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Tuttle South Basecamp Wall Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Routes in Tuttle South Basecamp Wall

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Basecamp Hearsay T 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a

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Elevation:	10,477 ft	3,193 m
GPS:	36.53533, -118.22392 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	69 total · 69/month
Shared By:	Philipp Arndt on May 12, 2026
Admins:	Chris Owen, Lurk Er, Mike Morley, Adam Stackhouse, Salamanizer Ski, Justin Johnsen, Vicki Schwantes Page Updates (admin only)

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Access Issue: Certain Peaks: Access limited from May to October every year Details

Some of the peaks in this area are restricted (not all). See the Inyo National Forest's Mount Whitney Zone regulations webpage fs.usda.gov/detail/inyo/pas… for current information. Access is usually limited from May to October of every year from the highest elevations of most of the Lone Pine Creek watershed.

Description

This is the ~80m tall and mostly vertical wall just below the Tuttle Creek Obelisk. The rock is quite clean, and a few potential lines exist on the wall, some of which have quite possibly been climbed before. There are some decent camping spots and flowing water just at the base of the wall. Camping here also puts you in a great spot to climb Mt Langley via the North East Couloir or the North Arete.

We found no references to this wall in published materials. Since we set up camp here to ski the NE Couloir of Mt Langley the next day, we just referred to this feature as the "Basecamp Wall".

Note that you will need an Inyo National Forest Overnight Wilderness permit if you plan on camping in Tuttle Creek. During peak quota season (May 1 - November 1) overnight use is limited to 8 people per (entry) day.

Getting There

From the Tuttle Creek Trailhead follow the trail to the Tuttle Creek Ashram, then turn left and head up a sandy sidehill trail to the South Fork of Tuttle Creek. Once you reach the creek, follow the drainage uphill for about 2 miles. Trail visibility deteriorates quickly after the Ashram, but keep an eye out for cairns.

Which exact path to choose then depends on the conditions you find. When there is no supportable snow, you likely want to stay to the north of the creek for a bit more than half of the way up until after you have hiked past Keyhole Wall on your right and can cross the creek at a meadow. When snow travel seems more appropriate, you can cross to the south side of the creek earlier and start making your way up over snow fields. After a bit less than 2 miles in the drainage, you will see Tuttle Creek Obelisk above to your right. Keep following the creek until it passes right under Basecamp Wall, directly below the Obelisk.

See here for a rough approach track.