California · Rock climbing · Santa Clarita

East Face of the Elephant's Head (The Caves)

East Face of the Elephant's Head (The Caves) in California has 16 sport climbing routes.

16 routes
5.10+ – 5.13b
Sport

Is East Face of the Elephant's Head (The Caves) open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 7 alerts for Angeles National Forest.

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

Best time to visit East Face of the Elephant's Head (The Caves)

Best months: October–May. 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

    56° / 38°

    7 wet

  2. Feb

    58° / 39°

    7 wet

  3. Mar

    63° / 43°

    7 wet

  4. Apr

    68° / 46°

    4 wet

  5. May

    76° / 53°

    2 wet

  6. Jun

    86° / 62°

    1 wet

  7. Jul

    92° / 68°

    1 wet

  8. Aug

    93° / 68°

    1 wet

  9. Sep

    88° / 62°

    1 wet

  10. Oct

    77° / 53°

    2 wet

  11. Nov

    65° / 44°

    3 wet

  12. Dec

    55° / 37°

    5 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Fairmont, CA, 12.4 mi away at 3,060 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.

East Face of the Elephant's Head (The Caves) is a climbing area in the Los Angeles Gateway Ranger District of Angeles National Forest in California, managed by the Forest Service. It sits among a cluster of named climbing areas, with Broken Glass Boulder about 0.8 miles away and The Spur and The Panhandle each about 0.9 miles off. The area is a sport climbing destination, with 16 routes spread across a range from 5.10a to 5.13b. The easiest are Black Gold and Tusk, both 5.10a, and the hardest is Brachiation Dance at 5.13b. The Nose, a 5.10c/d, and Soldier Of Fortune, a 5.12b, round out the selection. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to climb. Typical averages from the Fairmont weather station, about 12 miles away, show April highs near 68°F and October highs near 77°F, while July and August average in the low 90s. For an overnight base, Zuni Campground is about 3.2 miles away. The 5N18 Fall Canyon Truck Trail and Rosa Canyon Truck Trail are both within about 1.5 miles for a hike.

Routes (16)

Cave DwellerFA: Rean Park, et al. (January 2021)5.10+Black GoldFA: Mike Draper & Matt Oliphant5.10aHoneybeeFA: Ben Chapman & Jeffrey Thomas (November 2013)5.10aTexas TeaFA: Draper, Oliphant, 5/20135.10aTuskFA: Chapman & Neal (2018)5.10aVasectomyFA: Jay Cho & Rean Park5.10cThe NoseFA: Rean Park, 20185.10c/dToo Many Cooks in the KitchenFA: Oliphant, Draper, Gindroz, Leventhal, Constine, 20125.10dThe AlamoFA: Scott Loomis, Mike Draper, & Matt Oliphant (1993)5.11aGun ShowFA: Jack Marshall, Cecilia Hernandez5.11dGirls With GunsFA: Jack Marshall, Cecilia Hernandez5.12aEl Diablo RojoFA: Jack Marshall, Cecilia Hernandez5.12bSoldier Of FortuneFA: Jack Marshall, Cecilia Hernandez5.12b38 SpecialFA: Jack Marshall, Cecilia Hernandez5.12c44 MagnumFA: Tony Sartin, March 25th, 20195.12cBrachiation DanceFA: Kevin Thaw5.13b

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