California · Rock climbing · Kirkwood

Carson Pass Highway (88)

Carson Pass Highway (88) in California has 9 climbing routes with bouldering pads and trad.

9 routes
V0-1 – V9
Bouldering · Trad

Is Carson Pass Highway (88) open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 3 alerts for Eldorado National Forest.

As of · Source: USFS · Eldorado National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit Carson Pass Highway (88)

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

    36° / 23°

    9 wet

  2. Feb

    37° / 23°

    8 wet

  3. Mar

    42° / 26°

    7 wet

  4. Apr

    48° / 29°

    5 wet

  5. May

    56° / 35°

    4 wet

  6. Jun

    66° / 42°

    2 wet

  7. Jul

    75° / 49°

    2 wet

  8. Aug

    74° / 49°

    1 wet

  9. Sep

    67° / 44°

    2 wet

  10. Oct

    55° / 36°

    3 wet

  11. Nov

    43° / 28°

    5 wet

  12. Dec

    35° / 23°

    7 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Dagget Pass, NV, 21.1 mi away at 7,334 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Closures we've recorded since August 2026

  • Fire Restrictions are in Effect Forest Wide

    Eldorado National Forest · Order dated September 22, 2026; seen Aug 23, 2026, no lift recorded · Forest Service

Carson Pass Highway (88) is a climbing area in California's Eldorado National Forest, within the Amador Ranger District and the Caples Lake area. It sits on regional agency land, and Caples Lake is the closest named place, about 0.2 miles away. The climbing here is bouldering, with a single trad route. Of the nine routes listed, eight are boulders graded from V0-1 up to V9, and one is a trad climb. The hardest boulders are V9, and the hardest trad is 5.11a. The routes include Sump (V0-1), Dabbers Roof (V5), Stomp the Yard (V6), Lactose Intolerance (V7-8) and Gideon (V8). Summer is the most comfortable time to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Dagget Pass, Nevada, show July highs around 75°F with lows near 49°F and only about two wet days. That station sits about 460 feet lower than the area, so temperatures at Carson Pass run a little cooler. Caples Lake is the closest climbing area, and Caples Lake Resort and Caples Lake Campground are both within about a mile. Emigrant Lake and Round Top Lake are hikes roughly 1.6 miles away.

Routes (9)

Pickett's Junction boulders(1)

Pickett's ChargeV5

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