California · Rock climbing · Lone Pine

The Penguins

8 climbing routes in California, mixed and sport styles, 5 difficulty grades.

The PenguinsPhoto: docentjoyce, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
8 routes
5.6 – 5.10a/b
Sport · Mixed

Best time to visit The Penguins

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

    58° / 30°

    4 wet

  2. Feb

    61° / 33°

    4 wet

  3. Mar

    69° / 39°

    3 wet

  4. Apr

    76° / 44°

    1 wet

  5. May

    85° / 53°

    1 wet

  6. Jun

    96° / 62°

    1 wet

  7. Jul

    102° / 67°

    1 wet

  8. Aug

    101° / 65°

    1 wet

  9. Sep

    93° / 58°

    1 wet

  10. Oct

    81° / 48°

    1 wet

  11. Nov

    67° / 36°

    2 wet

  12. Dec

    57° / 29°

    4 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Independence, CA, 15.6 mi away at 3,950 ft. The station sits about 700 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 Penguins is a climbing area on Bureau of Land Management land in the Bishop Field Office of California, about 15 miles from Independence. It sits among a cluster of other climbing spots, with Rock Candy Tower, Tootsie Pop Tower and The Chocolate Block (aka Rocky Top) all about 0.1 mile away. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Independence show April highs around 76°F and October highs around 81°F, while July and August average in the low 100s. The area has eight routes, seven of which are sport climbs and one is mixed. Grades range from 5.6 to 5.10a/b. Among the named routes are Goodbye Blue Sky at 5.7, Stem Cell Research at 5.10a and My Little Lab Rat at 5.10a/b. For a hike, the Alabama Hills Trail is about 1.2 miles away, and Tuttle Creek Campground is about 1.5 miles away. Lone Pine campground lies about 4.1 miles off.

Routes (8)

Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive

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