California · Rock climbing · Swall Meadows

Big Tower

Big Tower in California has 15 climbing routes across 9 difficulty grades.

15 routes
5.5 – 5.12a
Sport · Trad · Mixed

Best time to visit Big Tower

Best months: April–May and 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

    56° / 24°

    4 wet

  2. Feb

    59° / 26°

    4 wet

  3. Mar

    67° / 31°

    3 wet

  4. Apr

    74° / 37°

    2 wet

  5. May

    83° / 44°

    2 wet

  6. Jun

    94° / 51°

    1 wet

  7. Jul

    100° / 57°

    1 wet

  8. Aug

    98° / 54°

    1 wet

  9. Sep

    90° / 47°

    1 wet

  10. Oct

    78° / 37°

    1 wet

  11. Nov

    64° / 27°

    2 wet

  12. Dec

    55° / 22°

    3 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Bishop Ap, CA, 14.6 mi away at 4,102 ft. The station sits about 1,000 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.

Big Tower is a climbing area on city land in California, about a tenth of a mile from Pink Face and Diamond Face. It sits among a cluster of climbing and outdoor destinations, with Lower Rock Creek Trail and Lower Rock Creek a few miles off and Tuff Campground about 7 miles away. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from the Bishop airport weather station, about 15 miles away, run to highs near 74°F in April and 78°F in October. That station sits roughly 1,000 feet below the climbing area, so temperatures at the tower tend to run cooler. The closest neighbors are Pink Face and Diamond Face, each about 0.1 mile away. Lower Rock Creek Trail, Section 3 is about 1.8 miles off, and Lower Rock Creek is about 2.7 miles away for paddling.

Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive