Climbing with my kids in so cal

Hi everyone. I was hoping to get some recs on climbing with a 5 and 10 year old. They can climb 5.7-8 and V0-1 or 5.9 respectively. A place with bouldering and toproping is preferable because then I can climb a little too instead of belaying the whole time. Short approaches are a huge plus as well. 
We have been to Rubidoux and Big Rock.

Thanks
Bret

Pt. Dume is really fun at that level. All TR and in the 5.7-5.8 side with a beautiful sandy beach to boot.

Where, exactly, do you live? Lots of good climbing in that range near Big Bear and out in the desert. 

Bret Warner wrote: Hi everyone. I was hoping to get some recs on climbing with a 5 and 10 year old. They can climb 5.7-8 and V0-1 or 5.9 respectively. A place with bouldering and toproping is preferable because then I can climb a little too instead of belaying the whole time. Short approaches are a huge plus as well.
We have been to Rubidoux and Big Rock.

Thanks
Bret

I'm biased, but New Jack City fits the bill.
Boy Scout Wall (easy 8's, seriously). Valentine Wall (another easy 8 and 7), Raven Rock South (Custom Tailored 7).
Bathrooms, dinosaur playground, approaches are next to nothing.

You'll have to lead everything, but it's super mellow and fun. My kids (10 and 8), always have fun. Valentine Wall is a favorite (Cupid's Fever is fantastic).

Caprica has 6's that are fun and different from the rest of New Jack. Top rope through the same mussy hooks at the top.

If you're going on a weekend, let me know. I might be able to head out there.

Edit: I cherry-picked the best kid-friendly routes. There's much more out there.

I live in Rancho Cucamonga. It’s right by where the 210 and the 15 meet. I used to climb I. big bear a lot. I’ve just been getting back into climbing now that my kids are excited about it.

I’ve been meaning to try New Jack City, but it’s usually just me and my kids so I have no one to belay me on a lead climb. Thanks for the recommendations so far!

I have 2 boys 8 and 11 and they are pretty good gym climbers.  I mostly take them to JT Indian Cove, there are many easy crack and face climbs that you can scramble up the back to put up a rope.

Before it gets too hot, Indian Cove in JTree is a good spot for kids.  You can walk up the back of Pixie Rock and set up a TR.

Whomever did it, they did a nice job cleaning up the area around the Riverside Quarry, and there are plenty of easier routes there, but you either need to lead or free solo 5.6 to set up TRs.

Bret Warner wrote: I live in Rancho Cucamonga. It’s right by where the 210 and the 15 meet. I used to climb I. big bear a lot. I’ve just been getting back into climbing now that my kids are excited about it.

I’ve been meaning to try New Jack City, but it’s usually just me and my kids so I have no one to belay me on a lead climb. Thanks for the recommendations so far!

Bret if you go to New Jack on a weekend, esp at BoyScout Rock, I'm sure there will be dozens of people who would take your stuff and set up your toprope for you.  That place is mobbed on the weekend.  Or would give you a belay so you can set it up yourself.

Hey Bret,
I might try to get my 3 kids out to NJC before it gets too hot. If I do, I’ll message you. They’re 9-15 and climb 5easy-5.7/8.

I’d also be up for going to Riverside Quarry which is really close to you. Lots of stuff for them to climb on School House Rocks Wall.

Bret Warner wrote: I live in Rancho Cucamonga. It’s right by where the 210 and the 15 meet. I used to climb I. big bear a lot. I’ve just been getting back into climbing now that my kids are excited about it.

I’ve been meaning to try New Jack City, but it’s usually just me and my kids so I have no one to belay me on a lead climb. Thanks for the recommendations so far!

Check out the RIverside Rock Climbers page on Facebook.  Lots of local climbers with young ones to join up with you.  

Will you be with someone that can lead belay you?

Many of the areas that have been recommended, like New Jack, require you to lead the climbs to setup the topropes.

Don B wrote: Hey Bret,
I might try to get my 3 kids out to NJC before it gets too hot. If I do, I’ll message you. They’re 9-15 and climb 5easy-5.7/8.

