California · Rock climbing · San Diego

Rancho Penasquitos Canyon

Near San Diego

Rancho Penasquitos CanyonPhoto: RightCowLeftCoast, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
17 routes
V0 – V6
Bouldering · Mixed · Sport

Best time to visit Rancho Penasquitos Canyon

Best months: Year-round. 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

    67° / 47°

    8 wet

  2. Feb

    67° / 48°

    8 wet

  3. Mar

    68° / 50°

    7 wet

  4. Apr

    70° / 52°

    5 wet

  5. May

    72° / 57°

    3 wet

  6. Jun

    75° / 60°

    1 wet

  7. Jul

    80° / 64°

    1 wet

  8. Aug

    82° / 65°

    1 wet

  9. Sep

    81° / 63°

    1 wet

  10. Oct

    78° / 58°

    3 wet

  11. Nov

    72° / 51°

    5 wet

  12. Dec

    67° / 46°

    8 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at San Diego Miramar Nas, CA, 4.9 mi away at 477 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Rancho Penasquitos Canyon is a climbing area within Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve in California, on city-managed land. It sits among a cluster of climbing spots, with Still Waters Run Deep, Del Poconitos and Face Climb all about 0.1 mile away, and the North Side Trail just as close. The preserve's bouldering is the main draw. Of the 17 routes in the area, 15 are boulders, with grades from V0 to V6 on the V scale. The sport route is the only one that isn't a boulder. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show the warmest, driest stretch from June through September, when highs reach the mid-70s to around 80°F and wet days are rare. For a longer outing, the San Diego Sea to Sea Trail passes within a mile, and the San Dieguito River offers paddling about 7.5 miles away.

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