This is one of Phil's friends. It is bound to happen when attempting a 5.14 project. photo Tom Slater slatervision.com

A rad climb to photograph, and from the looks of it, a rad route to climb. Hell, 5.12, has killer moves. It's amazing anyone makes it out of the Pit.

The hardest route at Owl Tor. With moves like this I understand why. Please don't try this at home. Strictly Ballroom, Phil Requist launching.

Papa Thau gunning his way up Auto Magic 5.12b at the Tor. What you can't hear is the tiny voice below shouting... "Go daddy!" Magic.

Not just a sinner, an Upside Down Sinner, working his way up and out to the promised land. Thau on Hell..., Owl Tor.

The Natural (12c), at Owl Tor. Rock climbing doesn't get any better than a flawless line of perfect overhanging rock. In another 20,000 years, the Tor might get to such a state. Until then, Mr. Requist locks off and reaches every Saturday.

Steph Boerger going slow and steady up the 180 foot route Wild on Big Rocks' Swiss Cheese Wall. This 5.8 has 14 bolts and can be done in one or two pitches. A lot of tiny pebble pinching on this route.

This is just one of the new sport routes at Big Rocks. This route has 8 bolts and is on a 70 foot near vertical cliff called Outerspace Wall. It is behind Swiss Cheese wall. Larry Harris is giving it a 4th ascent. First Ascent by Tom Slater and Paul Bernard in April 2005. This is a classic for this area and will give you an idea of the area's potential.

This is Outerspace Wall. Paul Bernard is cobble pinching up Deep Impact, a sweet 70 foot 5.10 with 8 bolts. The Big Rocks area has become a nice sport area for intermediate climbers. Imagine all those Pinnacle N.M. classics without the golden era runouts. Great wilderness feel to the area. New guidebook coming out in the fall.

This is the Big Rocks area overview. Swiss Cheese Wall is the main wall with the caves on it. There are a lot of other climbs scattered throughout the area.

Bambino moves into familiar territory, moving out of Power of Eating and into the deceptively hard Old Shatterhand.

At the Owl Tor outside of Santa Maria. This route is just left of Power of Eating, first ascent by Phil Requist (who else) in 2004. Photo: Steve Edwards.

Beginning of the crux sequence on The Ligna Negro at Owl Tor, outside of Santa Maria. Climber: Bob Banks Photo: Steve Edwards

Steve Edwards on Hell of the Upside-Down Sinners (5.12b). The first new route at Owl Tor in 6 years, first ascent by Phil Requist (of course) 2004.

Phil Requist on the first ascent of Owl Tor's latest warm-up route. Photo: Bob Banks

Burly undercling start leads to a big dyno and 30 feet of small holds to the chains. Climber: Bob Banks Photo: Steve Edwards

Steve Edwards on Hell of the Upsde-Down Sinners. Photo: Bob Banks

Making Beckey, Robbins and Chouinard proud, Steve Edwards demonstrates the purest in climbing ethics by hand drilling fixed protection from the ground up at The Owl Tor in Santa Maria. Wait....is that a cheatstone?

Vintage anchor bolt on top of Swiss Cheese Wall, Big Rock. It's quality matches that of the "rock" here!

Josh Junkermeier works his way up The Power of Eating, 11d, at the Owl Tor, Central CA.

Phil Requist on his route, Buddhist Palm. If you move off the actual Buddhist Palm hold, your arm goes numb for 3 days, hence the route has seen no mortal redpoints. photo: Steve Edwards

"China is here." What does that mean? I don't even know what that means. photo: Steve Edwards

this is a pic of me on one of the many various boulders floating around silly rock, it has no name.

This is the west face of Big Rock with routes described in this section. The two-pitch climbs follow the grey streaks near the center past the holes. Fun cobble climbing!

Brandon Thau getting the next clip on some .12 on the left side of Owls Tor, Santa Maria, CA