[Hide Comment] Climbing only works when you go for it, and it's harder to go for it when sand is covering everything. That said, bouldering on the beach is pretty novel and the place has some real charms. Many low-grade problems are available too if you want to be conservative and just have fun. Sep 20, 2013

[Hide Comment] Despite the conditions that can sometimes make it a difficult place to climb (e.g. sand and rock moisture make gripping the rock difficult), Corona del Mar (Pirates Cove) is an awesome place for anyone in the area to come check out.

There are a bunch of climbs with varying degrees of difficulty. The sand, which can sometimes make climbing difficult, also provides a softer landing area than most other outdoor areas.

During the summer, it's a great place to come climb during the weekdays, but I wouldn't recommend going until after 5 pm. Anytime before then, the beach is packed with beach goers.

It's not often that you find a place like this. It's easily accessible, it's scenic, and it's go a lot of history to it. If anyone didn't know some of the history behind Pirates Cove, you should check out the article below.

If you plan on checking Pirates Cove out, I would recommend bringing a towel to stand on before you get on a problem and a larger brush of some sort to wipe the sand off your shoes before getting on the rock. Also, most of the people who climb there regularly are pretty friendly so don't hesitate to ask someone for help if you need it!

Also, check the weather conditions before heading over. Ideally, you will want a low tide, low humidity, and a nice breeze. But otherwise, as long as the sun is out, there will be an area that is good to climb.

This is a pretty cool place with a lot to offer if your just starting out or you're an intermediate climber. Definitely worth checking out if you're passing through or live in the area.

Article written by John Long about the history of Pirates Cove:

rockandice.com/lates-news/j… Jan 6, 2014

[Hide Comment] Don't even think about climbing here on weekends, anytime it's warm or between late Spring and early Fall. The crowds are insane. On the June weekday that I visited, I could not have begun any route without stepping off of a sun bathing tourist. Each of the caves was packed wall-to-wall with bodies.

Jun 28, 2014

[Hide Comment] Here is a fun video I did with some friends featuring 10 climbs at Pirates.


vimeo.com/102475973 Aug 3, 2014

[Hide Comment] Although climbing at The Beach is very condition dependent (lots of posts saying just that), the rock is generally good quality. There are some places in the tall, middle portion of the cliff that are grainier and looser, but that's pretty obvious once you get there. Let's put it this way. I started climbing there more than 30 yrs. ago and, although it's sandstone, the holds on really popular climbs like Iron Man and The Hinge have not changed one bit.

So, once and for all, here's the beta on The Beach.
1. Climb after 5 p.m. or so after the crowds and lifeguards have left.
2. Don't climb on weekends.
3. Don't climb when it's foggy. The best days are sunny, dry days. Santa Ana conditions are optimal.
4. Check the tide tables before you climb or the base of the routes may be washed by waves.
5. Bring a toothbrush (for the sand, not chalk).
6. Bring a good attitude and enjoy. Like most areas, Tuesdays and Thursday bring out the locals, who are usually happy to provide beta. Oct 30, 2014

[Hide Comment] Its a beach climbing spot with cool problems. I would recommend someone to check this place out, but like the others have mentioned, bring some essentials. Towel to wipe your feet down before starting a climb and a brush to wipe the sand off some areas. Aug 8, 2015

[Hide Comment] I'm not sure if the routes are listed here, but the rock that is just maybe 30ft off the beach in the water is a fun place to climb. I have traversed this rock many times over the years as it is fun to climb up, jump off, and continue climbing. HOWEVER, one time while I was traversing, a hold broke off and I fell; obviously wouldn't be a problem due to the water landing, however on the South East face of the rock there are other rocks surrounding it. I fell, hit my back on the smaller rocks, and splashed in the water. I was fine, but had I hit the rock on my head and gotten knocked out, I could have easily drowned.

Be careful on the rock in the water and watch for loose holds! Jun 20, 2016

[Hide Comment] just got done with a quick session while visiting a friend in the area. definitely worth a stop if passing through orange county. comes with a free peanut gallery if you like climbing for a crowd. overall can't beat the general ambiance for some urban bouldering in a cool little spot. even had some fun watching several people get baptized while i was there Jun 2, 2017

[Hide Comment] Super fun place to come climb. I'd highly recommend this place for people just getting started bouldering outdoors -- sand stone makes for nice holds, sandy beach makes for nice landings, and there's a high concentration of problems in the VB-V2 range (and amazingly enough they're not totally sandbagged -- in fact I'd lean towards saying this area is graded fairly soft by SoCal standards).

I've had a lot of luck climbing here on weekends in the Fall and Spring -- just check the tide charts, come after 5, and be prepared to get funny looks from non-climbing beach-goers.

As an added bonus, there's a Chronic Tacos super close-by on PCH. Bouldering on the beach with close proximity to burritos - what more could you possibly want?! Apr 13, 2018

[Hide Comment] Hello, Just posting a recent rock fall here. Not Even mountainproject.com/route/1… and Chips Ahoy mountainproject.com/route/1… fell off the wall in a storm on Feb 2nd, 2019. Feb 5, 2019

[Hide Comment] Awesome place to hang out with friends and boulder I went there 3 to 4 evenings a week in the 70s and always had a great workout Mar 24, 2019

[Hide Comment] Gross, dirty beach but that's to be expected when it's in the harbor and has a stream of trash directly flowing into the cave lol. The climbs were fun and hard (we're beginners) with interesting holds. The rock is super sandy so you will get sand in your eyes at some point but we had a good time. If you live close this is a good spot to come to periodically to test your skills and see if you've improved. I wouldn't recommend swimming here, it's one of the nastier beaches in socal so just don't. Also WEAR SHOES at all times on this beach! My friend stepped on something very sharp near the water and got an infection and had to go to the emergency room. So definitely proceed with caution at this beach and just stick to the climbing! Aug 21, 2019

[Hide Comment] vimeo.com/361603150 Sep 22, 2019

[Hide Comment] What grade/name is the overhanging arete just right of Sharks tooth?! Managed to do all the moves from the sit but was too soggy to send. Feels pretty hard but it’s oddly not on this page. May 11, 2021

[Hide Comment] Michael- that arête is/was called Pegasus but the rockfall a few years back completely changed the problem. It's possible no one has climbed it since the breakage. Sep 24, 2021

[Hide Comment] A great hang with half-decent boulders that seem to be falling apart as you watch. Lots of features have fallen off over the years. The central cave (right of Italian Fall and Shark's Tooth) has lost a huge chunk of its roof.

It seems like people Most of the problems are unclimbable with how sandy and moist they've become without regular use. The driest spot seems to be the opposite side of the beach from the stairs in the small cave.

Seems to need some community upkeep to keep the sand off the walls. Nov 27, 2022