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: 7,151 ft
GPS: 34.23489, -117.07804
Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views: 2,572,253 total · 11,659/month
Shared By: C Miller on Feb 2, 2006 · Updates
Admins: C Miller, Mike Morley, Adam Stackhouse, Salamanizer Ski, Justin Johnsen, Vicki Schwantes

Description Suggest change

Rising east of Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Mountains, the San Bernardino Mountains are home to the tallest peak in Southern California, Mt. San Gorgonio (11,502'/3506m), as well as numerous hiking trails, campgrounds, off-road trails and an abundance of climbing.

The rock in the San Bernardino Mountains is mostly granite which ranges in quality from excellent to somewhat grainy like Joshua Tree, with most being quite good; newer routes may be a little dirty or sport some exteranious lichen.

Routes in the San Bernardino Mountains are typically single pitch with the odd exception, but what they lack in height they make up for with diversity and an abundance of crags scattered far and wide.

How to get there? Suggest change

Four main routes exist for getting into the San Bernardino Mountains:

  • Highway 18 (southern approach) - Starts from Hwy 30, climbs into the mountains quickly via a 4 lane road, and then pinches down to a narrow and windy 2 lane road when you hit the rim, just past the Crestline turnoff. Plan on 30 minutes to the rim and another 15-20 minutes to Running Springs.
  • Highway 330 - Short and direct, this mostly two-lane highway with the odd passing lane breaks off Highway 30 in the town of Highland and ends at the junction with Highway 18 in the town of Running Springs. Expect about a 30 minute drive from Highland to Running Springs; holiday weekends can more than double this time, so plan accordingly.
  • Highway 38 - Starts at Interstate 10 in Redlands and takes a scenic route through the moutains to end at the Big Bear Lake dam. Also known locally as the "back route", this road tends to avoid the traffic common to Highway 18 with it's lack of facilities along the way. Plan on a one hour drive from Redlands to Big Bear City and note that this is a two-lane road most of the way with the odd passing lane - getting stuck behind a motorhome will increase your drive time.
  • Highway 18 (northern approach) - Leaves Highway 247 (aka the Barstow Road) in the town of Lucerne Valley and climbs steeply up the northern escarpment of the mountains to pop out on the eastern end of Baldwin Lake, which lies due east of Big Bear Lake. Plan on about 45 minutes to Big Bear Lake from the bottom.

Camping and Fire Restrictions

Suggest change
Free camping is available almost anywhere in the forest, often with established campsites near the climbing area.

Scattered throughout the area are a number of pay campgrounds with varying fees and degrees of comfort.

See the individual areas for more detailed camping information.

Climbing Gear

Suggest change

If sport climbing nothing more than a dozen draws are needed, and if climbing some of the traditional routes a standard rack to 4 inches should suffice for the majority of the routes.

Check the individual area descriptions for more details.

Guidebooks to the Area

Suggest change

Below is a listing of current and old guidebooks.

  • Singer, B. (2002). Hidden Treasures, Rock Climbing in the San Bernardino Mountains. San Bernardino, CA: Glentex Publications. The only comprehensive guidebook for the area - out of print.
  • Mayr, T. (2004). Southern California Sport Climbing Guide, 3rd Edition. Huntington Beach, CA: K. Daniels and Associates. With a limited amount of information on the area this is more of a sampling of the Holcomb Valley Pinnacles.
  • Singer, B. (2008). Hidden Treasures East: Big Bear Basin. San Bernardino, CA: Glentex Publications. Details the climbs in the Big Bear Lake Area - out of print.
  • Slater, T. (2013). Southern California Rock Climbing, California Road Trip Vol. II. Bishop, CA: Maximus Press. A sampling of routes in the Holcomb Valley Central Pinnacles are featured in this guide.
  • Owen, C. & Miller, C. (2019). Holcomb: Sky Forest Gold. Big Bear Lake, CA: Chris Owen Publishing. A complete guide to the popular Holcomb Valley Pinnacles.  
  • Copp, B. (2020). A Climber's Guide to Big Bear Lake and Holcomb Valley Pinnacles. New Castle, CO: Wolverine Publishing. This full-color comprehensive guide extensively details over 1000 routes for the crags surrounding Big Bear Lake, including Holcomb Valley Pinnacles.
  • Owen, C. & Miller, C. (2022). Holcomb: Sky Forest Gold 2. Big Bear Lake, CA: Chris Owen Publishing. The newest and most complete guidebook to the Holcomb Valley Pinnacles.

2,209 Total Climbs

Route Finder - Best Climbs for YOU!

Location: San Bernardino Mountains Change
Type:  to 
Quality:
Pitches:
Sort by:   then:
 

Classic Climbing Routes at San Bernardino Mountains

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 88
Aurora Borealis
Trad, Alpine
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 98
Vertical Epic
Sport
5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b
 376
Pistol Pete
Sport
5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b
 65
Knightline
Trad
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
 224
Lost Orbit
Sport
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
 210
Doc's Holiday
Sport
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
 279
Coyotes in the Henhouse
Sport
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
 57
Arrogant Bastard
Sport
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
 22
Trout Fishing in America
Sport
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
 11
Vector Analysis
Sport
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 77
Delusions
Sport
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 77
Road Crew
Sport
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 34
The Showdown
Sport
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 113
The Incinerator
Sport
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 16
King of the Castle
Sport
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Aurora Borealis Big Bear Lake Area > … > Black Bluff - N… > Black Bluff - N Face…
 88
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad, Alpine
Vertical Epic Big Bear Lake Area > … > Pinnacles North > Stone Wall
 98
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Sport
Pistol Pete Big Bear Lake Area > … > Central Pinnacles > Doc Holliday Wall
 376
5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b Sport
Knightline Big Bear Lake Area > … > Castle Rock > (c) Castle Rock - Sou…
 65
5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b Trad
Lost Orbit Big Bear Lake Area > … > Lost Orbit Rock… > Lost Orbit Rock - E F…
 224
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Sport
Doc's Holiday Big Bear Lake Area > … > Central Pinnacles > Doc Holliday Wall
 210
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b Sport
Coyotes in the Henhouse Big Bear Lake Area > … > Central Pinnacles > Claim Jumper Wall
 279
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b Sport
Arrogant Bastard Big Bear Lake Area > … > Pinnacles North > Stone Wall
 57
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c Sport
Trout Fishing in America Big Bear Lake Area > … > Fisherman's But… > Fisherman's Buttress…
 22
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c Sport
Vector Analysis N Slope > Juniper Flats Area > Butt Rock Outcrop
 11
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c Sport
Delusions Highway 38 Crags > (d) Frustration… > Upper Tier
 77
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a Sport
Road Crew Big Bear Lake Area > … > Lost Orbit Rock… > Lost Orbit Rock - E F…
 77
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Sport
The Showdown Big Bear Lake Area > … > Central Pinnacles > Pistol Whipped Wall
 34
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Sport
The Incinerator Big Bear Lake Area > … > Central Pinnacles > Incinerator Wall
 113
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Sport
King of the Castle Big Bear Lake Area > … > Castle Rock > (b) Castle Rock - S Face
 16
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Sport
More Classic Climbs in San Bernardino Mountains »

Weather Averages

High
 
Low
 
Precip
 
Days w Precip
 
Prime Climbing Season
J F M A M J J A S O N D
J F M A M J J A S O N D

Photos

loading