All Locations > California > Central Coast > Pinnacles NP > W Side

Machete Ridge Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Areas in Machete Ridge

North Face 0 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1

South Face 4 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 4

West Face 13 / 10 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 8 / 0 / 0 / 21

Elevation:	1,979 ft
GPS:	36.49729, -121.20149 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	63,477 total · 262/month
Shared By:	Aron Quiter on Jul 7, 2003 · Updates
Admins:	andy patterson, Aron Quiter, Bruce Hildenbrand, Mike Morley, Adam Stackhouse, Salamanizer Ski, Justin Johnsen, Vicki Schwantes Page Updates (admin only)

Access Issue: Seasonal Raptor Closures Details

Always check this web page before you visit for current conditions and nesting closures:

Current Raptor Advisories for Pinnacles National Park nps.gov/pinn/planyourvisit/…
and
pinnacles.org/climbing_info…
Closures effective as of the day after Martin Luther King Day- July 3. Check closure website for details on closed areas.

SPECIAL NOTICE: due to nesting condors the Machete Ridge area may be closed, from Dos Equis / Corona on west face then west around the south side to The Hideout including the popular Old Original. Check the NPS and Friends of Pinnacles websites for further information.

Description

This crazy 700 foot wall holds some excellent routes, some trad, most sport. It's about 1/2 a mile long, so there's something for anyone willing to lead 5.8 and above, and willing to commit at least a few hours (if not a whole day) for some multipitch fun.You can also boulder in the arch, which is pretty easy to get to if you're on the west side of Pinnacles National Monument.

Type of rock... All sorts of shit. Volcanically generated loose shit that's scary and fun as hell.

This rock will be in the sun part of the day, and in the shade some, depending on what you're climbing.

Classics: Machete Direct (5.12a or 5.8 A2) and Destiny (5.8).

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Since 2018 a pair of condors has been trying to nest on the south end of Machete Ridge. When this happens all routes to the right(west) of Corona and extending west and south and around to The Hideout on the south face which includes Old Original are closed. More information is located here:

https://www.nps.gov/pinn/planyourvisit/advisory.htm

Getting There

Approach time: 15 minutes.From the West end parking lot, take the trail leading down to the Balconies and The Machete Ridge Area. After walking through a series of large rocks (some up to 150' tall), you will finally have the Machete in view, in all of it's magnificence.The trail will lead into the Arch, which is a 300 foot long arch that allows some seriously highball bouldering, and the possibility for a really really heinous start of a short route.

26 Total Climbs

Route Finder - Best Climbs for YOU!

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

Classic Climbing Routes at Machete Ridge

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

5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a 14 ● Twinkle Toes Traverse Trad 2 pitches W Face > Bad Man Mezzanine/Low…
5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a 60 ● Old Original Trad 6 pitches S Face
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b 32 ● Corona Sport W Face > Bad Man Mezzanine/Low…
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b R 3 ● Drop Zone Trad W Face > Bad Man Mezzanine/Low…
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b R 3 ● Red Line Trad W Face > Bad Man Mezzanine/Low…
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b A1 5 ● Bill's Bad Bolts Sport, Aid 3 pitches W Face > Main Face
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c R 41 ● Dos Equis Trad W Face > Bad Man Mezzanine/Low…
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a 3 ● Lucky 13 Sport 2 pitches W Face > Bad Man Mezzanine/Low…
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a A1 4 ● Los Banditos Trad, Aid W Face > Main Face
5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b A0 10 ● Lucky 13 -to- GP Headwall -to- R… Sport, Aid 6 pitches W Face > Main Face
5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b A1 R 24 ● Machete Direct Trad, Sport, Aid 6 pitches W Face > Main Face
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b 25 ● Cuidado! Sport 5 pitches N Face
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c 6 ● Robots of Dawn Sport W Face > Main Face
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c A0-1 PG13 21 ● Son of Dawn Wall Trad, Sport, Aid 4 pitches W Face > Main Face