The Pollen Grains are a collection of boulders that lie on the backside of the Buttermilks Main area, to the north. They see less traffic due to the extra 10 minutes that it takes to drive there, but there are some fantastic lines ranging from moderate (Jedi Mind Tricks at V4) to extreme (The Spectre at V13).
The density of the problems is not as great as Buttermilks Main, but if you want an escape from the crowds and some fresh problems it is worth exploring.
Getting There
Drive through the main Buttermilk parking lot and continue along the dirt road. Pass over the cattle guard and head North towards the Get Carter Boulder. Once you pass the 'Get Carter' area head right at the fork and travel uphill approximately 1/3 of a mile to the obvious parking area.
From the parking area head South uphill along the trail until you reach a ridge/plateau. You should be able to see the gigantic 'Spectre Boulder' ahead and to the right; uphill from that is the 'Beehive Boulder', and the rest of the area including the 'Honey Boulder' and 'Jedi Mind Tricks' is slightly downhill and to the left.
Driving time is around 5 minutes from the 'Buttermilks Main' parking lot, and the hike is approximately 10 minutes, depending on where your destination is.
The Classics
Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Pollen Grains / Lidija Boulders:
This beast of a boulder problem packs the punch of a route - close to 40 feet, but due to all the climbing under the roof, your feet will only tickle the 20 foot-mark near the top. Before you jump on the upper section, be sure to realize the seriousness of the down-climb, which is down the northeast face/arete. It basically climbs as three boulder problems: the roof to the crux, the crux sequence and a couple moves, then the heady, high, and i...[more]Browse More Classics in CA
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