Wheeler Gorge
Wheeler Gorge in California has 34 climbing routes across 18 grades.
- 34 routes
- 5.8 – 5.12a
- Sport · Bouldering · Trad
Is Wheeler Gorge open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 2 alerts for Los Padres National Forest.
Los Padres Fire Use and Firearm Restrictions
Agency alert covering Los Padres National Forest · Order 05-07-00-26-05 · USFS · Los Padres National Forest
Santa Barbara Front Country Fire Use Restrictions
Agency alert covering Los Padres National Forest · Order 05-07-5406-01 · USFS · Los Padres National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Los Padres National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Best time to visit Wheeler Gorge
Best months: October–June. 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
66° / 34°
Feb
67° / 36°
Mar
70° / 39°
Apr
74° / 41°
May
77° / 46°
Jun
82° / 50°
Jul
89° / 54°
Aug
91° / 53°
Sep
88° / 51°
Oct
81° / 45°
Nov
73° / 37°
Dec
65° / 33°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Ojai, CA, 5 mi away at 745 ft. The station sits about 1,000 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.
Wheeler Gorge is a climbing area in the Ojai Ranger District of Los Padres National Forest in California, managed by the Forest Service. The surrounding area is packed with climbing, with the East Gully (aka "Cobble Choss") just 0.1 mile away and Hwy 33/Ojai Bouldering about 0.2 mile off. For an overnight base, Holiday Group Campground sits 0.7 mile from the gorge, and the Wheeler Gorge Nature hike starts 0.8 mile away. The climbing here is mostly sport, with 31 sport routes and a single trad route among the 34 listed. Grades run from 5.8 up to 5.12, with the median around 5.10-. The routes include Cobble Climb (5.8), Irie Girl (5.9), Aha! (5.11a) and Aquaphobia (5.12), the hardest of the lot. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Ojai show April highs around 74°F and October highs around 81°F, while July and August average in the upper 80s to low 90s. The station sits roughly 1,000 feet below the gorge, so temperatures at the crag run cooler.
Routes (34)
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
Photo: Dana L. Brown, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Potrero John
~9 min drive
Potrero John in California has 12 climbing routes across 8 grades, featuring bouldering pads, sport, and trad.
Photo: Dana L. Brown, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Central Gully
~9 min drive
Central Gully in California has 11 climbing routes with 8 difficulty grades, offering sport and trad styles.
Photo: Dana L. Brown, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Right Side Gully
~9 min drive
Right Side Gully in California has 9 climbing routes with 8 difficulty grades, offering sport and trad options.
Wheeler Gorge - East Gully (aka "Cobble Choss")
~0 min drive
8 sport climbing routes in California.
Hwy 33/Ojai Bouldering
~0 min drive
8 bouldering routes in California, 6 difficulty grades
Foothill Crag ("The Foot")
~5 min drive
Foothill Crag (The Foot) in California has 12 climbing routes across 9 difficulty grades.
The Hideout
~5 min drive
The Hideout in California has 35 bouldering routes across 11 grades.
Upper Foothill (The Hideout)
~5 min drive
Upper Foothill (The Hideout) in California has 6 trad routes on rock faces with 5 difficulty grades.
Shelf Ridge
~6 min drive
Shelf Ridge in California offers 4 climbing routes with mixed, sport, and trad styles.
Sespe Gorge (Black Wall)
~8 min drive
Sespe Gorge (Black Wall) in California has 18 climbing routes across 9 difficulty grades, offering bouldering pads, sport, and trad.
