This is a good sport crag in a beautiful location. The crag includes over 100 bolted routes on volcanic tuff.
Guidebooks: Louie Anderson, "Sport Climbing in the Santa Monicas," 2003.
Steve Edwards, "Rock Climbing Santa Barbara and Ventura," 2000.
Getting There
From Highway 101 take the Westlake Boulevard exit and head south on Westlake (California 23). After roughly 7 miles turn right (west) on Mulholland Highway. After half a mile turn right on Little Sycamore Canyon Road, which becomes Yerba Buena Road. After 4 miles park in dirt pullouts on either side of the road. The trail starts from parking lot on the right (west) side of road.
The hike in takes about 45 minutes. Take the Mishe Mokwa trail for about 30 minutes. The trail intersects dry stream bed on right; several logs are piled on the stream bed here to indicate that it is not the regular hiking train. Follow the stream bed down to the climbs.
The Classics
Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Echo Cliffs:
Intellitoys climbs a steep orange face over a two foot roof at 1/3 height. Above the roof continue climbing the fun vertical pocketed face with amazing red and orange features. Intellitoys finishes with two bulges at the top to the anchors. Surprising steep for the grade....[more]Browse More Classics in CA
You can also reach the trailhead by driving west/north on the PCH from Santa Monica and turning right on Yerba Buena road (at Neptune's Net restaurant) and following that up to the trailhead.
I don't think the description gives fair mention of the amount of choss you'll find here. There's some fun climbing for sure, but there's enough bad rock to warrant mentioning while describing the place. Just something to keep in mind; you'll have more fun if you know what you're in for. Take your helmet, not so much for the actually climbing, but while hanging out at the base.
The beta photo on this page of easy street and the far side dose not match the guide book Sport Climbing in the Santa Monicas. I climbed these climbs on 2/28/2009 and the guide book seems to be accurate. Climb #4 is not Golden Years, it is the Sperpent 10A and #5 is not Dirty Deeds it is Watermark 5.9.Golden Years and Dirty deeds are the next set of bolts to the left.
nice place to go climbing for the afternoon. some anchor replacement has been happening (it's not me), but I 'm glad.
By Matthew Fienup Administrator From: Ventura, CA Mar 3, 2009
Thanks for noting the problem with the beta photo, Rob. I made the same note on another part of the site back in September (see here). It would be REALLY nice to get this cleaned up.
I've had friends new to Echo try to meet me at the wall and I made them this map to help them find me. If it helps you, great. If not, take it down so others don't get F'd. I think it's pretty accurate, but that's for the public to decide:
Echo Cliffs is a wonderful area and the recent sunny warm days this Fall have made for awesome climbing. Saturday was beautiful and there was hardly anyone at Echo Cliffs. Unfortunately, there seems to be a trend developing down at the Far Side with parties responding to the call-of-nature and NOT venturing off the trail and/or packing their trash out. An awful mess has been created on the approach to Black Face/Energy Wall with groups feeling this is the restroom. Please remind climbers that you see that others don't care to see their toilet paper and feces and that going down hill, AWAY from the base of the cliff would be more appreciate.
There is much new route development going on at Echo, therefore, Anderson's guide will not necessarily match what you see at the cliff. Until a new guide comes out, use this site to fill in the blanks in your guidebook. Cheers, and good climbing---PN
Great long moderates, including some multi-pitch 8s/9s in the Easy Street section. Extremely well-protected, though rock can be super-sketch in places. Helmet is a MUST for belayers, base-area lingerers. This is one of the better places to learn lead & multi-pitch climbing on fixed bolts. And it's probably the least crowded crag in LA County. Gorgeous area with a beautiful, shady grotto. I'm saddened to hear about the trash and feces problem. This area was just starting to gain populairty when I lived there (03-05) and trash hadn't yet become a problem. C'mon people respect one of LA County's only "backcountry" crags!
The Park Service has ignored climbers at Echo Cliffs for some time, and expected climbers to police themselves. Unfortunately, activites such as having dogs at the base of the cliff, leaving trash/litter, leaving tissue paper/feces, camping, fire pits, and loud music have become a problem and the rangers are monitoring climber activities more closely, and we are on the radar. Again, please monitor your behavior as this wonderful area has been closed before. Routes on the south side of the Grotto have been removed, posted, and closed to protect endangered plants species as well.
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