Potato Patch
Near Benton
Photo: GSEC, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- 20 routes
- 5.8 – 5.11c
- Sport · Bouldering
Is Potato Patch open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 4 alerts for Inyo National Forest.
Stage 1 Fire Restrictions in Effect
Agency alert covering Inyo National Forest · Order 05-04-50-26-23 · USFS · Inyo National Forest
Help Halt Golden Mussel Invasion
Agency alert covering Inyo National Forest · USFS · Inyo National Forest
Ansel Adams and John Muir Wilderness Campfire Restrictions
Agency alert covering Inyo National Forest · Order 05-04-50-25-04 · USFS · Inyo National Forest
Golden Trout and Hoover Wilderness Campfire Restrictions
Agency alert covering Inyo National Forest · Order 05-04-50-25-05 · USFS · Inyo National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Inyo National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Best time to visit Potato Patch
Best months: May–September. 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
41° / 17°
Feb
41° / 18°
Mar
45° / 22°
Apr
51° / 27°
May
60° / 35°
Jun
70° / 42°
Jul
78° / 49°
Aug
77° / 47°
Sep
71° / 40°
Oct
61° / 30°
Nov
49° / 23°
Dec
41° / 17°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Mammoth Lakes Rs, CA, 10.1 mi away at 7,804 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Potato Patch is a climbing area in the Mono Lake Ranger District of Inyo National Forest in California, managed by the Forest Service. It sits among a cluster of other climbing spots, with Main Island, North Island and Stoned Wheat Thin Cliff all about 0.1 mile away. Summer is the most comfortable time to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Mammoth Lakes show July highs around 78°F with lows near 49°F, while winter highs stay around 41°F. Big Springs Campground is about 3 miles away, and Glass Creek Campground is just under 5 miles off. For hiking, the D-DEADMAN SUMMIT TO BALD MTN route is about 5 miles away, and Hot Creek, a paddling spot, is roughly 9.5 miles away.
Routes (20)
Potato 3(2)
Potato 5(2)
Swiss Cheese Boulder(2)
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
Photo: GSEC, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Clark Canyon
~0 min drive
Clark Canyon in California has 5 sport climbing routes on 3 difficulty grades.
Photo: GSEC, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Area 13
~0 min drive
Area 13 is a California climbing crag with 10 sport routes across 5 grades.
Stoned Wheat Thin Cliff
~0 min drive
10-route California crag with sport and trad climbing from 5.10 to 5.12+
Area 13 - Left Side
~0 min drive
Area 13 - Left Side in California has 18 climbing routes with 8 difficulty grades.
Log Boulder
~2 min drive
Log Boulder is a bouldering area in California with 8 routes.
Southern Edge
~2 min drive
Southern Edge in California has 4 bouldering routes across 3 grades.
Alpers Canyon
~3 min drive
Alpers Canyon in California has 8 sport climbing routes across 6 difficulty grades.
Curly Shuffle Cliff
~5 min drive
Curly Shuffle Cliff in California has 5 routes with mixed and trad climbing.
Holy Buttress Cliff
~5 min drive
Holy Buttress Cliff in California has 6 traditional climbing routes across 3 grades.
The Stumps
~5 min drive
Stumps, The in California has 7 trad routes across 4 difficulty grades.
