California · Rock climbing · Lee Vining

The Sphinx

Sphinx, The in California has 7 climbing routes with 5 difficulty grades.

Photo: Allie_Caulfield, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

7 routes

5.7 – 5.10b

Alpine

Is Sphinx, The 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 Oct 23, 7:10 pm PDT · Source: USFS · Inyo National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit The Sphinx

Best months: June–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° / 13°
Feb
38° / 12°
Mar
42° / 15°
Apr
45° / 22°
May
54° / 27°
Jun
65° / 33°
Jul
71° / 38°
Aug
70° / 36°
Sep
65° / 32°
Oct
57° / 26°
Nov
47° / 20°
Dec
40° / 12°

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Tuolumne Meadows Rs, CA, 8 mi away at 8,694 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 Sphinx is a climbing area in the Hoover Wilderness, part of the Mono Lake Ranger District of Inyo National Forest in California. The Forest Service manages the land, and the area sits within designated wilderness. The climbing here is alpine, with seven routes spread across the area. The grades run from 5.7 up to 5.10, with the median around 5.10b. Among the named routes are Northeast Ridge at 5.7, South Face at 5.10b, and Cerro K'Narlé at 5.10a/b, which was first climbed by Wayne Wallace and Fletcher Wilson in 1984. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Tuolumne Meadows, about 8 miles away, show July highs around 71°F and lows near 38°F, while winter highs there stay in the low 40s. The Tioga Wall and The Gold Wall climbing areas are each about 0.2 miles away, and the Warren Fork Trail is about 0.4 miles off. For an overnight base, Ellery Campground is about 1.1 miles away.