Nevada · Rock climbing · Mount Charleston

Central Slab Area

12 sport climbing routes on slab rock at Central Slab Area, Nevada.

Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

12 routes

5.7 – 5.12a

Sport

Is Central Slab Area open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. It doesn't name Central Slab Area, so check the source for the area it covers.

Elephant Fire Closure
Agency closure covering Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest · Order 04-17-26-01-04 · USFS · Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest
Stage 1 Fire Restrictions, Spring Mountains National Recreation Area
Agency alert covering Spring Mountains National Recreation Area · Order 04-17-05-26-02 · USFS · Spring Mountains National Recreation Area
Area, Road, and Trail Closures (Spring Mountains National Recreation Area)
Agency alert covering Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest · Order 04-17-25-04 · USFS · Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest
Year-Round Fire Restrictions (Spring Mountains National Recreation Area)
Agency alert covering Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest · Order 04-17-24-01 · USFS · Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest
Vehicle Snow Chain Requirements during Inclement Weather (Spring Mountains National Recreation Area)
Agency alert covering Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest · Order 04-17-23-01 · USFS · Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest

As of Oct 26, 7:10 am PDT · Source: USFS · Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit Central Slab Area

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.

Jan
44° / 22°
6 wet
Feb
44° / 22°
6 wet
Mar
49° / 26°
6 wet
Apr
55° / 30°
4 wet
May
63° / 37°
4 wet
Jun
74° / 46°
2 wet
Jul
79° / 52°
5 wet
Aug
78° / 52°
6 wet
Sep
72° / 44°
4 wet
Oct
62° / 35°
3 wet
Nov
51° / 27°
4 wet
Dec
44° / 21°
5 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Mt Charleston Fire Stn, NV, 0.9 mi away at 7,460 ft. The station sits about 600 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 Central Slab Area is a climbing area in Nevada's Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, part of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. The Forest Service manages the land, and the area sits within the recreation area's ranger district. The climbing here is all sport, with 12 routes spread across a range from 5.7 to 5.12a. The median grade is 5.11a, and the hardest route is Slab of Flab at 5.12a. The Imaginator, at 5.11+, and This Thing of Ours, at 5.11c, are among the more advanced options. Summer is the most comfortable time to climb. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Mt Charleston, about a mile away, show July highs around 79°F with lows near 52°F, while winter highs sit in the mid-40s. The Imagination Wall is just 0.1 mile away, and Kyle Canyon and Universal Wall - Left are each about 0.4 mile off. Cathedral Rock Picnic Area, roughly a mile away, offers a place to camp.