California · Rock climbing · Scheelite

Crack of Noon Buttress

Crack of Noon Buttress in California offers 12 climbing routes across 10 grades in mixed, sport, and trad styles.

12 routes
5.8 – 5.14c/d
Trad · Sport · Mixed

Is Crack of Noon Buttress open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 4 alerts for Inyo National Forest.

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

Best time to visit Crack of Noon Buttress

Best months: May–September. 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

    41° / 17°

  2. Feb

    41° / 18°

  3. Mar

    45° / 22°

  4. Apr

    51° / 27°

  5. May

    60° / 35°

  6. Jun

    70° / 42°

  7. Jul

    78° / 49°

  8. Aug

    77° / 47°

  9. Sep

    71° / 40°

  10. Oct

    61° / 30°

  11. Nov

    49° / 23°

  12. Dec

    41° / 17°

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Mammoth Lakes Rs, CA, 24.3 mi away at 7,804 ft. The station sits about 600 ft higher than this place, so expect it a little warmer here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Crack of Noon Buttress is a climbing area in the White Mountain Ranger District of Inyo National Forest in California, managed by the Forest Service. It sits among several other climbing spots, with Fashion Slab and Hansel's Hangout both about 0.1 mile away. Summer is the most comfortable time to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Mammoth Lakes show July highs around 78°F with lows near 49°F, while winter highs stay around 41°F. Morgan Mine Road and Mount Julius Caesar are both about a mile away for hiking. Mosquito Flat Backpacker Campground and Horton Creek Campground, roughly 5.5 miles off, offer places to camp.

Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive