California · Rock climbing · Apple Valley

The Vatican

Vatican is a California climbing crag with 5 routes ranging from sport to trad.

5 routes
5.7+ – 5.10c/d
Trad · Sport

Best time to visit The Vatican

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, 9.4 mi away at 5,205 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

The Vatican is a climbing area on Bureau of Land Management land within the Barstow Field Office in California. It sits among a cluster of other climbing and hiking spots, with Butt Rock Outcrop and the Juniper Flats Area about 1.2 miles away, and the Andes Trail and Pamirs Trail at the same distance. The climbing here is a mix of trad and sport routes, with five routes listed in total. The grades run from 5.7+ up to 5.10c/d, and the hardest is the sport route Saint James. The trad routes include Pope Don at 5.7+ and Purple Vortex at 5.10a. For timing, the warmest stretch runs from June through August, when typical highs reach the low 80s and wet days are rare. Those are typical averages from the Lake Arrowhead weather station, about 9 miles away. Winter brings highs in the low 40s and a few snow days a month. Nearby, the Clark's Ranch Trail Yellow Post Site and Big Pine Equestrian Group Campground are both about 7 miles away. Lake Arrowhead - Green Valley Lake Recreation Area is roughly 9 miles off.

Routes (5)

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North SlopePhoto: GSEC, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

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

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