California · Rock climbing · Big Bear Lake

Black Bluff - North Face

Black Bluff - North Face in California has 4 routes with alpine no fixed protection.

4 routes
5.8 – 5.11c
Alpine

Is Black Bluff - North Face open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Mountaintop Ranger District. It doesn't name Black Bluff - North Face, so check the source for the area it covers.

As of · Source: USFS · Mountaintop Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit Black Bluff - North 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

    46° / 24°

    6 wet

  2. Feb

    46° / 24°

    6 wet

  3. Mar

    51° / 27°

    6 wet

  4. Apr

    57° / 31°

    4 wet

  5. May

    66° / 37°

    2 wet

  6. Jun

    75° / 43°

    1 wet

  7. Jul

    80° / 50°

    2 wet

  8. Aug

    79° / 49°

    3 wet

  9. Sep

    73° / 44°

    2 wet

  10. Oct

    63° / 35°

    2 wet

  11. Nov

    53° / 28°

    3 wet

  12. Dec

    46° / 24°

    6 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Big Bear Lake, CA, 4.6 mi away at 6,753 ft. The station sits about 800 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.

Black Bluff - North Face is a climbing area in the Mountaintop Ranger District of San Bernardino National Forest in California, managed by the Forest Service. It sits among several other climbing areas, with Black Bluff - N. Face (Right Side) and Black Bluff - West Face each about 0.1 mile away. The area is an alpine climbing destination, with four routes all rated alpine. They range from 5.8 to 5.11c on the YDS scale, and the hardest of them, Die Hard and Exodus, are both 5.11c. Summer is the most comfortable time to climb. Typical averages from the nearby Big Bear Lake weather station, which sits about 825 feet lower than the bluff, show July highs around 80°F with lows near 50°F. Winter is much colder, with January highs around 46°F and lows near 24°F. The Bluff Mesa Loop Trail and Glory Ridge are both about a mile away, and Bluff Mesa Group Camp is about 1.2 miles off. Big Bear Lake, roughly 2 miles away, offers fishing.

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