California · Rock climbing · Big Bear City

Motherlode Rock - West Face

11-route climbing crag in California with sport and trad options, grades range from moderate to hard.

11 routes
5.9 – 5.11a
Sport · Trad

Is Motherlode Rock - West Face open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Mountaintop Ranger District. It doesn't name Motherlode Rock - West Face, so check the source for the area it covers.

As of · Source: USFS · Mountaintop Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit Motherlode Rock - West 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

    46° / 24°

    6 wet

  2. Feb

    46° / 24°

    6 wet

  3. Mar

    51° / 27°

    6 wet

  4. Apr

    57° / 31°

    4 wet

  5. May

    66° / 37°

    2 wet

  6. Jun

    75° / 43°

    1 wet

  7. Jul

    80° / 50°

    2 wet

  8. Aug

    79° / 49°

    3 wet

  9. Sep

    73° / 44°

    2 wet

  10. Oct

    63° / 35°

    2 wet

  11. Nov

    53° / 28°

    3 wet

  12. Dec

    46° / 24°

    6 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Big Bear Lake, CA, 5 mi away at 6,753 ft. The station sits about 800 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.

Motherlode Rock - West Face is a climbing area in California's San Bernardino National Forest, on the Mountaintop Ranger District. The Forest Service manages the land, and the West Face sits about 0.1 mile from the North and East faces of the same rock formation. The climbing here ranges from sport to traditional routes. Eleven routes are listed, with grades from 5.9 to 5.11a. Sport climbing dominates, with nine routes, and two are traditional. Among the sport routes, Stake Your Claim (5.10d) and Long Arm of The Law (5.11a) stand out. Funkadelia is the only traditional route and is graded 5.9. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Big Bear Lake run warmest in July, with highs around 80°F and lows near 50°F, and summer is the driest stretch, with only one or two wet days a month from May through September. Winter highs there average around 46°F, with lows near 24°F. Tanglewood Group Camp is about 1.4 miles away, and the Van Dusen Canyon Spur and John Bull Trail are both within about 1.7 miles. Big Bear Lake Recreation Area is about 3.5 miles off.

Routes (11)