Elevation: 3,249 ft
GPS: 33.63, -117.491 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views: 98,001 total · 676/month
Shared By: Jordan Ramey on Feb 26, 2007
Admins: jt512, M. Morley, Adam Stackhouse, Salamanizer suchoski, Justin Johnsen, Vicki Schwantes

Description

The Santa Ana Mountains are the eastern boundary of the Los Angeles basin. They are peaked by the "Saddleback" formation of Santiago and Modjeska Peaks, both over 4,000 feet in elevation. The crest of the range forms part of the border between Orange and Riverside Counties. Most of the public land here is part of the Cleveland National Forest.

It has range has some good bouldering areas, including the two best known, El Cariso and Ortega Falls. A few crags here also have small single pitch roped routes, but overall rock here is short.

Getting There

Drive to Orange County

136 Total Climbs

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Classic Climbing Routes at Santa Ana Mountains

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
V1 5
 10
● Elysia
Boulder
El Cariso > First Hill > Elysia
V2 5+
 4
● Pipe Around
Boulder
El Cariso > El Cariso - Misc Prob…
V2-3 5+
 10
● Grumpy Man (aka old man)
Boulder
El Cariso > Grumpy Man
V2-3 5+
 4
● Goomba
Boulder
El Cariso > El Cariso - Misc Prob…
V4 6B
 7
● El Chorizo
Boulder
El Cariso > El Cariso - Misc Prob…
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 53
● Dihedral
Trad, TR
Ortega Falls > Toprope Wall
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b PG13
 7
● unknown slab
Sport, TR
El Cariso > El Cariso - Misc Prob…
5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 12
● Route 1
Sport
San Juan Canyon
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 43
● Fingers
Trad, TR
Ortega Falls > Toprope Wall
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
 8
● Slim Jim
Sport, TR
El Cariso > El Cariso - Misc Prob…
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 25
● Horn
Trad, TR
Ortega Falls > Toprope Wall
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
 7
● Unknown
TR
San Juan Canyon
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
 21
● Polished
Trad, TR
Ortega Falls > Toprope Wall
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
 11
● Splitter
Trad, TR
Ortega Falls > Toprope Wall
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
 5
● Route 3
Sport
San Juan Canyon
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
● Elysia El Cariso > First Hill > Elysia
 10
V1 5 Boulder
● Pipe Around El Cariso > El Cariso - Misc Prob…
 4
V2 5+ Boulder
● Grumpy Man (aka old man) El Cariso > Grumpy Man
 10
V2-3 5+ Boulder
● Goomba El Cariso > El Cariso - Misc Prob…
 4
V2-3 5+ Boulder
● El Chorizo El Cariso > El Cariso - Misc Prob…
 7
V4 6B Boulder
● Dihedral Ortega Falls > Toprope Wall
 53
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad, TR
● unknown slab El Cariso > El Cariso - Misc Prob…
 7
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b PG13 Sport, TR
● Route 1 San Juan Canyon
 12
5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Sport
● Fingers Ortega Falls > Toprope Wall
 43
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad, TR
● Slim Jim El Cariso > El Cariso - Misc Prob…
 8
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a Sport, TR
● Horn Ortega Falls > Toprope Wall
 25
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Trad, TR
● Unknown San Juan Canyon
 7
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b TR
● Polished Ortega Falls > Toprope Wall
 21
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Trad, TR
● Splitter Ortega Falls > Toprope Wall
 11
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b Trad, TR
● Route 3 San Juan Canyon
 5
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Sport
More Classic Climbs in Santa Ana Mountains »

Weather Averages

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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

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Graffiti clean up at Ortega
Graffiti clean up at Ortega
 5

1 Comment

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Brian Chastain
Brian Chastain  
Not to be a jerk but SoCal is my home and Clevland Ntl Forest or any mountains surrounding OC are not prime in June as this graph above indicates. In fact, it may be close to the poorest time to climb. Try full on winter time. Jun 21, 2015