Live Oak Picnic Area Rock Climbing

The Live Oak Picnic Area features a good assortment of crack and face climbs on rough, granular rock somewhat similar to nearby Jumbo Rocks, althought the best routes here are found on light grey to dark brown patina that's much friendlier on the tips.

 Approaches are minimal (5-15 minutes), but most involve some scrambling over boulders and rugged terrain making this area not suitable for those with children. The Pope's Hat and The Whispering Wall are the two standout formations of the area and feature the bulk of the worthwhile routes here.

The Whispering Wall is a large south-facing formation that is sheltered to the west making this a good choice for cold and windy days. Crack and face routes up to 100' high are found here with Stemski (5.6), Jeepers Leepers (5.9 R) and Mother Board Breakdown (5.10c) being some of the better routes here.

The Pope's Hat, a landmark of the area, is a huge block sitting atop a pile of large boulders that commands an impressive view from its summit. Routes are found on almost every side of the formation and most feature quality rock. Desert Storm (5.10a/b), Nincompope (5.11d) and Pope on a Rope (5.12d) are among the best lines on the Pope's Hat formation.