Oaklands Rock Climbing

Oaklands is located about midway between West Elden and Solitude Canyon. The cliff band can be clearly seen from downtown, but on the approach, it can hardly be detected. Take HWY 180 to Schultz Pass Rd. Set your odometer and drive past the fork staying right on Elden Lookout Rd, as if you were going to West Elden. At 1.9 miles the road turns to dirt before a gate. At 2.3 miles there is a parking pullout on the right big enough for about five cars. Park. Essentially you will be hiking Eastward straight toward the mountain from here, aiming for the mouth of the gully that contains the wall. Here is the best way to do so: From the car, find the obvious wide trail 75ft below that parallels the road. Follow this wide trail right(S) for about 100 feet until you see a wooden post and single track trail that turns left in the direction of the mountain. Follow this trail for about 400 yards, ignoring trails that branch off in different directions, until it Ts into another wider trail(The AZ Trail). Turn right and continue hiking in the direction of the mountain on the AZ Trail. In about 100 yards, when this trail curves right and heads south, continue straight toward the mountain (250 yards away) through open forest dotted with burnt slash piles. You will reach the Oldham Trail(which skirts the rocky, steep, bottom edge of the mountain) right near some large exposed rocks with an aspen protection fence enclosing the area. This is the Worm Hole, a cavernous jumble of boulders featuring a 50 foot lava tube. Go check it out. There is a trail junction just right of the Worm Hole. Follow the Oldham Trail which climbs up to the mouth of the gully you want. You will pass another aspen protection fence on the right. Go up another couple hundred yards until the Oldham Trail reaches it's high point at the mouth of the gully. It takes about 15 minutes to reach this point where the climbers trail begins. Look for cairns that mark the beginning of the trail. Follow the progressively steep climbers trail for another 20 minutes to the crag. About 35-40 minutes all together. 30 minutes to get back to the car. ***When the gate is locked, park and walk the road for five minutes to the parking area mentioned above and follow the same directions.