Hi all,

We're headed to California June 4-12, and I'm wondering which places we should check out. I've been searching stuff on here, but California is way too big a state.

We're starting at Disneyland on June 4th and need to be back in Tucson on June 12th. Wouldn't mind making a big loop through Yosemite and down the back side of the Sierras. Don't necessarily want to deal with the crowds to climb at Yosemite but would like to find some good trad and sport on the way to and from.

He leads 5.10 trad and 5.12 sport, I lead 5.6 trad and 5.8 sport at the moment, so it would be great to find easy-moderate trad areas and moderate-hard sport areas that are dog-friendly and that we can car camp in or near.

With gas as expensive as it is, it'd be great to minimize driving to out-of-the way areas for only a few good routes and find places that we could stay for 2-3 days.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Brigette

Hi Brigette,

I am not sure that Tioga Pass will be fully cleared of snow by the time of your trip, so if you go up to Yosemite, you may not be able to get up to Tuolumne and down to the Eastern Sierras (Bishop) taking the 120.

Here's a link to the plowing update:
www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/tioga.htm

If you stay in the SoCal area, there is Suicide and Tahquitz for trad.

Holcomb Valley Pinnacles up in Big Bear is 2 hours from LA and on BLM land, so you can camp pretty much anywhere, but there are no facilities. Lots of moderate sport climbing right in your range at HVP. Lots of info on MP about the area.

Hope you have a good trip.

Jason

Don't miss Idyllwild (Tahquitz & Suicide Rock). Close to LA, and some really really good multipitch moderates on amazing granite (harder stuff too, but it's a goldmine for the grades you're seeking). High enough to still be cool, many aspects (North facing, south facing, etc) if you want sun or shade. Classic old school routes, birthplace of the YDS. You could easily spend several days to a week there.

The Valley will still be really good, but the high country (Tuolomne)will still be hit or miss (could still be lots of snow and cold, had kind of a wet winter in Cali this year), and the Tioga pass may not even be open yet to get you to the eastside. The pass typically opens between mid May and late June, we have 178% of the avg snowpack this year, same as 1995 when the pass didn't open until the end of June.

I wouldn't expect the Tioga pass to be open, make backup plans accordingly.

Tollhouse rock. Though might be too hot by then.

Courtright resi. Thought might be under snow still.

Dome rock and the needles. Again, unsure of access time frame this year.

Locals of the Valley and surrounding areas hang out over on supertopo.com. Tons of info over there if you know how to look for it. Not as straight forward as this site.

Like everyone's already said: Idyllwild. Tons of classics in the moderate range (Fingertip Traverse, L. Ski Track, Fingertrip, Piton Pooper, etc.) plus tons of 5.9-10 and up. That could easily keep you busy for a week. If you're heading north for some climbing, you could even hit Malibu Creek for a day or sport. North of there your options are pretty much the Valley or the climbing areas on either the west (Sequoia, Courtright, Needles, Dome Rock) or east side of the Sierra (the Gorge, Pine Creek, Cardinal Pinnacle, etc.) You're going to find more sport on the east side and longer, trad routes on the west. Pick your poison. If you could score some info on all the new routes in the southern Yosemite area, that would be hard to beat.

With only 6 days to climb (June 5-11) I would minimize driving days and just camp outside of Idyllwild and climb at Tahquitz and Suicide. There are a ton of classic multi-pitch trad routes in both of your grade ranges, and the weather should be perfect that time of year.

I've only been to Holcomb Valley once (near Big Bear), but it seemed like a fun place to sport climb with nice summer temps. There are also a few other sport climbing areas in the Santa Monica Mountains (Echo Cliffs and Malibu Creek).

You could also head up 395 to the eastern Sierra where the possibilities are endless . . .

Yep, start at Tahquitz, if you feel the need to go somewhere else make the east/west Sierras decision and either check out Domelands/Needles or the Bishop (Owens River Gorge, Whitney Portal) area.

IMO the sport crags mentioned (Holcomb Valley, Malibu Creek, Echo Cliffs, New Jack City...) aren't destination areas and I wouldn't waste my time with them if I was on a long trip with a time crunch.

This is a no brainer...definitely Tahquitz/Suicide. Tons of moderate trad on excellent granite. If the weather is bad, I'd go up the East Side. Yosemite is too far and the stuff along the way doesn't really suit your needs (Needles is awesome, but mostly harder grades).

Also, I have to respond to the Tollhouse suggestion...seriously? Of all the places to climb in CA? I live in Fresno and Tollhouse is average at best, hardly worth a 6-hour drive from Anaheim.

So you're thinking maybe Tahquitz, huh? ;)

Thanks, guys! I'll scope out what Tahquitz has got for us.

If we make it up the east side of the Sierras, any not-to-be-missed crags?

Owen's River Gorge, Clark Canyon, Alabama Hills.

The Gorge will likely be pretty hot that time of year, though you could follow the shade. if that doesn't work, there's lots of nice looking new stuff in Pine Creek, which is higher up (cooler temps). Clark Canyon always stays pretty cool since it's around 8,000K. The locals have bolted alot of stuff in Rock Creek too. The Bishop and Mammoth area guides will have all the info, and you could check at Wilson's Eastside (store) for info on newer stuff.

It's really unlikely, but if for some reason the weather turns cold while you are in southern CA you should scratch Disney and go to Joshua Tree.

Hi again, y'all.

What about camping at Tahquitz? I found another post with a few suggestions, but I can't figure out what the setting would be at the places suggested.

Free camping is great, but the priority for us will be finding a place where we can car camp away from roads and crowds. I'll have the dogs with me, and having to keep them leashed at camp for 8 days would suck! Any recommendations? I don't mind a bit of a drive to get to/from the climbing/where we're camping.

Also, what about this adventure pass I'm hearing about? What's it cost, and where can I get one (preferably before I get there)?

Thanks again!

I've heard the adventure pass can't be collected on and have known Tahquitz climbers who scorn the idea of paying. That said, this could also be a real dickhead move that endangers access there, I'm just relaying the practices of several - albeit, probably dickhead - climbers I've known.

The pay camping I used there was just your standard CG setup, not bad, but not the isolation you seem to seek.

I was taken to some free camping, but I couldn't tell you how to get there, just that there is some. It wasn't very inspiring, but it was pretty deserted.

You don't need to pay for the adventure pass. Just park where you park for Suicide Rock. It's a 5-10 minute walk up the hill to the Tahquitz "Adventure Pass" Parking.

A national parks pass will also substitute.

The fee for a day pass is $5. The ticket for parking if you don't have one is also $5. So if you are trying to get an early start and the ranger station isn't open to sell you a pass don't worry as the ticket won't cost you any extra money.

Also, as Fossana said, if you have a National Parks pass, just leave it on your dashboard and you're good to go.

Regarding parking at Suicide, I thought you needed the adventure pass there too, but I could be wrong.