California Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Areas in California

Northwest California 177 / 658 / 160 / 213 / 0 / 4 / 0 / 24 / 1,111

Northeast California 374 / 244 / 163 / 557 / 4 / 6 / 0 / 63 / 1,264

San Francisco Bay Area 226 / 613 / 488 / 1,473 / 0 / 5 / 0 / 0 / 2,434

Lake Tahoe 1,322 / 1,112 / 519 / 1,772 / 3 / 18 / 29 / 34 / 4,362

Ebbets Pass Highway (4) 4 / 1 / 3 / 144 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 7 / 150

Sonora Pass Highway (108) 205 / 236 / 81 / 234 / 5 / 4 / 0 / 12 / 696

Yosemite National Park 1,823 / 406 / 231 / 777 / 4 / 163 / 1 / 300 / 3,060

Central Coast 501 / 720 / 327 / 1,185 / 0 / 30 / 1 / 2 / 2,486

Southern-Western Sierra 898 / 547 / 153 / 227 / 1 / 19 / 0 / 176 / 1,709

Sequoia & Kings Canyon NP 252 / 44 / 26 / 225 / 4 / 32 / 2 / 65 / 532

High Sierra 521 / 0 / 1 / 95 / 36 / 11 / 13 / 641 / 641

Eastern Sierra 1,421 / 2,502 / 377 / 2,669 / 40 / 16 / 37 / 362 / 6,782

High Desert 237 / 1,223 / 204 / 308 / 0 / 10 / 0 / 0 / 1,880

San Bernardino Mountains 791 / 881 / 190 / 862 / 1 / 3 / 0 / 1,940 / 2,678

Joshua Tree National Park 4,780 / 754 / 831 / 1,748 / 0 / 29 / 0 / 0 / 7,885

Inland Empire 125 / 244 / 112 / 1,073 / 0 / 9 / 0 / 0 / 1,509

Los Angeles Basin 184 / 930 / 263 / 1,074 / 19 / 16 / 4 / 28 / 2,342

Tahquitz & Suicide Rocks 618 / 14 / 55 / 0 / 20 / 8 / 17 / 115 / 672

San Jacinto Mountains 54 / 19 / 23 / 1,384 / 1 / 1 / 0 / 25 / 1,465

San Diego County 681 / 484 / 492 / 1,418 / 0 / 26 / 0 / 8 / 2,754

Explore this area in 3D

Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more. Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.

Elevation:	3,968 ft	1,209 m
GPS:	37.74358, -119.58098 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	80,428,493 total · 264,927/month
Shared By:	Anonymous on Dec 31, 2000 · Updates
Admins:	Mike Morley, Adam Stackhouse, Salamanizer Ski, Justin Johnsen, Vicki Schwantes Page Updates (admin only)

See Weather Forecast

Overview

For sheer variety of rock and stable weather it is hard to beat California as a climbing destination.

Want soaring granite? Head to Yosemite National Park. Want thousands of sport routes and world class bouldering? Head to the Buttermilks or Owens River Gorge on the East side of the Sierra. Looking for limitless climbing under a warm, desert sun? Visit Joshua Tree.

Head West to find the goods.

Climbing Gyms

https://www.mountainproject.com/gyms/california

Major Destination Areas

Yosemite Valley
Tuolumne Meadows
Joshua Tree National Park
Tahquitz & Suicide Rocks
Eastern Sierra
The Needles
Lover's Leap
High Sierra

46,412 Total Climbs

Route Finder - Best Climbs for YOU!

Location:	California Change
Type:	to Trad Sport Toprope
Quality:
Pitches:
Sort by:	then:

Classic Climbing Routes at California

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.

5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b 2,058 ● Southeast Buttress Trad, Alpine 5 pitches Yosemite NP > … 1 > Cathedral Peak > Southeast Slopes
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b 1,443 ● Corrugation Corner Trad 3 pitches Lake Tahoe > … 1 2 > Main Wall > Main Wall
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b 814 ● Matthes Crest Traverse - South t… Trad, Alpine Yosemite NP > … > Cathedral Range > Matthes Crest
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a 1,274 ● Central Pillar of Frenzy Trad 5 pitches Yosemite NP > … 1 > P. Cathedral Area > 6. Middle Cathedral Rock
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a C1 503 ● Regular Northwest Face of Half D… Trad, Aid 23 pitches Yosemite NP > … 1 > D. Half Dome > 1. Northwest Face
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a C2 644 ● The Nose Trad, Aid 31 pitches Yosemite NP > … 1 > B. El Capitan > 2. Southwest Face
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a 839 ● Bird of Fire Trad Joshua Tree NP > … 1 2 > Isles in the Sky > Isles in the Sky (Nor…
5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a 831 ● Sons of Yesterday Trad 6 pitches Yosemite NP > … 1 2 > Royal Arches > Western Royal Arches
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b 1,197 ● Illusion Dweller Trad Joshua Tree NP > … 1 > Sentinel > Sentinel - W Face
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b 493 ● Rubicon Trad Joshua Tree NP > … 1 > Split Rocks West > Rubicon Formation
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b 569 ● Outer Limits Trad 3 pitches Yosemite NP > … 1 > Aj. Cookie Area > Cookie Cliff
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b PG13 1,087 ● Serenity Crack Trad 3 pitches Yosemite NP > … 1 2 > Royal Arches > Western Royal Arches
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c 461 ● Positive Vibrations Trad, Alpine 12 pitches High Sierra > 02 - The Sawtoo… > Incredible Hulk
5.11a/b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c 469 ● Coarse and Buggy Trad Joshua Tree NP > … 1 2 > Dihedral Rock > Dihedral Rock - E Face
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a 409 ● The North Face Trad 8 pitches Yosemite NP > … > Lower Merced Ri… > Ba. The Rostrum