California · Rock climbing · Dunsmuir

Castle Crags

Castle Crags in California has 18 climbing routes across 12 grades, offering mixed, sport, and trad styles.

Castle CragsPhoto: theforestprimeval, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
18 routes
5.6 – 5.11+
Trad · Sport · Mixed

Is Castle Crags open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Shasta-Trinity National Forest. It doesn't name Castle Crags, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).

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

Best time to visit Castle Crags

Best months: April–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

    44° / 27°

    13 wet

  2. Feb

    48° / 28°

    12 wet

  3. Mar

    53° / 31°

    13 wet

  4. Apr

    59° / 34°

    11 wet

  5. May

    68° / 40°

    9 wet

  6. Jun

    76° / 46°

    5 wet

  7. Jul

    85° / 51°

    2 wet

  8. Aug

    84° / 49°

    2 wet

  9. Sep

    78° / 44°

    3 wet

  10. Oct

    64° / 38°

    6 wet

  11. Nov

    50° / 31°

    11 wet

  12. Dec

    43° / 27°

    13 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Mt Shasta, CA, 10.5 mi away at 3,613 ft. The station sits about 700 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.

Castle Crags is a climbing area in California's Castle Crags Wilderness, part of the Mt. Shasta Ranger District of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. The Forest Service manages the surrounding land, and the area sits within designated wilderness. Summer is the driest stretch, with typical July highs around 85°F and lows near 51°F, and only a couple of wet days a month. September stays mild with highs near 78°F and lows around 44°F, but winter brings typical highs in the low to mid 40s and frequent rain, with about 13 wet days a month from December through February. Those figures are typical averages from a nearby weather station at Mt. Shasta, which sits a few hundred feet lower than the crags. The climbing here is mostly trad, with 15 traditional routes and two sport routes among 18 listed. Grades run from 5.6 up to 5.11+, with the North Face on Castle Dome at 5.9 and Casino at 5.11a. The Grotto and Six Toe Rock both sit about 0.1 mile away, and Castle Dome and Root Creek Trail are hikes within half a mile.

Routes (18)

Battle Mountain(1)

Plumb Line5.10a

Mansion, The(1)

Casino5.11a

Pin Cushion Wall(1)

Mild Steel5.10b

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