I’d also be up for going to Riverside Quarry which is really close to you. Lots of stuff for them to climb on School House Rocks Wall.

Just saw a post indicating a big block fell above the Schoolhouse area at the Quarry and the nesting birds are pretty agressive.  Slab City might be OK to climb with kids, but not sure about the other areas.

Thanks for all the replies. Several of these places were not on my radar yet. I especially didn’t realize that Riverside rock quarry was more developed. When I was climbing a lot ten plus years ago I don’t remember anything under 5.10 there. 

Matt Himmelstein wrote:

Just saw a post indicating a big block fell above the Schoolhouse area at the Quarry and the nesting birds are pretty agressive.  Slab City might be OK to climb with kids, but not sure about the other areas.

yikes! Thanks for the heads up. 

Do some research on Riverside Quarry before you go there.  The place is a dump (both literally and figuratively) and very urban.  I have no desire to ever bring my kids there, or frankly climb there myself.  If part of your reason for getting your kids climbing outside is to foster a love for the outdoors, the quarry is not the place for that.

Bret Warner wrote: Thanks for all the replies. Several of these places were not on my radar yet. I especially didn’t realize that Riverside rock quarry was more developed. When I was climbing a lot ten plus years ago I don’t remember anything under 5.10 there. 

I do NOT take my kids to the Quarry because of trash, homeless camps and rockfall. It’s just not a place to go have fun with the family.

 Apparently a huge block fell off of Schoolhouse Rock in the last few days. The only place to really take kids. I haven’t seen for myself, but supposedly it was “car sized”. 

Big Rock is another option, but you’re getting close to High Desert drive times and have New Jack, Apple Valley, Fairview, Horsemen’s for only minimal extra drive. 

The cool thing about So Cal is the plethora of rock.  I've been taking my twins climbing for years.  They are almost 13.  I've taken them to Jtree, New Jack, Holcomb, Alabama Hills, Clark Canyon, Suicide, Tahquitz etc, etc, etc,  They have even showed the silly woodson locals a few things too.  

But, the best is when we go to the obscure areas that no one knows about.  Not even other climbers. These So Cal hills are teeming with rocks and my twins love exploring for the "new" rock for dad and mom to set up the top ropes and get on something unknown.  

a d wrote: Do some research on Riverside Quarry before you go there.  The place is a dump (both literally and figuratively) and very urban.  I have no desire to ever bring my kids there, or frankly climb there myself.  If part of your reason for getting your kids climbing outside is to foster a love for the outdoors, the quarry is not the place for that.

Not sure when you were there last, but it has been cleaned up.  No, it is no where near pristine, and there is plenty of graphitti, but it is not the dump it was a few year back.  It is far from my top destination, but when I want something a bit closer and want to get in and out before noon-ish, it has its utility.  I have been there with plenty of groups that included kids, and the kids all had a good time.

Matt Himmelstein wrote:

Not sure when you were there last, but it has been cleaned up.  No, it is no where near pristine, and there is plenty of graphitti, but it is not the dump it was a few year back.  It is far from my top destination, but when I want something a bit closer and want to get in and out before noon-ish, it has its utility.  I have been there with plenty of groups that included kids, and the kids all had a good time.

Glad to hear it has been cleaned up.  I was there last about 7 years ago.

Matt Himmelstein wrote:

Not sure when you were there last, but it has been cleaned up.  No, it is no where near pristine, and there is plenty of graphitti, but it is not the dump it was a few year back.  It is far from my top destination, but when I want something a bit closer and want to get in and out before noon-ish, it has its utility.  I have been there with plenty of groups that included kids, and the kids all had a good time.

Yes, this has always been my impression of the place too. 

The Quarry ain't clean by any standards of what is clean. Honestly, if that's where I had to take the kids for some climbing, they'd learn to surf instead... oooops, they also surf...

New jack and pretty much any of the high desert areas are probably the best for you. My kids had a great time at the Quarry and it's really easy for you to get to