Western Sierra
Western Sierra in California has 22 climbing routes across 17 difficulty grades.
- 22 routes
- 5.7 – 5.11b/c
- Bouldering · Alpine · Trad
Is Western Sierra open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Sierra National Forest. It doesn't name Western Sierra, 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 Western Sierra
Best months: May–September. 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
41° / 17°
Feb
41° / 18°
Mar
45° / 22°
Apr
51° / 27°
May
60° / 35°
Jun
70° / 42°
Jul
78° / 49°
Aug
77° / 47°
Sep
71° / 40°
Oct
61° / 30°
Nov
49° / 23°
Dec
41° / 17°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Mammoth Lakes Rs, CA, 36.3 mi away at 7,804 ft. The station sits about 1,100 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.
The Western Sierra climbing area lies in the High Sierra Ranger District of Sierra National Forest in California, managed by the Forest Service. It sits within the broader Sierra National Forest, and the district's boundaries are defined by the USFS and PAD-US datasets. Summer is the most comfortable time to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Mammoth Lakes put July highs around 78°F with lows near 49°F, and the station sits roughly 1,000 feet below the area, so temperatures here run cooler. Winter is cold, with January highs around 41°F and lows near 17°F. Rainbow, a mountain biking route, is about 2 miles away, and Tocher Lake offers hiking at a similar distance. For an overnight stay, Dinkey Campground is about 5 miles off. Climbers looking for more rock can head to Courtright Reservoir, about 6.6 miles away.
Routes (22)
Finger Rock(2)
Graveyard Peak(1)
Hoffman Mountain(4)
Kerckhoff Dome(1)
Nightwatch(1)
Sycamore Creek Bouldering(1)
Upper Jackass Lake(4)
Wilderness Wall(3)
Yeti Dome (aka Musick Mountain)(1)
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
Photo: Kurt Minard, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Voyager Rock
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Ely Mountain
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5 routes at Cracks At The Dam Wall in California, grades span 4 levels with alpine no fixed protection.
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West Face
~16 min drive
West Face in California has 17 climbing routes with 10 difficulty grades.
