California · Rock climbing · Big Bear City

Upper Hill

Upper Hill in California has 13 routes across 10 difficulty grades, featuring bouldering pads and sport climbing.

13 routes
V0 – V2
Bouldering · Sport

Is Upper Hill open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Mountaintop Ranger District. It doesn't name Upper Hill, 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 Upper Hill

Best months: May–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

    46° / 24°

    6 wet

  2. Feb

    46° / 24°

    6 wet

  3. Mar

    51° / 27°

    6 wet

  4. Apr

    57° / 31°

    4 wet

  5. May

    66° / 37°

    2 wet

  6. Jun

    75° / 43°

    1 wet

  7. Jul

    80° / 50°

    2 wet

  8. Aug

    79° / 49°

    3 wet

  9. Sep

    73° / 44°

    2 wet

  10. Oct

    63° / 35°

    2 wet

  11. Nov

    53° / 28°

    3 wet

  12. Dec

    46° / 24°

    6 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Big Bear Lake, CA, 4.6 mi away at 6,753 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Upper Hill 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 Gardens just 0.2 miles away and the Big Bear City Area about 0.7 miles off. The area is a mix of bouldering and sport climbing, with 13 routes in total. Boulderers will find the most options, with nine boulder problems ranging from V0- to V2, while sport climbers have four routes, typically graded around 5.7 to 5.10. Some of the boulders include South Face (V0-), Bubba Arete (V0) and Warm Up Traverse (V2). Summer is the most comfortable time to climb. Typical averages from the nearby Big Bear Lake weather station, at a similar elevation, show July highs around 80°F with lows near 50°F, while winter highs sit in the mid-40s. Nearby, the School Loop hike is about 1.4 miles away and Tanglewood Group Camp is about 1.5 miles away. Big Bear Lake Recreation Area, about 3.4 miles off, offers lake fishing.