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

West Face Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Areas in West Face

Bad Man Mezzanine/Lower and Upper Terraces 8 / 3 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 11

Main Face 9 / 6 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 9 / 0 / 0 / 13

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Elevation:	1,368 ft	417 m
GPS:	36.49753, -121.20254 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	16,482 total · 284/month
Shared By:	Bruce Hildenbrand on Jun 9, 2020
Admins:	andy patterson, Aron Quiter, Bruce Hildenbrand, Mike Morley, Adam Stackhouse, Salamanizer Ski, Justin Johnsen, Vicki Schwantes Page Updates (admin only)

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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: Condors have been establishing nests at the Pinnacles National Monument. Since condors develop to fledgling more slowly than raptors and vultures closures due to condor nesting is extended past the usual Martin Luther King Day to July 3rd. Again, please check the "Current Raptor Advisory" section of the NPS website and/or the Friends of Pinnacles website for current closures.

As of July 2024 there are three active Condor nests at Pinnacles National Park.

The Machete Ridge area is closed from Pigeon Crack on west face then west around the south side to The Hideout including the popular Old Original.

All climbing routes at Crowley Towers are closed.

All routes on the Yaks and Yaks Wall plus Marauder.

Description

This area describes all the climbs on the west face. There are several terraces such as Bad Man Mezzanine which have a number of popular one and two pitch routes. Route on the Main Face may begin by climbing one or a combination of routes on the lower terraces, but they are distinguished because they reach the top of Machete Ridge.

Note that the rock on the west face of Machete Ridge is OK, but can be loose in places. When climbing any route on this wall please be careful not to knock down rocks on the hikers below.

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 including Pigeon Crack 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

From the west side parking lot follow the Balconies Trail for 0.6mi until reaching the intersection with the Balconies Cave Trail. Follow the carabiner marker of the climbers trail up and to the base of the routes, except Machete Direct which is a bit further along the Balconies Cave Trail.

24 Total Climbs

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Classic Climbing Routes at West Face

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

5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a 16 ● Twinkle Toes Traverse Trad 2 pitches Bad Man Mezzanine/Low…
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b 37 ● Corona Sport Bad Man Mezzanine/Low…
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b A1 5 ● Bill's Bad Bolts Sport, Aid 3 pitches Main Face
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c R 47 ● Dos Equis Trad Bad Man Mezzanine/Low…
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a A1 4 ● Los Banditos Trad, Aid Main Face
5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b A0 11 ● Lucky 13 -to- GP Headwall -to- R… Sport, Aid 6 pitches Main Face
5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b A1 R 24 ● Machete Direct Trad, Sport, Aid 6 pitches Main Face
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c A0-1 PG13 24 ● Son of Dawn Wall Trad, Sport, Aid 4 pitches Main Face
5.11b/c 6c+ 23 VIII- 24 E4 6a 8 ● Robots of Dawn Sport Main Face