California · Rock climbing · Hesperia

The Skull

Skull, The is a climbing area in California with 3 routes.

3 routes
5.7 – 5.11b
Trad · Sport

Is Skull, The open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Mountaintop Ranger District. It doesn't name Skull, The, so check the source for the area it covers.

As of · Source: USFS · Mountaintop Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit The Skull

Best months: April–October. 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

    44° / 29°

    6 wet · 1 snow

  2. Feb

    45° / 30°

    6 wet · 1 snow

  3. Mar

    52° / 32°

    6 wet · 1 snow

  4. Apr

    60° / 36°

    4 wet · 1 snow

  5. May

    67° / 41°

    2 wet

  6. Jun

    76° / 49°

    1 wet

  7. Jul

    81° / 57°

    1 wet

  8. Aug

    82° / 57°

    1 wet

  9. Sep

    74° / 52°

    1 wet

  10. Oct

    63° / 43°

    2 wet

  11. Nov

    52° / 34°

    3 wet

  12. Dec

    43° / 29°

    5 wet · 1 snow

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Lake Arrowhead, CA, 4.4 mi away at 5,205 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

The Skull is a climbing area in the Mountaintop Ranger District of San Bernardino National Forest in California, managed by the Forest Service. It sits among a cluster of climbing spots, with the East Face and West Face both about 0.1 mile away. Late spring and early fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from the nearby Lake Arrowhead weather station show May highs around 67°F and September highs around 74°F, while winter brings highs in the low 40s and a few snow days a month. Pinnacles and Metate are hikes within a mile. North Shore Campground and Lake Arrowhead - Green Valley Lake Recreation Area are both about 4.5 miles away.

Routes (3)

Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive

East FacePhoto: Michael McCarty, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

East Face

~0 min drive

East Face in California has 6 climbing routes ranging across 6 difficulty grades.

West FacePhoto: Michael McCarty, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

West Face

~0 min drive

West Face in California has 5 climbing routes across 4 grades, offering sport and trad styles.

Champagne RockPhoto: Michael McCarty, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Champagne Rock

~1 min drive

Champagne Rock is a climbing area in California with 6 routes.

Upper ButtressesPhoto: Michael McCarty, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Upper Buttresses

~1 min drive

Upper Buttresses in California has 2 climbing routes on 2 difficulty grades.

Deep CreekPhoto: Jim Tighe RiverNude, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Deep Creek

~6 min drive

Deep Creek is a bouldering crag in California with 1 route.

Lake Arrowhead AreaPhoto: bdearth, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Lake Arrowhead Area

~9 min drive

Lake Arrowhead Area in California has 4 climbing routes with bouldering pads and sport options.

West PointPhoto: Michael McCarty, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

West Point

~1 min drive

West Point in California has 8 climbing routes with 4 difficulty grades, offering sport and trad options.

Pinnacle 2Photo: Michael McCarty, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Pinnacle 2

~1 min drive

Pinnacle 2 in California has 6 climbing routes across 5 grades.

South Face

~0 min drive

South Face in California has 5 routes with 5 difficulty grades, offering sport and trad climbing.

Dunte Wall

~0 min drive

Dunte Wall in California has 7 climbing routes ranging from moderate to hard.