California · Rock climbing · Yosemite National Park

Southwest Face

Southwest Face in California has 6 trad climbing routes on 6 difficulty grades.

Southwest FacePhoto: SymphonicPoet, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
6 routes
5.7 – 5.12a
Trad

Is Southwest Face open right now?

No closures listed

The National Park Service lists no closures for Yosemite National Park.

As of · Source: NPS · Yosemite National Park. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit Southwest Face

Best months: May–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

  1. Jan

    44° / 32°

    10 wet

  2. Feb

    42° / 31°

    9 wet

  3. Mar

    45° / 32°

    10 wet

  4. Apr

    49° / 36°

    8 wet

  5. May

    58° / 43°

    7 wet

  6. Jun

    67° / 52°

    3 wet

  7. Jul

    75° / 60°

    1 wet

  8. Aug

    75° / 59°

    1 wet

  9. Sep

    70° / 54°

    2 wet

  10. Oct

    60° / 46°

    4 wet

  11. Nov

    49° / 37°

    7 wet

  12. Dec

    43° / 32°

    9 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Yosemite Village 12 W, CA, 15.4 mi away at 6,620 ft. The station sits about 700 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Southwest Face is a climbing area in Yosemite National Park, California, within the Yosemite Wilderness, which the National Park Service manages. It sits among the park's traditional climbing routes on the park's south side, and the Half Dome and Valley South Side climbing areas lie about a third of a mile away. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station run to highs around 75°F with lows near 60°F in July and August, and those months see only about one wet day each. That station sits about 667 feet lower than the area, so temperatures here run a little cooler. The climbing here is all trad, and the route grades range from 5.7 to 5.12a. Snake Dike is the easiest at 5.7, and Two Hoofers is the hardest at 5.12a. The Southwest Face route itself is listed at 5.10. A fee is charged for climbing in the park.

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