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Holcomb Valley Pinnacles


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Submitted By: C Miller on Mar 12, 2006
Administrator: C Miller
Elevation: 7,500 feet
Latitude: 34.3124  Longitude: -116.8804 
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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.

Take Van Dusen Canyon Road (3N09) to it's end at a junction with 3N16 and make a left (heading west). Drive 0.6 miles, passing the Holcomb Valley Campground on the right, and make a right onto 3N07. Drive north along 3N07 passing Wilbur's Grave, a Boy Scout Camp and several dips in the road (often several feet deep with water in the early spring) until you can make a right which parallels a fence on the right. Follow this road until it ends at a large parking area just below Parking Lot Rock.

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

Highway 18 to Big Bear and then make a right (staying on Hwy 18) heading towards Baldwin Lake. Circle around Baldwin Lake (often dry in the summer) and then make a right onto Van Dusen Canyon Road (3N09). Take Van Dusen Canyon Road (3N09) to it's end at a junction with 3N16 and make a left (heading west). Drive 0.6 miles, passing the Holcomb Valley Campground on the right, and make a right onto 3N07. Drive north along 3N07 passing Wilbur's Grave, a Boy Scout Camp and several dips in the road (often several feet deep in the early spring) until you can make a right which parallels a fence on the right. Follow this road until it ends at a large parking area just below Parking Lot Rock.

  • 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.

Take Polique Canyon Road (2N09) north as it climbs along it's scenic namesake canyon, crest a hill and then descend the backside to a long straightaway which passes a large Boy Scout Camp. Make a right onto 3N16, go up a small rise and make an immediate left onto 3N07. Drive north along 3N07 passing Wilbur's Grave, a Boy Scout Camp and several dips in the road (often several feet deep in the early spring) until you can make a right which parallels a fence on the right. Follow this road until it ends at a large parking area just below Parking Lot Rock.


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.

Take Van Dusen Canyon Road (3N09) to it's end at a junction with 3N16 and make a right (heading east). Drive 1.4 miles and make a left onto 3N32. Follow this as it winds it's way north and then eventually west until you come to a fork in the road with a cairn. Make a left here, right takes you onto the John Bull Trail, and continue as it heads west and then back south. The last bit of the road passes between some boulders which larger trucks/SUV's may not fit through, so drive at your own risk (parking is available along the road before the boulders if needed). Continue a short distance to a large parking area near Wilbur's Tombstone.

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

Highway 18 to Big Bear and then make a right (staying on Hwy 18) heading towards Baldwin Lake. Circle around Baldwin Lake (often dry in the summer) and then make a right onto Van Dusen Canyon Road (3N09). Take Van Dusen Canyon Road (3N09) to it's end at a junction with 3N16 and make a right (heading east). Drive 1.4 miles and make a left onto 3N32. Follow this as it winds it's way north and then eventually west until you come to a fork in the road with a cairn. Make a left here, right takes you onto the John Bull Trail, and continue as it heads west and then back south. The last bit of the road passes between some boulders which larger trucks/SUV's may not fit through, so drive at your own risk (parking is available along the road before the boulders if needed). Continue a short distance to a large parking area near Wilbur's Tombstone.

  • 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.

Take Polique Canyon Road (2N09) north as it climbs along it's scenic namesake canyon, crest a hill and then descend the backside to a long straightaway which passes a large Boy Scout Camp. Make a right onto 3N16, go up a small rise and continue east (passing the Holcomb Valley Campground on your left) for 1.8 miles until possible to make a left onto 3N32. Follow this as it winds it's way north and then eventually west until you come to a fork in the road with a cairn. Make a left here, right takes you onto the John Bull Trail, and continue as it heads west and then back south. The last bit of the road passes between some boulders which larger trucks/SUV's may not fit through, so drive at your own risk (parking is available along the road before the boulders if needed). Continue a short distance to a large parking area near Wilbur's Tombstone.


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

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Holcomb Valley Pinnacles:
Gold Standard   5.6     Sport, 1 pitch, 80 feet   Central Pinnacles : Gold Wall
Bye Crackie   5.7     Sport, 1 pitch, 60 feet   Central Pinnacles : Coyote Crag
Medicine Man   5.7     Sport, 1 pitch, 40 feet   Central Pinnacles : Thunderbird Wall
Shoot at Will   5.8     Sport, 1 pitch, 45 feet   Central Pinnacles : Tombstone Pit
Coyotes at Sunset   5.8     Sport, 1 pitch, 70 feet   Central Pinnacles : Coyote Crag
Whiptail   5.9     Sport, 1 pitch, 40 feet   Motherlode Rock : Motherlode Rock - North Fac...
Black Magic Poodle   5.9     Sport, 1 pitch, 70 feet   Central Pinnacles : Coyote Crag
Golden Poodle   5.9     Sport, 1 pitch, 75 feet   Central Pinnacles : Coyote Crag
Powder Keg   5.10a     Sport, 1 pitch, 40 feet   Motherlode Rock : Motherlode Rock - North Fac...
Golden Nugget   5.10a     Sport, 1 pitch, 45 feet   Motherlode Rock : Motherlode Rock - East Face
Ricochet   5.10a     Trad, 1 pitch, 60 feet   Central Pinnacles : Pistol Whipped Wall
Claim Jumper   5.10a     Sport, 1 pitch, 80 feet   Central Pinnacles : Claim Jumper Wall
Vertical Epic   5.10a     Sport, 1 pitch, 70 feet   Pinnacles North : Stone Wall
Pistol Pete   5.10a     Sport, 1 pitch, 80 feet   Central Pinnacles : Doc Holiday Wall
One Armed Bandit   5.10a     Sport, 1 pitch, 70 feet   Central Pinnacles : Claim Jumper Wall
Tombstone Shadow   5.10b     Sport, 1 pitch, 40 feet   Central Pinnacles : Tombstone Pit
Lost Orbit   5.10b     Sport, 1 pitch, 60 feet   Lost Orbit Rock : Lost Orbit Rock - East Face
Coyotes in the Henhouse   5.10d     Sport, 1 pitch, 70 feet   Central Pinnacles : Claim Jumper Wall
Doc's Holiday   5.10d     Sport, 1 pitch, 80 feet   Central Pinnacles : Doc Holiday Wall
Lunar Eclipse   5.11a     Sport, 1 pitch, 60 feet   Lost Orbit Rock : Lost Orbit Rock - East Face
Browse More Classics in Holcomb Valley Pinnacles

