Rubicon Formation
Rubicon Formation in California has 9 climbing routes across 7 grades, offering sport and trad options.
Photo: daveynin, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- 9 routes
- 5.7 – 5.12c/d
- Trad · Sport
Is Rubicon Formation 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 · Source: NPS · Joshua Tree National Park. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Best time to visit Rubicon Formation
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, 20.8 mi away at 3,249 ft. The station sits about 1,100 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 Rubicon Formation is a climbing area in California's Joshua Tree National Park, within the Joshua Tree Wilderness. The National Park Service manages the land, and the area sits inside the park's wilderness boundaries. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Yucca Valley show highs around 73°F in April and 80°F in October, while July and August average highs near 96°F. That station sits roughly 1,100 feet below the formation, so temperatures up high run cooler. The climbing here is trad, with one sport route. Nine routes are listed, ranging from 5.7 to 5.12c/d. Psychedelic Elvis is the easiest at 5.7, and Seizure is the hardest at 5.12c/d. Pit Viper is the sport option at 5.11c. A fee is charged for access.
Routes (9)
Facts about this crag
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