California · Rock climbing · Kyburz

West Face

West Face in California has 24 climbing routes with 14 difficulty grades.

24 routes
5.8 – 5.12d
Trad · Mixed · Sport

Is West Face open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 3 alerts for Eldorado National Forest.

As of · Source: USFS · Eldorado National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit West Face

Best months: March–June and September–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° / 32°

    12 wet

  2. Feb

    50° / 31°

    12 wet

  3. Mar

    56° / 33°

    12 wet

  4. Apr

    63° / 36°

    9 wet

  5. May

    72° / 42°

    7 wet

  6. Jun

    82° / 47°

    3 wet

  7. Jul

    90° / 53°

    1 wet

  8. Aug

    89° / 52°

    1 wet

  9. Sep

    83° / 49°

    2 wet

  10. Oct

    66° / 41°

    5 wet

  11. Nov

    51° / 35°

    9 wet

  12. Dec

    43° / 31°

    12 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Pacific House, CA, 10.6 mi away at 3,450 ft. The station sits about 1,400 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.

Closures we've recorded since August 2026

  • Fire Restrictions are in Effect Forest Wide

    Eldorado National Forest · Order dated September 22, 2026; seen Aug 23, 2026, no lift recorded · Forest Service

West Face is a climbing area in California's Eldorado National Forest, within the Placerville Ranger District. The Forest Service manages the land, and the area sits among several other climbing and hiking destinations, including the West Buttress and East Face, which are each about 0.1 mile away. The climbing here is a mix of trad and sport, with 24 routes in all. The YDS grades run from 5.8 up to 5.12d, and the area's hardest route is Grand Delusion, a 5.12d trad climb. Among the named routes are Pony Express (5.8 trad), Twist and Shout (5.10a mixed), Pan Dulce (5.10c trad) and Back in Black (5.11+ trad). For timing, late spring and early fall are the most comfortable windows. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show May highs around 72°F with lows near 42°F, and October highs around 66°F with lows near 41°F. That station sits roughly 1,400 feet lower than the area, so temperatures up here run cooler. Sugarloaf Peak is a hike about 0.2 mile away, and Sand Flat Campground is about 1.2 miles off. Harvey West Cabin is about 2.3 miles away, and the Pony Express hike is about 1.8 miles away.

Routes (24)

Twist and ShoutFA: J. Moore and T. Phillips, May 1977.5.10aFat Merchant CrackFA: Royal Robbins5.10bHyperspaceFA: R. Harrison, J. Smith, 1977.5.10bHappy FaceFA: Aidan McGuire5.10cPan DulceFA: Dan Patitucci, Joel Moore, 9/19905.10cThe Man Who Fell to EarthFA: Paul Crawford, Dan Osman5.11Back in BlackFA: Jay Smith5.11+Slippy LiamFA: Aidan Maguire5.11+ZiplocFA: Aidan Maguire5.11+EspressoFA: Joel Moore and Paul Brown5.11aMackerel SkyFA: Aidan Maguire5.11bUnder the Spreading AtrophyFA: Will Chen Mark Robinson '895.11bOnly the Young Die BraveFA: Will Chen, Dave Kennedy, Mark Robinson5.11cSugar Daddy5.11cHanging by a ThreadFA: Aidan Maguire5.11dCry MaryFA: Paul Crawford5.12aGhost in the MachineFA: Ed Drummond5.12aNorthern LightsFA: Jim Orey5.12aGrand DelusionFA: Chris Clifford5.12dPony ExpressFA: 1st P: Dick Long, 2nd: Gene Drake, Jim Hicks5.8West ChimneyFA: Warren Harding and John Ohrenschall5.8Crack FaceFA: Suchoski5.9The Podium5.9TM's DeviationFA: TM Herbert5.9+

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