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California 


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Tuolumne Meadows area and Tenaya Lake, from Olmste...

Overview 

For sheer variety of rock and stable weather it is hard to beat California as a climbing destination.

Want soaring granite? Head to Yosemite National Park. Want thousands of sport routes and world class bouldering? Head to the Buttermilks or Owens River Gorge on the East side of the Sierra. Looking for limitless climbing under a warm, desert sun, visit Joshua Tree.

Head West to find the goods.

California Regions
California Regions
Submitted By: M.Morley on May 5, 2006


Climbing Gyms 

www.mountainproject.com/gyms


Major Destination Areas 

Yosemite Valley

Classic Yosemite Valley view.
Classic Yosemite Valley view.
Submitted By: Adam Winters on May 7, 2007

Tuolumne Meadows
Tuolumne Meadows area and Tenaya Lake, from Olmstead Point, Yosemite NP
Tuolumne Meadows area and Tenaya Lake, from Olmstead Point, Yosemite NP
Submitted By: Adam Winters on May 7, 2007

Joshua Tree National Park
Joel wants to 'Sail Away'! <br /> <br />flickr.com/thedan86
Joel wants to 'Sail Away'!

flickr.com/thedan86
Submitted By: Dan.Heacock on Dec 19, 2009

Tahquitz & Suicide Rocks
Great photo by Damon Corso of Michael Reardon on the Pirate.
Great photo by Damon Corso of Michael Reardon on the Pirate.
Submitted By: Bill Odenthal on Dec 17, 2008

Sierra Eastside
Josh Junkermeier, Big Chicken V4, Happy Boulders, Eastern Sierras.
Josh Junkermeier, Big Chicken V4, Happy Boulders, Eastern Sierras.
Submitted By: mschiffhauer on Dec 28, 2009

The Needles
Unknown climber hiking the crux.
Unknown climber hiking the crux.
Submitted By: jason seaver on Sep 23, 2006

Lover's Leap
Joe L. coming up the wide crack section. <br /> <br />If you have a 5" shoulder, you can do it this way. <br />...The rest of us can't. :-| <br /> <br />July 2009
Joe L. coming up the wide crack section.

If you have a 5" shoulder, you can do it this way.
...The rest of us can't. :-|

July 2009
Submitted By: Aerili on Jul 20, 2009

High Sierra
Palisades from Dusy Basin. From left to right: Mt. Agassiz, Mt. Winchell, Thunderbolt Peak, Starlight Peak, North Palisade - July 2007
Palisades from Dusy Basin. From left to right: Mt. Agassiz, Mt. Winchell, Thunderbolt Peak, Starlight Peak, North Palisade - July 2007
Submitted By: Misha Logvinov on Dec 27, 2007


The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for California:
Midnight Lightning   V8     Boulder   Yosemite Valley Bouldering : Camp 4 Bouldering
Southeast Buttress   5.6     Trad, Alpine, 5 pitches, 700 feet, Grade II   Tuolumne Meadows : Cathedral Peak
Corrugation Corner   5.7     Trad, 3 pitches, 300 feet   Lover's Leap : Main Wall
Snake Dike   5.7 R     Trad, 8 pitches, 2000 feet, Grade III   Yosemite Valley : Half Dome
Double Cross   5.7+     Trad, 1 pitch, 95 feet   The Old Woman : The Old Woman - West Face
Sail Away   5.8-     Trad, 1 pitch, 60 feet   Real Hidden Valley : Hidden Tower
Bishops Terrace   5.8     Trad, 1 pitch, 150 feet   Yosemite Valley : Church Bowl
Nutcracker   5.8     Trad, 5 pitches, 500 feet   Yosemite Valley : Manure Pile Buttress (aka R...
Open Book   5.9     Trad, 3 pitches, 490 feet   South Face : Open Book Area
Central Pillar of Frenzy   5.9     Trad, 5 pitches   Yosemite Valley : Middle Cathedral Rock
Regular Route   5.9     Trad, 12 pitches, 1000 feet, Grade III   Tuolumne Meadows : Fairview Dome
The Nose   5.9 C2     Trad, Aid, 31 pitches, 3000 feet, Grade VI   Yosemite Valley : El Capitan
Salathe Wall   5.9 C2     Trad, Aid, 35 pitches, 3500 feet, Grade VI   Yosemite Valley : El Capitan
Sons of Yesterday   5.10a/b     Trad, 6 pitches   Yosemite Valley : Royal Arches
Illusion Dweller   5.10b     Trad, 1 pitch, 100 feet   The Sentinel : The Sentinel - West Face
Serenity Crack   5.10d PG13     Trad, 3 pitches   Yosemite Valley : Royal Arches
Positive Vibrations   5.11a     Trad, Alpine, 12 pitches, 1200 feet, Grade IV   High Sierra : Incredible Hulk
Astroman   5.11c     Trad, 10 pitches, 1000 feet, Grade IV   Yosemite Valley : Washington Column
Separate Reality   5.12a     Trad, 1 pitch, 50 feet   Yosemite Valley : Wildcat Falls & Above the C...
Regular Northwest Face of Half Dome   5.12a/b     Trad, 23 pitches, 2200 feet, Grade VI   Yosemite Valley : Half Dome
Browse More Classics in California


Featured Route For California
Lauren groping the slashes on Mean Green

Mean Green V8  CA : Yosemite National Park : ... : The Gunks
A classic problem up a gently overhanging green face with many horizontal slashes. Sit start at the block on the lower right side of the face. Pull on and move up and left through the multitude of sloping horizontal slashes to a cruxy mantel high off the deck....[more]   Browse More Classics in CA


Photos of California Slideshow Add Photo
High Sierra. <br />Photo by Blitzo.

