Bucket Cave is a bouldering paradise. This place is absolutely incredible. Words cannot do this place justice, the cave itself is probably 100 feet wide and 30 feet deep. The cave is very featured, some of the holds are so large you could probably sit in them. Below and to the left of the cave is a sloping wall with some really nice climbs. To the right are many overhanging pocketed climbs. And far to the right is The Grot, another cave, not quite as good as Bucket Cave though. The problem is, this place is closed to the public. The whole area is plastered in signs saying don't go here, if you do we'll fine the bejesus out of you, and throw you in jail. While these may be partially empty threats, I still would prefer not to meet a ranger down there. The other problem, is while this place is closed, the city opened a paved trail that ends at a nice deck that overlooks The Grot. This poses the problem of nosy walkers bothering climbers. Even with all these problems it is still a rad place to climb.
At this time, I do not feel comfortable giving out directions to this sensitive area on the web. However I will tell you that Texas Limestone gives a large hint as to where it is, and that is how I found the place.
This place is closed. Now the reasons I have heard for the closure are varied, but the one I here most often is the infamous salamander lives down here. This is the little dude that has caused all the uproar at Barton Springs. Now while I fully believe in protecting the environment, I believe that allowing bouldering down here would actually improve the conditions of the cave. Currently there is spray-paint on the rock and plants down here. I know that allowing free access would stop this because no one is going to paint with people bouldering there, and if they do, they would get their ass's kicked.
There is a small plaque on a post on the trail I take to get here. It says something along the lines of "Texas Antiquities Commission has closed this area to the public, please write for information." Please email me if you have any idea what the Antiquity Commission is or does. I have also heard this area is closed because Indians used to live here, and because the city just likes to piss off the climbing community. If you have additional information regarding the closure of Bucket Cave, drop me a line.
There are so many routes down here, and I don't them that well, and very little is clean, so boulder away, and if you have route information, email it to me.
Here they are, pictures from a Bucket Cave expedition several weeks ago. Drool Away!
This is looking down the cave, it scanned somewhat dark, but you can see the place is incredible, also the rock is not usually that dark but this day it was dripping wet in most places.
This is a sloping wall below the main cave. It has some interesting climbing which combine ledgy overhanging moves with big slopers, very cool!
Scanners did some weird stuff with this one. This is darker shot of the same wall as above. Ben is standing below a fun problem.
This flash screwed this one up, but it is another shot of the cave. You can the tufa formations which are rad.
Ben pullin down the dog-bone problem. It
looks like it will pull off, its scary to lay back on it but our experience
is that it holds. Scary though.
To bad I moved the camera while taking
this one. You cant really see it in this blurry picture, but this is a
very pocketed overhanging wall. To bad the landing sucks!.