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Mission Gorge
California
> San Diego County
> S San Diego County
Description
Mission Gorge is located in the Mission Trails Regional Park. Routes include trad, sport, and mixed lines on slick rock.
Getting There
Take Interstate 8 to the Mission Gorge/Fairmount exit. Take Mission Gorge Rd north and east then turn left into Mission Trails Regional Park on Father Juniper Trail Rd. Park along the road prior to the gates, or in the dirt parking lots next to the visitors center. The climbers loop trails are on the right side and are marked by kiosks.
[Hide Comment] This is my favorite place to climb in San Diego and the only sane option within the county for hot summer months due to the northwest orientation. Show up early and head home when the mid-day sun hits.
Mission Gorge has a high concentration of quality climbs. I can't think of another cragging location in San Diego where you can knock off so many routes in a day. My personal record is 24, each of us leading half the routes. For real though, 10 routes from gate opening at 8am to lunchtime is standard operating procedure.
Dec 16, 2009
SDG&E is trying to build a Power Plant next to Sycamore canyon (Santee boulders), and Mission Trails Park. They have filled plans to build it and are moving forward. 11 100 ft smoke stacks spewing death down on to our favorite climbs. Please get informed and get involved.
[Hide Comment] Many hikers have been scrambling to areas lately that are supposedly only open to technical climbers so the caretakers have been more vigilant to keep people on trail. My partner and I were scrambling down around a route in order to avoid leaving gear behind and got megaphoned to return to the trail. You will not get in any trouble for scrambling down but consider finding nearby bolts to rap down from in order to lighten their workload (and annoying megaphone announcements.)
Jan 18, 2017
[Hide Comment] Hey, just a PSA for everyone: For routes with anchors on the ledge below the Middle Finger/ Orthnac boulder in the right side of middle earth, take note that you can go around and access the anchors from the side closest to the hill, the other side is especially perilous. On the fifteenth of June, my dad attempted to traverse the right side of the boulder. There is a fairly exposed step with your right hand on a pinch and your left hand on a small crimp. For some unknown reason, my dad fell about thirty feet to the base of the cliff, broke his right clavicle and nine ribs, both his lungs collapsed, and he burst his pulmonary artery, causing internal bleeding. He was airlifted our to sharps memorial hospital and is currently still in a coma, and it’s still hit or miss if he’s gonna live. Stay safe out there guys, and Always check your knot.
Jun 17, 2019
[Hide Comment] Just called and message said it was still closed for climbing.....On another note, here is a cool short documentary about mission gorge geology. mtrp.org/visitor-center/ris…Jun 26, 2020
[Hide Comment] This is a lovely page. I learned to climb in Mission Gorge 48 years ago, long before there was a park facility. At 67 I no longer climb but it is a real pleasure now to see the web site and relive old days on the walls. Good Memories.
Jul 13, 2021
[Hide Comment] Just visited here for the first time, some fun climbs that are close to downtown SD. The rock is definitely polished and the climbs are a bit stiff for the grade if this is your first time in the area. The directions say to park by the visitor center or before the first gate, but if you continue on Father Junipero Serra Trail road, there was quite a bit of parking by both climbers loop trail heads.
May 17, 2023
[Hide Comment] This is where i learned how to climb 50 years ago. I am 69, and back in those days my partner and I camped on top of the Main Wall so as to get climbing ASAP the next day. Had a hell of a lot of fun!
