Mind Planet Rock

Overview

Mind Planet Rock is a sandstone crag in the Callahans, with it's east and northeast faces containing some of the most challenging and popular routes there. This spot, along with Turtle Rock across the way, is the main use area of the Callahans, and where you will find the largest concentration of climbers. Still, on most weekdays you will find yourself all alone here.

Getting There

If coming from north or south, take Interstate Five to exit# 125 (Garden Valley), take a right(from the north) or a left(from the south) onto Garden Vally blvd and proceed west, then northwest for several miles until you can turn left onto Melrose Rd. Drive for another couple of miles until you reach the Melrose Store. Stay on Melrose road for close to two more miles until you hit Flournoy Valley Rd. Turn right. Drive for nearly five miles to Touchstone Rd. Turn right again. Drive for for nearly two miles (the last 1/3 on gravel) until you come to the gate. Park below the gate if it is open (the gate can close without prior warning, so do yourself a favor and park below it, also, don't block or park too close to the gate). There is parking for ten to fifteen vehicles. Hike up the road to the hairpin curve, where an obvious trail heads off into the trees to the right. Take heed of the various warnings and proceed up the relentlessly steep trail for maybe half a mile to where the trail forks. To the left, the trail will take you to the south side of Mind Planet Rock, but is not used nearly as much as the right trail, which will take you to the very base of Turtle Rock (the area between Turtle Rock and Mind Planet is the main use area). Either way, the last sections of trail are about another quarter-mile, they end up rather close to the same spot, but overall, the right junction is more frequently used and in better condition. In either case, you will end up at the baseline trail, which leads for for nearly a mile in either direction, passing below numerous crags.

Red Tape

Please note, this is Weyerhauser land, and is private property, so we, as climbers, need to take care of this area or we risk having it closed to us. So please, no smoking, camping, polluting of any kind. Now that this area has grown in popularity, we are starting to see more and more poorly buried toilet paper. It's not terrible yet, but it could become that way, so please, bury it deep or pack it out.

Camping

While there is no camping allowed at the climbing area, there are numerous local areas to pitch a tent in comfort. According to Greg Orton's guide, the Twin Rivers Vacation Park has some nice group areas for tents. They can be contacted HERE. or contacted by phone at (541) 673-3811.
Though it is not recommended, there is free, waterless camping on the Bear Ridge portion (north of the climbing areas) of the Callahans, but risk of theft or vandalism runs high.

Weather

Local Weather Conditions HERE.

Routes

According to Greg Orton's guidebook, there are, variations not included, 34 established routes on Mind Planet, with the best routes being on the Near Side area (northeast face) and the Denial Wall (east face). I have not included the mostly worthless moss climbs of the Upper Calvin And Hobbes area.
The Routes:
Near Side Area:
Indispensable Route 5.7
Reality Check 5.10b/c
Duck Pond 5.7 w/ 2nd pitch Thin Ice 5.10a
Down The Garden Path 5.10d 2 pitches vegetated
Mind Games 5.10a
Eclectic Classic 5.10d
Relativity 5.10a
Denial Wall
Backward Evolution 5.10d 2 pitches
Alive 5.12a 2 pitches
Denying Denial w/ 2nd pitch Levels Of Denial 5.12a
Looking For Elvis 5.11c
Tabloid Believer 5.10c
Lacunas And Disconnects 5.11d
Mind Bender 5.12c 2 pitches
Twistings 5.12b 2 pitches
Inside Passage 5.10a/b 2 pitches
Buying The Goat Farm 5.11a
Far Side Area:
Potholes Of Pluto 5.10a
Underhanded 5.9+
Animals With A Life 5.9
Animals That Talk 5.10a w/ 2nd pitch Animal Obstinance 5.10c
Absurd Life 5.10a
Lunacy 5.11a
Beginnings Area
Learning To Crawl 4th - 5.1
Hang-On 5.5
My Pet Wolverine 5.7
Learning The Language 5.5
A Little Friction 5.6
First Steps 5.2
Tunnel Vision low 5th
Climb The Clouds 5.7
Booder Skies 5.6
All Or Nothing 5.9
Balancing Act 5.8

Images

View Mind Planet Rock Image Gallery - 32 Images