California · Rock climbing · Desert Hot Springs

The Old Woman - West Face

Old Woman - West Face, The in California has 19 climbing routes.

Photo: Jarek Tuszyński, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

19 routes

5.2 – 5.11d

Trad · Sport · Mixed

Is Old Woman - West Face, The open right now?

Alert in the area

The National Park Service lists 3 alerts for Joshua Tree National Park.

Partial Trail Closure of West Side Loop
Park alert covering Joshua Tree National Park · NPS · Joshua Tree National Park
Inaccurate Third-Party Apps
Park alert covering Joshua Tree National Park · NPS · Joshua Tree National Park
Oasis of Mara Trail Partial Closure
Park alert covering Joshua Tree National Park · NPS · Joshua Tree National Park

As of Oct 24, 6:30 pm PDT · Source: NPS · Joshua Tree National Park. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit The Old Woman - West Face

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.

Jan
58° / 38°
4 wet
Feb
61° / 39°
3 wet
Mar
67° / 40°
3 wet
Apr
73° / 46°
2 wet
May
82° / 52°
1 wet
Jun
91° / 59°
0 wet
Jul
96° / 66°
2 wet
Aug
96° / 68°
2 wet
Sep
89° / 60°
2 wet
Oct
80° / 50°
1 wet
Nov
66° / 41°
2 wet
Dec
58° / 34°
4 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Yucca Valley, CA, 15 mi away at 3,249 ft. The station sits about 1,000 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.

The Old Woman - West Face is a climbing area in Joshua Tree National Park, managed by the National Park Service. It sits among a cluster of other climbing spots, including the East Face, Snack Boulder and School Boulder, all within about a tenth of a mile. A fee is charged for visits to the park. Spring and fall bring the most comfortable conditions. At the Yucca Valley weather station, 15 miles away, typical averages run from highs near 73°F and lows around 46°F in April to highs near 80°F and lows around 50°F in October. That station sits about 1,000 feet lower than the face, so temperatures on the rock tend to run cooler. The area holds 19 routes, mostly trad. Grades range from 5.2 to 5.11d, with the hardest route, The Cavity, at 5.11d. Among the sport routes is Sexy Grandma at 5.9. The East Face is right next door, and the Hidden Valley Trailhead is about 0.4 miles away. For an overnight stay, Sheep Pass Group campground is about 2.9 miles off.