California · Rock climbing · San Diego

The Big Orange Block (aka The Spear Head)

Big Orange Block (aka The Spear Head) is a 7-route bouldering crag in California with 6 difficulty grades.

7 routes
5.7 – 5.12
Bouldering

Best time to visit The Big Orange Block (aka The Spear Head)

Best months: Year-round. 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

    67° / 46°

    7 wet

  2. Feb

    67° / 47°

    8 wet

  3. Mar

    69° / 50°

    7 wet

  4. Apr

    71° / 52°

    5 wet

  5. May

    72° / 57°

    3 wet

  6. Jun

    75° / 60°

    1 wet

  7. Jul

    80° / 64°

    0 wet

  8. Aug

    82° / 65°

    1 wet

  9. Sep

    81° / 64°

    1 wet

  10. Oct

    78° / 58°

    4 wet

  11. Nov

    73° / 50°

    6 wet

  12. Dec

    67° / 45°

    7 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at San Diego Montgomery Fld, CA, 5.1 mi away at 417 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Big Orange Block, also known as The Spear Head, is a climbing area in Mission Trails Regional Park in San Diego, California, on city-managed land. It sits among a cluster of other climbing spots, so it works well as one stop in a day of exploring the park's boulders and rock. The most comfortable months for a visit are typically late spring and early fall. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show May highs around 72°F and October highs around 78°F, with only a few wet days in each. Summer runs warmer, with August highs near 82°F. Several climbing areas lie right next door, including Grinding Stones Circuit, Indian Village Boulder and Middle Earth, all about 0.1 mile away. For a walk, the Oak Grove Loop Trail and Visitor Center Loop Trail are each about 0.4 mile off.

Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive