Holcomb Valley Pinnacles

Tandora leading Smackdown.

Description 

The Holcomb Valley Pinnacles are located just north of Big Bear Lake in the eastern end of the scenic Holcomb Valley, an area rich in history and diversions for the outdoor enthusiast. Popular for it's numerous sport routes, this area is a moderate mecca with 75% of the 300+ routes being 5.10 and under in difficulty.

Although the elevation of the Holcomb Valley Pinnacles (HVP) is 7500 feet it's not just a summer climbing area, with good climbing available all year-round depending upon the severity of the winter. Summers can sometimes be hot, making those shady climbs all the more attractive, while early and late season climbing can be ideal with relatively few climbers and few distractions but the sound of the wind in the pines.

The rock at the Pinnacles is a heavily-featured granite that ranges in quality from excellent to fair with the majority of it being quite good. Routes that look difficult often go at a moderate grade because of the highly-featured rock - a good example of this is the popular Coyote Crag.

Here's a list of sport routes in the area from 5.3 to 5.12c (click to activate).

Getting There (Southern Parking Area) 

These directions will get you to the southern parking area, which is recommended if you are driving a low-clearance vehicle, and/or planning on climbing at the southern/central Pinnacles.

• Van Dusen Canyon Approach - This, the most popular approach, is up scenic Van Dusen Canyon (3N09) which is quite rocky and sees a fair amount of traffic on the weekends. Just past the pavement's end (about 0.5 miles up) is a gate that gets locked after the first snowfall and that re-opens in the Spring when the road is dry enough.

• Baldwin Lake Approach - Useful if coming from the desert via Highway 18 out of Lucerne Valley.

• Polique Canyon Approach - A faily direct, but bumpy approach that is open all year depending upon the road conditions. This way avoids the traffic of the more popular Van Dusen Canyon and is faster if coming from the west.

Getting There (Northern Parking Area) 

These directions will get you to the northern parking area, which is recommended if you are driving a higher-clearance vehicle, and/or planning on climbing at the central/northern Pinnacles

• Van Dusen Canyon Approach - This, the most popular approach, is up scenic Van Dusen Canyon (3N09) which is quite rocky and sees a fair amount of traffic on the weekends. Just past the pavement's end (about 0.5 miles up) is a gate that gets locked after the first snowfall and that re-opens in the Spring when the road is dry enough.

• Baldwin Lake Approach - Useful if coming from the desert via Highway 18 out of Lucerne Valley.

• Polique Canyon Approach - A faily direct, but bumpy approach that is open all year depending upon the road conditions. This way avoids the traffic of the more popular Van Dusen Canyon and is faster if coming from the west.

Camping 

Camping is free and legal almost anywhere in the forest surrounding the Pinnacles, but there are a number of already established campsites near the northern and southern parking areas, as well as scattered sites to the west of Parking Lot Rocks. Fire restrictions are commonly in effect during the summer months, meaning no open fires, but stoves are usually not a problem.

As an alternative there are numerous pay campgrounds in the Big Bear area, with the Holcomb Valley Campground ($14 a night), being the closest to the climbing area.

Climbing Gear 

If sport climbing nothing more than a dozen draws are needed and if climbing some of the traditional routes a standard rack to 3" should suffice for the majority of the routes.

Guidebooks 

Hidden Treasures, the only comprehensive guidebook for this area, is currently out of print although a revised and updated 2nd edition is currently in the works. Overall a good book if you can find one but be aware that being older many new routes are not included in it and a number of the ratings are suspect.

The Southern California Sport Climbing Guide has a limited amount of information on the area making it more of a "select" guide, but be warned that it's full of errors (and not just the Holcomb Valley section).

The Classics

Featured Route For Holcomb Valley Pinnacles

Coyotes at Sunset 5.8  CA : San Bernardino Mountains : ... : Coyote Crag

This route, like it's neighbor to the right, is a local classic and a highly recommended route for the grade that provides fun climbing on mostly large holds up a vertical wall.Start down and left from Bye Crackie and just right of Golden Poodle and climb broken rock to a bolt 20' up (optional gear to 2.5" available). From here the wall steepens and well-protected climbing on mostly incut patina plates and edges leads to anchors on a sloping le...[more]   Browse More Classics in CA

Photos of Holcomb Valley Pinnacles Slideshow

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Rustic cabin in Holcomb Valley, Big Bear.	Just below the crux on Deer Lick (5.10a), Holcomb ...	Keli Balo climbs Coyotes In The Henhouse (5.10d) a...
Clouds on a warm Summer's day at the Pinnacles.	Cyclops is ever watching. Photo by Ginny.	Wilbur's grave on 3N07 heading into the Pinnacles.
BETA PHOTO: This sign is visible just after you turn onto Van ...	Fire after thunderstorm - Sept. 1, 2007	Darkness falls, Holcomb Valley Pinnacles.
Mountain Desert Sage (Salvia pachyphylla), Holcomb...	Holcomb Valley Pinnacles from 3N16, Big Bear.	Looking into Holcomb Valley from the Pinnacles, Bi...
Indian say "this way"