High Sierra.
Photo by Blitzo.

A dirtbag meets the squeeze.

A dirtbag meets the squeeze.

California Regions

BETA PHOTO: California Regions

The ghost town, Bodie. <br />Photo by Blitzo.

The ghost town, Bodie.
Photo by Blitzo.

Tufa Towers-Mono Lake. <br />Photo by Blitzo.

Tufa Towers-Mono Lake.
Photo by Blitzo.

Kirkwood Lake area. <br />Photo by Blitzo.

Kirkwood Lake area.
Photo by Blitzo.

Merced River Canyon, below El Portal, CA. <br />Photo by Blitzo.

Merced River Canyon, below El Portal, CA.
Photo by...

Sunset storm, Colorado Desert, Southern California. <br />Photo by Blitzo.

Sunset storm, Colorado Desert, Southern California...

Echo Lake. <br />Photo by Blitzo.

Echo Lake.
Photo by Blitzo.

Death Valley-Spring. <br />Photo by Blitzo.

Death Valley-Spring.
Photo by Blitzo.

Climbing in the Colorado/Sonoran Desert. <br />Photo by Blitzo.

Climbing in the Colorado/Sonoran Desert.
Photo by ...

Bear Cub-Sequoia National Park. <br />Photo by Blitzo.

Bear Cub-Sequoia National Park.
Photo by Blitzo.

Sequoia Forest-Sequoia N.P. <br />Photo by Blitzo.

Sequoia Forest-Sequoia N.P.
Photo by Blitzo.

Forest-Sequoia N.P. <br />Photo by Blitzo.

Forest-Sequoia N.P.
Photo by Blitzo.

Boulder-Kings River. <br />Photo by Blitzo.

Boulder-Kings River.
Photo by Blitzo.

Bristlecone Pine-White Mountains. <br />Photo by Blitzo.

Bristlecone Pine-White Mountains.
Photo by Blitzo.

California Poppy-State Flower. <br />Photo by Blitzo.

California Poppy-State Flower.
Photo by Blitzo.

Morro Rock-Sequoia National Park. <br />Photo by Blitzo.

Morro Rock-Sequoia National Park.
Photo by Blitzo.

Titus Canyon, Death Valley

Titus Canyon, Death Valley

The silky Eureka Dunes, Death Valley

The silky Eureka Dunes, Death Valley

Seasonal Mass Snake Migration in Sinks Canyon. Thousands of snakes moving in packs of two to nine. Dangerous and extremely aggressive! Known to swarm. Have cut dogs to pieces and disarmed people swinging shovels at them.

Seasonal Mass Snake Migration in Sinks Canyon. Th...

A classic High Sierra dome, photo: Bob Horan.

A classic High Sierra dome, photo: Bob Horan.

Mt. Tom, Bishop area Sierras

Mt. Tom, Bishop area Sierras

Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park

Sunset, Death Valley, NP

Sunset, Death Valley, NP

Crazy desert clouds, Death Valley, NP

Crazy desert clouds, Death Valley, NP

Devil's Golf Course, Death Valley National Park. Amazing, treacherous salt flat.

Devil's Golf Course, Death Valley National Park. ...

The "Artist's Palette" formation, Death Valley NP.

The "Artist's Palette" formation, Death Valley NP.

Zabriski Point, Death Valley NP.

Zabriski Point, Death Valley NP.

Granite Mountains. <br />Photo by Blitzo.

Granite Mountains.
Photo by Blitzo.

Climber on Loose Lady, 5.10a Joshua Tree National Park

Climber on Loose Lady, 5.10a Joshua Tree National ...

Joshua Tree

Joshua Tree

Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park

Try Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Stout. <br />10% ABV. <br />Photo by Blitzo.

Try Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Stout.
10% ABV....

Try Torpedo. <br />Photo by Blitzo.

Try Torpedo.
Photo by Blitzo.

Try the new 2010 Sierra Nevada Celebration Fresh Hop Ale. It's a little different than the old Celebration Ale.

Try the new 2010 Sierra Nevada Celebration Fresh H...

The old Celebration Ale.

The old Celebration Ale.

Granite Mountains, Mojave Preserve.Photo <br />by Blitzo.

Granite Mountains, Mojave Preserve.Photo
by Blitz...

Indian Cove Campground, Joshua Tree NP

Indian Cove Campground, Joshua Tree NP

Buttermilk Road. <br />Photo by Blitzo.

Buttermilk Road.
Photo by Blitzo.

valhalla- kernville,ca

valhalla- kernville,ca

valhalla-kernville,ca theres climbs that start out of the pool

valhalla-kernville,ca theres climbs that start out...

Climbing magazine reader photo of the month winner sept 2008 (i think thats when it was). doing some bouldering at the grandstand, Death Valley NP.

Climbing magazine reader photo of the month winner...

Joshua Tree. <br />Photo by Blitzo

Joshua Tree.
Photo by Blitzo

Enjoying an extremely hot day at Echo Cliffs, CA. Had the opportunity to have the entire crag to ourselves, granted it was 90+ degrees. Ended with an amazing full moon over the mountains. "B-line" is featured.

Enjoying an extremely hot day at Echo Cliffs, CA. ...

Lake Aloha in Desolation Wilderness of the northern Sierra Nevada. No climbing to be had but a beautiful way to pass the day regardless. <br /> <br />Summer 2012

Lake Aloha in Desolation Wilderness of the norther...

Joshua Tree

Joshua Tree