California · Rock climbing · Hesperia

West Face

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

West FacePhoto: Michael McCarty, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
5 routes
5.7 – 5.12a
Sport · Trad

Is West Face open right now?

Closure in the area

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

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.

West Face 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 Skull and East Face both about 0.1 mile away. The area has five routes, three of them sport and two trad, with grades ranging from 5.7 to 5.12a. The Boot Route is the easiest at 5.7, and The Wave is the hardest at 5.12a. The sport routes were all first ascended in the mid-1990s, while The Wave was first climbed in 2000. Summer is the warmest stretch. Typical averages from the Lake Arrowhead weather station, about 4.4 miles away, show July and August highs around 81 to 82°F with lows near 57°F and only about one wet day a month. Winter brings highs in the low 40s and a few snow days a month. Pinnacles and Metate are both hikes within a mile. North Shore Campground and Lake Arrowhead - Green Valley Lake Recreation Area are about 4.7 miles away.

Routes (5)

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

The Skull

~0 min drive

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

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.