California · Rock climbing · Tollhouse

Hippo Wall

Hippo Wall in California has 9 sport routes across 6 difficulty grades.

9 routes
5.7 – 5.9-
Sport

Is Hippo Wall open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Sierra National Forest. It doesn't name Hippo Wall, 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 Hippo Wall

Best months: February–May and October–November. 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

    54° / 37°

    9 wet

  2. Feb

    57° / 39°

    9 wet

  3. Mar

    62° / 42°

    8 wet

  4. Apr

    68° / 46°

    6 wet

  5. May

    77° / 53°

    3 wet

  6. Jun

    87° / 60°

    1 wet

  7. Jul

    94° / 68°

    1 wet

  8. Aug

    93° / 67°

    0 wet

  9. Sep

    87° / 62°

    1 wet

  10. Oct

    75° / 53°

    3 wet

  11. Nov

    62° / 43°

    6 wet

  12. Dec

    54° / 37°

    8 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Auberry 2 Nw, CA, 8.4 mi away at 2,090 ft. The station sits about 1,400 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Hippo Wall is a sport climbing area in the High Sierra Ranger District of Sierra National Forest in California, managed by the Forest Service. It sits among a cluster of climbing spots, with Tollhouse Rock and Cap Rocks each about 0.1 mile away. The climbing here is all sport, and the routes run from 5.7 to 5.9 on the YDS scale. The easiest is Hippo in a Bathtub at 5.7, and the hardest is Howdy Doody Time at 5.9. Fabulously Fresno and Trauma Dogs are both 5.8. The area was first climbed by Jim Cunningham and Mark Spencer, with several of the routes going up in the mid-1990s. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Auberry show May highs around 77°F and October highs around 75°F, while July and August average in the low 90s. That station sits well below the wall, so temperatures on the rock run cooler. Dorabelle Campground is about 7 miles away, and Bob's Flat Trail is a similar distance. Swanson Campground and the High Sierra RD fishing area are both within about 7.5 miles.

Routes (9)

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