California · Rock climbing · Oakhurst

e. "South" Face

e. "South" Face in California has 9 climbing routes across 7 grades, offering sport and trad options.

9 routes
5.7 – 5.10c
Trad · Sport

Is e. "South" Face open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Sierra National Forest. It doesn't name e. "South" Face, so check the source for the area it covers (3 listed).

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

Best time to visit e. "South" 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

    43° / 24°

    11 wet

  2. Feb

    44° / 23°

    11 wet

  3. Mar

    46° / 26°

    10 wet

  4. Apr

    50° / 29°

    8 wet

  5. May

    56° / 36°

    6 wet

  6. Jun

    66° / 42°

    3 wet

  7. Jul

    74° / 49°

    2 wet

  8. Aug

    74° / 49°

    1 wet

  9. Sep

    68° / 44°

    2 wet

  10. Oct

    58° / 37°

    4 wet

  11. Nov

    49° / 31°

    8 wet

  12. Dec

    44° / 25°

    10 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Huntington Lake, CA, 23.3 mi away at 7,020 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

The "South" Face is a climbing area in the Bass Lake Ranger District of Sierra National Forest in California, managed by the Forest Service. It sits close to two other climbing areas, Fresno Dome and c. Main Wall, each about 0.1 mile away, which makes it easy to pair with those for a day on the rock. The routes here range from 5.7 to 5.10c on the YDS scale, with six trad routes and three sport routes. Trad climbers can try Mule Train (5.7) and Poking Papa Bear (5.10-), while sport climbers will find Buggery On The High Seas (5.10c) on the harder end. Summer is the most comfortable time to climb. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Huntington Lake show July and August highs around 74°F with lows near 49°F, and only one or two wet days a month. For an overnight stay, Kelty Meadow campground is about a mile away and Texas Flat is about 1.9 miles away. Sky Trail, roughly 1.4 miles off, is a nearby hike.

Routes (9)

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