Potrero John
Potrero John in California has 12 climbing routes across 8 grades, featuring bouldering pads, sport, and trad.
Photo: Dana L. Brown, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)- 12 routes
- 5.5 – 5.10c
- Sport · Trad · Bouldering
Is Potrero John open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 2 alerts for Los Padres National Forest.
Los Padres Fire Use and Firearm Restrictions
Agency alert covering Los Padres National Forest · Order 05-07-00-26-05 · USFS · Los Padres National Forest
Santa Barbara Front Country Fire Use Restrictions
Agency alert covering Los Padres National Forest · Order 05-07-5406-01 · USFS · Los Padres National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Los Padres National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Best time to visit Potrero John
Best months: March–June and September–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.
Jan
52° / 39°
7 wet
Feb
53° / 38°
8 wet
Mar
57° / 41°
7 wet
Apr
62° / 43°
5 wet
May
70° / 49°
3 wet
Jun
80° / 58°
1 wet
Jul
88° / 65°
1 wet
Aug
88° / 65°
1 wet
Sep
83° / 61°
1 wet
Oct
71° / 52°
2 wet
Nov
60° / 44°
4 wet
Dec
52° / 38°
6 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Sandberg, CA, 32.6 mi away at 4,510 ft. The station sits about 900 ft higher than this place, so expect it a little warmer here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Potrero John is a climbing area in the Ojai Ranger District of Los Padres National Forest in California, managed by the Forest Service. It sits among a cluster of climbing spots, with Right Side Gully and Central Gully each about 0.1 mile away. The area has 12 routes, with sport climbing making up the bulk of them. The grades run from 5.5 to 5.10c on the YDS scale, and two of the routes are boulders. Among the sport routes, Cleaning Lady and Menage a Trois are both 5.10b, and Miccis is 5.8+ with a first ascent in 1982 by Bruce Hendricks and Carol Wiede. Menage a Trois is notable for being led traditionally without bolts, according to its first ascent. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Sandberg show May highs around 70°F and October highs around 71°F, while July and August average about 88°F. That station sits roughly 900 feet lower than the climbing area, so temperatures here run cooler. The Potrero John Creek Trail starts about 0.4 mile away, and Middle Sespe is a hike about 2.1 miles off. Holiday Group Campground and Wheeler Gorge, a saltwater fishing spot, are both within about 5 miles.
Routes (12)
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
Photo: Dana L. Brown, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Central Gully
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Photo: Dana L. Brown, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Right Side Gully
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Right Side Gully in California has 9 climbing routes with 8 difficulty grades, offering sport and trad options.
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