San Diego climbing scene

How is the climbing in and around San Diego? I looked through the section on here in mp and it looks like mostly bouldering and easier sport climbing? I usually spend the winters in Spain but am thinking about spending the winter in SD surfing but would like to still get out and climb some rocks. Generally looking for v3-v8 and easy 5.12-5.13 sport, up to easy 5.12 trad. I know jtree is only a few hours away but am looking for some more info on crags where I could just climb half a day or so. And recommendations on the best gym in town? 

Thanks!

For convenience, Mission Gorge is number 1 in San Diego, but aesthetics are lacking compared to the backcountry’s big crags, El Cajon Mountain, Eagle Peak, and Corte Madera to name the established ones.

ECM is a 1.5 hr uphill hike with a 2000’ elevation gain. The wall overlooks East San Diego cities with views inland to the Cleveland National Forest, south to the Coronado islands on a clear day, and down on El Capitan Reservoir. There are a few 5.12 and 5.13 pitches, and some 5.11 multi pitch up to 5 pitches, rock is generally excellent, but there are very few typical single pitch sport routes at the base. The Headwall is the main attraction, 4 pitches off the ground, and there is Randy Leavitt’s Pockets of Resistance pitch, 12d, half way up the 500’ wall. There are a number of hard sport pitches scattered around to the west on the Mountaineers’ Wall with a comparable approach, some are gear protected. Parking is @ half hour to an hour from most of urban SD.

Eagle Peak has a similar number of 5.12 pitches, and a few 13’s, but like ECM, there are only a few single pitch off the ground sport pitches at that grade. Rock is high quality, longest routes are 500’. The crags are surrounded by wilderness above Boulder Creek. EP has more multi pitch 5.11 range sport routes than ECM, and more off the ground hard pitches. Scylla and Charybdis are two outstanding, rarely climbed, sister 5.12 gear protected thin cracks which start close to the ground. The rarely visited summit area has the 200’ Irie Headwall with a number of 11 and 12 sport pitches lined up side by side, also some more 5.12 pitches in the vicinity, maybe a 13. Approach is rolling, averaging level until the descent to the Main Wall or the ascent to the Summit Area, 45 minutes to an hour from car to base, 1 1/2 hr from urban SD to parking.

CM is also surrounded by Cleveland National Forest and has a few 5.12 sport pitches, but is fairly limited overall in 5.11 and harder pitches in comparison to the other two. It is slightly higher in elevation with pine trees and dense manzanita, like the other two crags, Corte’s longest routes are 500 ft., the South Buttress Route is the area classic at 5.10 a, 4 pitches. Routes were first established there in the 60’s, and the older routes are often vegetated with vintage bolts. The hike is 1hr and 15 to 30 minutes to the top, most parties rap in or climb the sport routes at smaller satellite crags. The direct approach to the base has a rep for hellish bushwhacking. 1 1/2 hr from urban SD to parking, high clearance recommended for final stretch of road.

Mesa Rim’s gyms are probably the best.

Here to add, El Cajon is the number one spot for new route development and high quality cragging at the mountaineers wall.

The Wedge (or El Cajon proper) is a 1.5 hour hike but the mountaineers walls can be reached in about 40 min. Incredibly accessible bolted (mostly) routes all over. 

Eagle Peak and Corte Madera are incredible as well, though more of a back country vibe than the mountaineers walls.

As far as bouldering/more chill cragging, Mount Woodson and in particular SOUTH woodson have a ton of great stuff going on there. Some have called Woodson the best crack climbing bouldering in the nation, they might be right.

Friends don't let friends climb at Mission Gorge.

Wow, thanks to both of you for the detailed beta!! Is there decent outdoor bouldering nearby? I'm a Smith Rock weenie and 1.5 he approaches are my kryptonite. Don't mind that kind of approach once in a while but probably not for a half day of chill cragging! Looks like you've got some good gyms in town, maybe I'll just learn to love the moonboard.... :/

The approach is the warm up. 

Leave the masses, the cars, the roads WAY behind

Yeah it takes time

Good cooking takes time

San Diego backcountry is awesome

Skip San Diego. Head to idyllwild and go bouldering at black mountain and the tramway.

Honest opinion after living in SD for 7years now, it’s not a great place to live if you’re serious about climbing more than once every week or two. El Cajon mountain is awesome granite sport climbing but you’ll get tired of that approach quickly, having done it probably 40 times by now myself. You’ll climb mission gorge one time and you’ll never go again, I haven’t been back in years. Woodson is great bouldering but if you’re looking for anything over 20ft that isn’t it. Tahquitz is outstanding but it’s a 2 hour drive, josh is amazing but it’s almost 3. We spend almost every single weekend in the Sierras/josh/Vegas climbing, usually about 5 hours one way but it’s worth it for a few days of good rock, although that drive every single weekend got pretty old several years ago we’ll keep doing it until we leave SD. 

I do day trips to tahquitz all the time and if I leave early (4am) we can be off the rock and back to our vehicles by noon or 1. 

Everyone hates on mission gorge but if the weather is right and you can go when it isn't crowded, it is totally worth going every once in a while. 

Tanner James wrote:

Honest opinion after living in SD for 7years now, it’s not a great place to live if you’re serious about climbing more than once every week or two. El Cajon mountain is awesome granite sport climbing but you’ll get tired of that approach quickly, having done it probably 40 times by now myself. You’ll climb mission gorge one time and you’ll never go again, I haven’t been back in years. Woodson is great bouldering but if you’re looking for anything over 20ft that isn’t it. Tahquitz is outstanding but it’s a 2 hour drive, josh is amazing but it’s almost 3. We spend almost every single weekend in the Sierras/josh/Vegas climbing, usually about 5 hours one way but it’s worth it for a few days of good rock, although that drive every single weekend got pretty old several years ago we’ll keep doing it until we leave SD. 

