Alabama Hills Rock Climbing

The Eastern Sierra truly is a delightful place for crag climbing. The one hundred-thirty mile stretch of Highway 395 south of Lee Vining to Lone Pine offers an impressive diversity of climbing opportunities. One such destination is the Alabama Hills, which lies west of Highway 395, below the spectacular snow capped High Sierra and Mt. Whitney, near the town of Lone Pine, CA.

The Alabama Hills are a vast expanse of coarse orange and brown high desert granite or quartz monzonite towers and outcrops reminiscent of those in Joshua Tree to the south. Rock quality ranges from quality brown patina, on north facing walls to chossy. The Alabama Hills has been described as the ultimate lazy man's crag with routes found just feet from the car to ten minute scrambles. There is a great deal of rock in the area and 500+ routes have been documented, the majority being bolted sport climbs.

Due to its easy access, incredibly beautiful setting, and historical significance, Alabama Hills has been utilized by a variety of user groups. Alabama Hills has a long history of use by the movie and television industry dating back to the 1920's. Please be respectful and stay clear of these groups and their equipment, as it is beneficial to the economy of the town of Lone Pine.

In the 1860's the town of Lone Pine, CA was primarily Southern (as in the Confederacy) in their sympathies regarding the Civil War, while the town of Independence, CA on the other hand (15 miles to the north), being US Army Fort Independence, was primarily Northern (Union) in their allegiance. The residents of Lone Pine named the Alabama Hills to commemorate the Confederate iron-clad warship CSS Alabama, which was wreaking havoc on the Union fleet. To counter, the residents of Independence later named a local gold mine, Kearsarge, to commemorate the Union warship USS Kearsarge, that sank the CSS Alabama.