California · Rock climbing · Green Valley Lake

North Face (Lower)

North Face (Lower) in California has 9 trad routes across 7 difficulty grades.

9 routes
5.7 – 5.11b
Trad

Is North Face (Lower) open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Mountaintop Ranger District. It doesn't name North Face (Lower), 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 North Face (Lower)

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, 7 mi away at 6,753 ft. The station sits about 1,100 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.

North Face (Lower) is a climbing area in the Mountaintop Ranger District of San Bernardino National Forest in California, managed by the Forest Service. It sits about 0.1 mile from North Face (Upper) and Rock Craft (South Face), so the two areas are easy to pair on a single visit. The climbing here is all trad, with nine routes ranging from 5.7 to 5.11b. Look Out Below is the easiest at 5.7, and Wish You Were Here is the hardest at 5.11b. The routes were first ascended between August and October 2001. Summer is the most comfortable time to climb. Typical averages from the Big Bear Lake weather station, about 7 miles away, show July highs around 80°F with lows near 50°F, while winter highs sit in the mid-40s. That station sits roughly 1,100 feet lower than the North Face, so temperatures on the rock run cooler. Green Valley campground is about 1.5 miles away, and Green Valley Lake is about 2.4 miles off. Little Green Valley and Glory Ridge are hikes within about 2.2 miles.

Routes (9)