 Nailed it.

Skip San Diego. Head to idyllwild and go bouldering at black mountain and the tramway.

That’s great bouldering, no doubt, but not an option for 6 months of the year, and those six months are when conditions are best in San Diego County.

Someday the critics might get to climb at some of the best areas for moderate, sport and bouldering in SDC. As of now they are unknown, tricky to access, or private.

One of the basic factors when living in San Diego is whether you would rather drive for hours to climb or drive an hour or so and hike for an hour or two. A few of my favorite secret spots are less than 20 minutes from the car. 

Tanner James wrote:

Woodson is great bouldering but if you’re looking for anything over 20ft that isn’t it. 

Thanks again to everyone will responded! I'm SO not into highballs (fused ankle, so can't fall on it or it will shatter) but sounds like some lowballs or just some non scary not so highballs that would be worth a visit?

My plan is to depriotize climbing for a few months and surf so I'm ok if there isn't too much amazing climbing nearby, I just don't want to forget how to move entirely. The gym is always an option it's just that outside is so much more fun. 

Tanner James wrote:

Honest opinion after living in SD for 7years now, it’s not a great place to live if you’re serious about climbing more than once every week or two. El Cajon mountain is awesome granite sport climbing but you’ll get tired of that approach quickly, having done it probably 40 times by now myself. You’ll climb mission gorge one time and you’ll never go again, I haven’t been back in years. Woodson is great bouldering but if you’re looking for anything over 20ft that isn’t it. Tahquitz is outstanding but it’s a 2 hour drive, josh is amazing but it’s almost 3. We spend almost every single weekend in the Sierras/josh/Vegas climbing, usually about 5 hours one way but it’s worth it for a few days of good rock, although that drive every single weekend got pretty old several years ago we’ll keep doing it until we leave SD. 

I understand what you’re saying but disagree a little.  My biggest issue if I lived in SD would be the distance from the Sierra, the Valley, etc.  However, Josh and Idyllwild are 2-3 hours from about anyplace you’d want to live in So Cal (though living in Idyllwild wouldn’t suck).  In addition, other places like LA and OC don’t have anywhere remotely close to the amount of local quality climbing that SD has.  Sure Mission Gorge is funky, but it’s there if you want it.  Add to that Woodson (which is as good as anyplace I can think of if you want boulder sized crack climbing), Santee, ECM, etc.  I could see how some of that might get stale, but I wouldn’t say it’s not good.

San Diego climbing rewards those who dig deep, and by that I mean ... deep into the thick chaparral!

Common ethic is to toprope at Woodson, as bouldering often blurs the line between screwing around and free soloing. This is your opportunity to attain kung fu grade mastery of granite crack climbing. Everything you need to succeed on the Yosemite Valley climbs of your dreams can be learnt here. 

What else to say...oh yeah the scene? No one really climbs here because it sucks for all the reasons mentioned above! You can find the rest of us social bottom feeders a.k.a. sconemaster rejects chirping at bats (evenings) or gazing wistfully off in the distance when the mist rolls in from the ocean and crashes on the rocks (mornings).

It's a pretty good scene locally. You've got Mission Gorge, Santee Boulders, Mount Woodson, Cougar Crags, El Cajon Mountain, Eagle Peak, Corte Madera and Valley of the Moon. A little further drive and you have McCain Valley and Big Rock. Tahquitz is an easy day trip (2.5 hours). It's 5 hours to Red Rocks, 5 hours to Whitney, 3 hours to Joshua Tree, 3 hours to New Jack City, 3 hours to apple valley, 3.5 hours Holcomb valley, 8 hours to Yosemite. 

Depending on your definition of “scene” there is no focused outdoor climbing scene in San Diego. Woodson comes close, but like the big picture in SDC, the climbing at Woodson is spread out over acres and acres of brush covered hillside. There is no particular arena where lots of climbers congregate. Climbers looking for that type of climbing scene won’t find it outside the gyms. Mission Gorge is just too scrappy, and although the rock can be super good in spots, most of it is comically slippery. ECM sits there In Plain Sight, to quote Leavitt’s Rock and Ice article, but the dues to pay on the approach are too dear for the average climber, and again, the climbs are too widespread for a social scene to develop at the base.

If you like high quality rock and solitude, it’s here to be found in abundance. There are 3 areas that currently fit that description which I believe could evolve into relatively focused climbing scenes, one bouldering area, one sport climbing area, and one moderate area, but they’re all under cover at this point.

Areas that have climbing scenes, like Joshua Tree, the ORG, Eldo, etc have concentrated, easily accessible climbing where socially oriented climbers can watch each other climb, and mingle at the base. San Diego’s climbing is widespread across the County, often involves an approach effort, and a drive. Plus there is no clear cut best, crowd attracting, area to climb. That will appeal to some climbers, but not to climbers seeking easy access and other climbers as much as, or more than, they seek good climbing.

No one has mentioned El Gran Trono Blanco, but it’s effectively a San Diego spot that fits the widespread and remote nature of the best SDC has to offer.

Great summary 

All the secret spots feel exactly the same.

You must not be going to the ones I go to

Tip of The Iceberg comes to mind as a good name for that splitter!

5 of those photos are a 20 minute hike from the car, an ebike is handy for the rest 

What are the best secret crags to check out?

W K wrote:

What are the best secret crags to check out?

They are secret

Anyone can DM me if they wanna know some of the best secret spots