is probably the most traveled line at the Tor. While the only "warm-up" available amongst a slew of hard lines, Power still packs a pumpy punch, and many a proud climber has come, seen, and failed on this sandbagged 5.11d. Cruxes come at the second and last bolt.

Steep (per the Tor), pocketed (per the Tor), physical (per...) climbing to a burly crossover finish on strenuous finger pockets. Tons of fun. There's a trick kneebar halfway up, but try not to let any of the locals catch you using it (heh, heh). The climb starts on some long moves off of imbedded cobblestones, pulls a small roof, then travels past some bigs holds that are far apart. If you aren't pumped, charge the last sequence of finger pockets and fire for a hidden jug just past the chains.

Super steep with decent rests but an insanely hard crux at the grade.

This route is a solid test piece and the best route of its grade at the Tor. The movement will definitely make you Happy and none of the moves are harder than 5.9, but they stack up quick. With a crux at the end and a lot of different ways to pull it you will be happy to lower off and tie back in and try it again.  The best way I've found to do it is just "Lock It Off".

Hard thin start, powerful middle, big move at the end.

Still sorting this one out but grade seems to be settling in around 13+

The face on this route may not be cute nor one of Santa Maria's finest, but don't let that scare you away. If your looking for entertainment this is a Gentlemens route that keeps on giving all the way to the end. Its tons of fun and you won't be disappointed.

The crux of this wild beast feels like you're getting a lap dance from a one-ton rhino as you bear hug your way up the belly to the horn. Double bag this sleazy rig for a deep pump that you couldn't find anywhere else on the Central Coast but the Tor. Just remember this Spearmint Rhino is in Santa Maria so it may not be pretty, but your gonna have fun.

A solidly engaging, long, and varied journey up the center of the crag. There's a physical crux in the middle, and a technical "face" climb at the topthe latter is uncommon at the Tor. Quality cruxes interspersed with good rests.

Clip first four draws on Power, then do some lurchy moves out right, negotiate a pumpy ladder of crimps, and finish on a devastating crux that is right at the top. Many people think they have "almost done" Old Shatterhand when they pitch off those last moves. In this case, "almost" simply doesn't cut it.

Fun link-up.

The biggest holds you'll ever fall off of. A true Owl Tor 5.12 endurance testpiece, Hell (as it is affectionately known) consists of powerful lateral throws, lunges, matches, and cross-overs, then finishes with a highly non-trivial crux. An attentive belayer will mitigate the potential ground-fall at the end, but the prospect of smacking the slab beneath you is still a bit hair-raising.

Follows a somewhat natural line up a series of holes and cobbles. For some reason, this route doesn't seem to get done as much as other routes, but the movement is engaging, consistent, and surprisingly technical. The moves are cruxy past the third bolt, after which you get a decent rest before plowing through a "face-climb" crux past the fourth bolt.

In a nutshell: powerful at the bottom, techie at the top.

Longterm Tor project that's not seen a serious redpoint attempt, though Requist did all the moves in '95. Probably at least 14c.

Long, powerful lock-offs at bottom. Juggy midsection. Cruxy last moves with a scary clip to boot.

The holds on this rig will blow your mind.

Burly Shuffle is a traverse with a burly finish.

Start up Spearmint Rhino and when you hit the roof traverse left underneath, cross over Happy to be Here.

Finish the route as far left as possible, same finish as Eudemonic.

The crux is right at the end.

It needs a second accent for grade conformation. Any takers?

Start on The Natural and break left at third bolt. Longest route on the cliff.

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Location

Protection

Routes in Owl Tor