Featured Route For Holcomb Valley Pinnacles
Christian Daly enjoying the opening moves up 'Coyotes At Sunset' (5.8)

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 Add Photo
Rustic cabin in Holcomb Valley, Big Bear.

Rustic cabin in Holcomb Valley, Big Bear.

Just below the crux on Deer Lick (5.10a), Holcomb Valley Pinnacles.

Just below the crux on Deer Lick (5.10a), Holcomb ...

Keli Balo climbs Coyotes In The Henhouse (5.10d) at Holcomb Valley Pinnacles

Keli Balo climbs Coyotes In The Henhouse (5.10d) a...

Clouds on a warm Summer's day at the Pinnacles.

Clouds on a warm Summer's day at the Pinnacles.

Cyclops is ever watching. Photo by Ginny.

Cyclops is ever watching. Photo by Ginny.

Wilbur's grave on 3N07 heading into the Pinnacles.

Wilbur's grave on 3N07 heading into the Pinnacles.

This sign is visible just after you turn onto Van Dusen Canyon Road (3N09).

BETA PHOTO: This sign is visible just after you turn onto Van ...

Fire after thunderstorm - Sept. 1, 2007

Fire after thunderstorm - Sept. 1, 2007

Darkness falls, Holcomb Valley Pinnacles.

Darkness falls, Holcomb Valley Pinnacles.

Mountain Desert Sage (Salvia pachyphylla), Holcomb Valley Pinnacles.

Mountain Desert Sage (Salvia pachyphylla), Holcomb...

Holcomb Valley Pinnacles from 3N16, Big Bear.

Holcomb Valley Pinnacles from 3N16, Big Bear.

Looking into Holcomb Valley from the Pinnacles, Big Bear.

Looking into Holcomb Valley from the Pinnacles, Bi...

Indian say "this way"

Indian say "this way"


Comments on Holcomb Valley Pinnacles Add Comment
Show which comments
Comments displayed oldest to newestSkip Ahead to the Most Recent Dated Dec 31, 2008
By Wes Pracht
From: Truckee, Ca
Sep 10, 2009
CONDITION REPORT 

As of 9-9-09 there is a down tree blocking the northern parking lot. The tree is huge and is about .2 miles from 2N32

By Shiznit
Sep 14, 2009
CONDITION REPORT 

RE: Fallen Tree Blocking Trail to North Parking Lot
The tree has been cleared from the trail as of 9/13/09. I know this for a fact because I moved it! ;-)

By Chris Owen
Administrator
From: La Crescenta, CA
Sep 4, 2006

One of my favorite areas locally in SoCal. I have many happy memories of this place. My only complaint is that some bolts have been placed where natural protection could have been afforded easily.

By Adam Stackhouse
Administrator
From: Escondido, Ca
Apr 28, 2007

With a high concentration of well protected, mostly moderate climbs, this fun area is very unique for many a SoCal climber. Highly recommended for the intermediate climber; with good holds, and great protection, no matter what the grade (e.g., 5.6 through 5.11).

By Jordan Ramey
From: South Pasadena, CA
Aug 6, 2007

Van Dusen Canyon Approach speedometer marks: After turning onto Van Dusen Canyon Rd it's 3.5 miles from pavement's end to 3N16. Head right. We didn't see a sign for 3N16, but it cuts out into an open meadow after a hundred yards or so. 1.5 miles to 3N32 (labeled) and turn left. 1.5 miles to the Northern Parking area (turn left at small rock pile).

Can be done in a regular car up to the narrow boulder passage if driven very carefully. Our subaru had no problem. Depending on your speed it's about 20-35 minutes driving on dirt roads, with only 1.5 miles of somewhat slow driving.

By sam.f
From: Hollywood, CA
Sep 8, 2008

I had a blast here this past weekend. It was my first trip to the area. With loads of moderates, my fiancee was kept happy as well. While we were roped up the whole time, one thing I noticed in particular, was the nearly unlimited and untapped potential for bouldering here. I saw 1000's of boulders, less than 1% of them with developed problems. If someone were motivated to explore and do some minimal cleaning of the boulders this could be a HUGE bouldering area, with lots of quality rock.

By bcsing
From: Lake Arrowhead, California
Sep 22, 2008

New book to this area and all of the Big Bear Basin called Hidden Treasures East, Rock Climbing in the Big Bear Basin, by Brad Singer available at the Discovery Center in Big Bear or at Nomad Ventures.

By BGraham
From: White Plains, NY
Dec 16, 2008

Is HVP doable in the winter? How is access when theres some snow? I want to get up there in a couple weeks and dont want to get shut down. thanks!

By C Miller
Administrator
Dec 31, 2008

Climbing is possible every month of the year as long as you wait a few days after a storm and have 4wd to get back there.

The only way in is via Polique Canyon Road, but in a high snow year (this year might qualify) you might not make it due to accumulated snow on some of the north-facing slopes midway on the drive up the canyon.