Apr 3, 2024
[Hide Comment] For anyone that's sick in the head, I devised something that few dare try, and few farther enjoy... -===: The Mission Gorge Aid Circuit:===- The aid climbing here is short and not that great, but it's still good practice for how close it is to the city! Below are a list of routes that I aided and thought were worthy of learning something from. A lot of them are relatively easy to protect, and practice aid systems. I also recommend trying to French Free these by not aid climbing them but not using your ladders. ---------------------------------------- Shadowfax - C1: awkward aid roof. can teach you how to do weird mini roof aiding. Practice transitioning to free out of aiders after the roof. ---------------------------------------- Caradhras - C1: a pretty cool mini roof to aid through. once you get through that, practice transitioning to free to get through the easier topout section. ---------------------------------------- Apostrophe - C1: Nothing fancy, just a good ol fashioned aid crack. ---------------------------------------- Craig's Crack - C1: bit of a hike but the best hand crack at the gorge. you can aid it too. You can also practice cam hooking on top ropes on the stuff to the left of it. (fun) ---------------------------------------- Crack of dust - C1: aid corner crack. takes some camhooks if you're into that kind of thing (you should be) ---------------------------------------- Quack of Ducks - C1: the second pitch above crack of dust. It's a good free climb but doesnt translate well to aid, but it goes! ---------------------------------------- Razors' edge - C1: A thin seem. A little hairy if you don't clip the bolts, but there are bolts. requires a little hooking if you are chosing to aid climb this not like a bolt ladder, thus leading to really good hook training with bomber bolt protection. ---------------------------------------- The Thumb Aid Climb - C2+: It gets this rating not because the distance between gear is big, but because all of the pieces (old manky bolts) are probably 3/10. You still gotta do it, at least once. It's every San Diego aid climber's test piece. ---------------------------------------- The Thumb C1: The actually trustworthy "bolt ladder" to the right of the thumb. With some top stepping you don't need to use hooks or nutz etc but you can if you want. First bolt is a little reachy, but that's a part of the fun. Good to learn good bolt ladder practices. ----------------------------------------
Jan 8, 2025
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Plymouth, NH
San Diego, CA
Mission Gorge has a high concentration of quality climbs. I can't think of another cragging location in San Diego where you can knock off so many routes in a day. My personal record is 24, each of us leading half the routes. For real though, 10 routes from gate opening at 8am to lunchtime is standard operating procedure. Dec 16, 2009
North Bend, Wa
SDG&E is trying to build a Power Plant next to Sycamore canyon (Santee boulders), and Mission Trails Park. They have filled plans to build it and are moving forward. 11 100 ft smoke stacks spewing death down on to our favorite climbs. Please get informed and get involved.
santee.patch.com/articles/s… ... ng_comment
meeting every Tuesday at Pinacle peaks steak house 6:30, until they quit. Feb 8, 2012
ESCONDIDO
PDF of (A.M.) Mission Gorge Topo May 17, 2013
San Diego, CA
For routes with anchors on the ledge below the Middle Finger/ Orthnac boulder in the right side of middle earth, take note that you can go around and access the anchors from the side closest to the hill, the other side is especially perilous. On the fifteenth of June, my dad attempted to traverse the right side of the boulder. There is a fairly exposed step with your right hand on a pinch and your left hand on a small crimp. For some unknown reason, my dad fell about thirty feet to the base of the cliff, broke his right clavicle and nine ribs, both his lungs collapsed, and he burst his pulmonary artery, causing internal bleeding. He was airlifted our to sharps memorial hospital and is currently still in a coma, and it’s still hit or miss if he’s gonna live. Stay safe out there guys, and Always check your knot. Jun 17, 2019
ESCONDIDO
Cambridge, MA -> SF
Williamsburg, VA
of the Main Wall so as to get climbing ASAP the next day. Had a hell of a lot of fun! Apr 3, 2024
California
-===: The Mission Gorge Aid Circuit:===-
The aid climbing here is short and not that great, but it's still good practice for how close it is to the city! Below are a list of routes that I aided and thought were worthy of learning something from. A lot of them are relatively easy to protect, and practice aid systems. I also recommend trying to French Free these by not aid climbing them but not using your ladders.
----------------------------------------
Shadowfax - C1: awkward aid roof. can teach you how to do weird mini roof aiding. Practice transitioning to free out of aiders after the roof.
----------------------------------------
Caradhras - C1: a pretty cool mini roof to aid through. once you get through that, practice transitioning to free to get through the easier topout section.
----------------------------------------
Apostrophe - C1: Nothing fancy, just a good ol fashioned aid crack.
----------------------------------------
Craig's Crack - C1: bit of a hike but the best hand crack at the gorge. you can aid it too. You can also practice cam hooking on top ropes on the stuff to the left of it. (fun)
----------------------------------------
Crack of dust - C1: aid corner crack. takes some camhooks if you're into that kind of thing (you should be)
----------------------------------------
Quack of Ducks - C1: the second pitch above crack of dust. It's a good free climb but doesnt translate well to aid, but it goes!
----------------------------------------
Razors' edge - C1: A thin seem. A little hairy if you don't clip the bolts, but there are bolts. requires a little hooking if you are chosing to aid climb this not like a bolt ladder, thus leading to really good hook training with bomber bolt protection.
----------------------------------------
The Thumb Aid Climb - C2+: It gets this rating not because the distance between gear is big, but because all of the pieces (old manky bolts) are probably 3/10. You still gotta do it, at least once. It's every San Diego aid climber's test piece.
----------------------------------------
The Thumb C1: The actually trustworthy "bolt ladder" to the right of the thumb. With some top stepping you don't need to use hooks or nutz etc but you can if you want. First bolt is a little reachy, but that's a part of the fun. Good to learn good bolt ladder practices.
---------------------------------------- Jan 8, 2025