Arctic Temple
6 routes at Arctic Temple in California range across 5 difficulty grades with alpine no fixed protection.
- 6 routes
- 5.9 – 5.10d
- Alpine
Is Arctic Temple open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Mountaintop Ranger District. It doesn't name Arctic Temple, so check the source for the area it covers.
Radford Fire Closure Area
Agency closure covering Mountaintop Ranger District · Order 05-12-52-24-06 · USFS · Mountaintop Ranger District
Safety Alert - Falling Rocks at Bonita Falls
Agency alert covering San Bernardino National Forest · USFS · San Bernardino National Forest
Fire Restrictions
Agency alert covering San Bernardino National Forest · Order 05-12-00-26-05 · USFS · San Bernardino National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Mountaintop Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Best time to visit Arctic Temple
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.
Jan
46° / 24°
6 wet
Feb
46° / 24°
6 wet
Mar
51° / 27°
6 wet
Apr
57° / 31°
4 wet
May
66° / 37°
2 wet
Jun
75° / 43°
1 wet
Jul
80° / 50°
2 wet
Aug
79° / 49°
3 wet
Sep
73° / 44°
2 wet
Oct
63° / 35°
2 wet
Nov
53° / 28°
3 wet
Dec
46° / 24°
6 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Big Bear Lake, CA, 4.2 mi away at 6,753 ft. The station sits about 600 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.
Arctic Temple is a climbing area in the Mountaintop Ranger District of San Bernardino National Forest in California, managed by the Forest Service. It sits among a cluster of climbing and hiking destinations, with Black Bluff and Bluff Mesa CG (Little Tibet) both about 0.6 miles away. The area is known for its alpine routes, and six of them are listed, all rated between 5.9 and 5.10d on the YDS scale. The hardest is Arctic Arete at 5.10d, and the easiest is Wild Turkey Arete at 5.9. All were first ascended in 2000 by climbers including Eric Tipton, Kenn Kenaga and Pat Brennan. Summer is the most comfortable time to climb. Typical averages from the nearby Big Bear Lake weather station, which sits about 600 feet lower, show July highs around 80°F with lows near 50°F, while winter highs stay in the mid-40s. The Bluff Mesa Loop Trail is 0.7 miles away, and Bluff Mesa Group Camp is about a mile off. Big Bear Lake, roughly 1.4 miles away, offers fishing, and Boulder Group Camp is about 2.6 miles away.
Routes (6)
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