California · Rock climbing · Big Bear City

Wilbur's Tombstone

Wilbur's Tombstone is a California climbing crag with 6 routes, 5 difficulty grades, and sport and trad options.

6 routes
5.8 – 5.11a
Sport · Trad

Is Wilbur's Tombstone open right now?

Closure in the area

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

Best months: May–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

    46° / 24°

    6 wet

  2. Feb

    46° / 24°

    6 wet

  3. Mar

    51° / 27°

    6 wet

  4. Apr

    57° / 31°

    4 wet

  5. May

    66° / 37°

    2 wet

  6. Jun

    75° / 43°

    1 wet

  7. Jul

    80° / 50°

    2 wet

  8. Aug

    79° / 49°

    3 wet

  9. Sep

    73° / 44°

    2 wet

  10. Oct

    63° / 35°

    2 wet

  11. Nov

    53° / 28°

    3 wet

  12. Dec

    46° / 24°

    6 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Big Bear Lake, CA, 5.1 mi away at 6,753 ft. The station sits about 800 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.

Wilbur's Tombstone 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 other climbing spots, with the North Parking Lot Boulders and Prairie Squid Wall both about a tenth of a mile away. The area offers six routes, a mix of sport and trad climbing, with grades ranging from 5.8 to 5.11a. Among them are the trad route Pumped Up Woman (5.8), the sport route Wilburs Turning in His Grave (5.10a), and the trad route Takes a Thief (5.11a). The climbing is a short walk from the parking, which makes it easy to pair with a session on the boulders nearby. The most comfortable months for climbing are typically late spring and early fall. At the Big Bear Lake weather station, about 5 miles away, typical averages run from highs near 66°F in May to around 73°F in September, with the area's higher elevation running cooler than that station. For an overnight stay, Tanglewood Group Camp is about 1.4 miles away, and Holcomb Valley Ranch is about 2.1 miles off. Within a few miles are the John Bull Trail and the Big Bear Lake Recreation Area.

Routes (6)