Upper Tier
Upper Tier in California has 25 climbing routes with 15 difficulty grades.
- 25 routes
- 5.4 – 5.12a
- Alpine
Is Upper Tier open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Sierra National Forest. It doesn't name Upper Tier, so check the source for the area it covers (3 listed).
Safety Tips for Burned Areas: Garnet Fire Area
Agency closure covering Sierra National Forest · USFS · Sierra National Forest
Wilderness Food and Refuse Storage
Agency closure covering Sierra National Forest · Order 05-15-00-26-03 · USFS · Sierra National Forest
Food and Refuse Storage
Agency closure covering Sierra National Forest · Order 05-15-00-26-02 · USFS · Sierra National Forest
Forest Order removes Fish Camp, Soda Springs, and Little Jackass from closure list
Agency alert covering Sierra National Forest · Order 05-15-00-26-11 · USFS · Sierra National Forest
Ansel Adams and John Muir Wilderness Campfire Restrictions
Agency alert covering Sierra National Forest · Order 05-15-00-26-09 · USFS · Sierra National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Sierra National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Best time to visit Upper Tier
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.
Jan
43° / 24°
11 wet
Feb
44° / 23°
11 wet
Mar
46° / 26°
10 wet
Apr
50° / 29°
8 wet
May
56° / 36°
6 wet
Jun
66° / 42°
3 wet
Jul
74° / 49°
2 wet
Aug
74° / 49°
1 wet
Sep
68° / 44°
2 wet
Oct
58° / 37°
4 wet
Nov
49° / 31°
8 wet
Dec
44° / 25°
10 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Huntington Lake, CA, 15.5 mi away at 7,020 ft. The station sits about 1,600 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.
Upper Tier is a climbing area in the High Sierra Ranger District of Sierra National Forest in California, managed by the Forest Service. It sits among a cluster of climbing spots, with Lower Tier and Sex Wall each about 0.1 mile away. The area is an alpine climbing destination, with 25 routes all falling under the alpine style. Grades run from 5.4 up to 5.12a, with the median around 5.10d. Some of the named routes include Drill Instructor (5.4), Nosferatu (5.10c) and The Cross and the Switchblade (5.12a). Summer is the most comfortable time to climb. Typical averages from the Huntington Lake weather station, about 15.5 miles away, show July and August highs near 74°F with lows around 49°F and only one or two wet days a month. That station sits roughly 1,550 feet below the area, so temperatures here run cooler. Nearby, Dinkey Lakes is about a mile away, Voyager Rock campground is about 1.4 miles off, and Helms Creek offers canoeing about 1.6 miles away.
Routes (25)
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
Photo: Kurt Minard, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Voyager Rock
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Voyager Rock in California has 12 climbing routes across 11 grades.
Photo: Kurt Minard, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Tehipite Dome
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Tehipite Dome in California has 11 traditional climbing routes across 9 grades.
Photo: jfdervin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Bishop Pass & Evolution
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Bishop Pass & Evolution in California has 36 routes with alpine no fixed protection.
Sex Wall
~0 min drive
Sex Wall in California has 8 routes across 6 difficulty grades with alpine no fixed protection.
Courtright Reservoir
~2 min drive
Courtright Reservoir in California has 18 climbing routes with 12 distinct difficulty grades.
Cracks At The Dam Wall
~3 min drive
5 routes at Cracks At The Dam Wall in California, grades span 4 levels with alpine no fixed protection.
Tiger Cage, Upper Tier
~4 min drive
6 routes at Tiger Cage, Upper Tier in California with alpine no fixed protection.
Penstemon Dome (West Face)
~4 min drive
Penstemon Dome (West Face) in California has 10 climbing routes across 5 grades.
Right Side of East Face
~4 min drive
Right Side of East Face in California has 5 routes with alpine no fixed protection.
Punk Rock (West Face)
~4 min drive
Punk Rock (West Face) in California has 7 climbing routes with 5 difficulty grades.
