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Elevation: 7,200 ft
GPS: 34.21983, -116.99266
Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views: 61,392 total · 396/month
Shared By: Chris Owen on Jun 24, 2011
Admins: C Miller, Mike Morley, Adam Stackhouse, Salamanizer Ski, Justin Johnsen, Vicki Schwantes

Description Suggest change

This remote and wild crag sits on the edge of the mesa west of Bluff Mesa Group Camp. The crag probably has one of the best outlooks of any crag in Southern California, with spectacular views across Bear Creek to Hwy 18 (Arctic Circle section), all the way to Mount Baldy. The rock is granite, about 80 feet high, with predominantly crack climbs, a number of which are very fine indeed. This coupled with the wildness, and the outlook makes it a very worthy destination.

A perfect counterpoint to Holcomb Valley Pinnacles.

Getting There Suggest change

From Big Bear Lake take Mill Creek Road which turns into Forest Road 2N10 for about 3.5 miles to a Tee in the road and make a right on 2N86 following it until it splits off left on a smaller dirt road (2N86A) to Bluff Mesa Group Campground. Park before you reach the campground, if you don't you'll get a lot of people staring at you, and maybe even asking you leave "their" campground.

Walk through the campground to it's western edge and start looking for either a cairn, or a plastic sign post (like the Joshua Tree Access Fund types) - once you find this you'll be set, carefully follow cairns and posts to a wide gully on the edge of the mesa which will lead down the slope and left to the bottom of the crag, it's about 1.5 miles following the cairns and wandering past many a likely candidate for good bouldering.

Be warned that's it's easy to get lost on the mesa, check your way there and be very aware of your surroundings. Some people have placed a set of cairns which run south to Siberia Creek, if, on the way back to the campground, you hit a trail next to a creek you've gone the wrong way and will need to back track.

29 Total Climbs

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Location: Black Bluff Change
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Classic Climbing Routes at Black Bluff

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 51
Scratch and Sniff
Trad, Alpine
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 38
Best of Both Worlds
Trad, Alpine
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 65
Black Bart
Trad, Alpine
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 31
Arctic Circle Jerk
Trad, Alpine
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 88
Aurora Borealis
Trad, Alpine
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 28
After the Fire
Trad, Alpine
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 5
Big Juan
Trad, Alpine
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
 43
Social D
Trad, Alpine
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
 19
Black Beard
Trad, Alpine
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
 33
Shooting Star
Trad, Alpine
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
 20
Slap and Tickle
Trad, Alpine
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
 21
Powder Finger
Trad, Alpine
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 6
Exodus
Trad, Alpine
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 12
Die Hard
Trad, Alpine
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 9
Black and Tan
Sport, Alpine
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Scratch and Sniff Black Bluff - N… > Black Bluff - N Face…
 51
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad, Alpine
Best of Both Worlds Black Bluff - N… > Black Bluff - N Face…
 38
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad, Alpine
Black Bart Black Bluff - N… > Black Bluff - N Face…
 65
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Trad, Alpine
Arctic Circle Jerk Black Bluff - N… > Black Bluff - N Face…
 31
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Trad, Alpine
Aurora Borealis Black Bluff - N… > Black Bluff - N Face…
 88
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad, Alpine
After the Fire Black Bluff - N… > Black Bluff - N Face…
 28
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad, Alpine
Big Juan Black Bluff - Upper Face
 5
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad, Alpine
Social D Black Bluff - N… > Black Bluff - N Face…
 43
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b Trad, Alpine
Black Beard Black Bluff - N… > Black Bluff - N Face…
 19
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b Trad, Alpine
Shooting Star Black Bluff - N… > Black Bluff - N Face…
 33
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b Trad, Alpine
Slap and Tickle Black Bluff - W Face
 20
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b Trad, Alpine
Powder Finger Black Bluff - N… > Black Bluff - N Face…
 21
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Trad, Alpine
Exodus Black Bluff - N… > Black Bluff - N Face…
 6
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a Trad, Alpine
Die Hard Black Bluff - N… > Black Bluff - N Face…
 12
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a Trad, Alpine
Black and Tan Black Bluff - W Face
 9
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a Sport, Alpine
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