Oregon · Rock climbing · Near Sisters

The Brain Boulder

7 routes
V0 – V2
Bouldering
May–Jun, Aug–Sep
best months

Is Brain Boulder, The open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Deschutes National Forest. It doesn't name Brain Boulder, The, so check the source for the area it covers.

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

The Brain Boulder is a bouldering area in the Sisters Ranger District of Deschutes National Forest in Oregon, about half a mile from the town of Sisters. It sits among a cluster of trails and climbing spots, with several routes and hikes within a short walk. The bouldering here is all on the same rock, and the routes are rated from V0 to V2. The Brain Escape is the easiest at V0, and The Brain and Brain Freeze are both V1. Butt Hurt is the hardest at V2. The area is small, so it works well as a quick stop rather than a full-day outing. Summer is the warmest time to visit. Typical averages from the nearby Sisters weather station run to highs around 86°F in July, while September cools to about 76°F. Winter is cold, with January highs near 41°F and lows around 21°F. The Five Pine Connector and Whychus Footbridge Tie hikes are both about 0.4 miles away, and the Peterson Ridge Trail West is about half a mile off. Eagle Rock, another climbing area, is about 1.3 miles away.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Sisters RV Park

    Campground

    Campground · 0.5 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Three Creeks Brewing Company

    Brewery

    In town
  • If it rains

    Art Gallery Dyrk Godby

    Gallery

    In town

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors

More in Sisters
  • Best time to go · May–Jun, Aug–Sep

    Best time to visit The Brain Boulder

    Best months: May–June and August–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.

    1. Jan

      41° / 21°

    2. Feb

      44° / 22°

    3. Mar

      51° / 25°

    4. Apr

      57° / 29°

    5. May

      66° / 34°

    6. Jun

      74° / 39°

    7. Jul

      86° / 43°

    8. Aug

      85° / 42°

    9. Sep

      76° / 36°

    10. Oct

      61° / 29°

    11. Nov

      47° / 25°

    12. Dec

      39° / 20°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Sisters, OR, 0.5 mi away at 3,180 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Routes (7)

Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive

EastPhoto: OSU Special Collections & Archives : Commons, No restrictions (via Wikimedia Commons)

East

~24 min drive

Oregon climbing area with varied routes and accessible climbing.

Warmup-Hangout ZonePhoto: OSU Special Collections & Archives : Commons, No restrictions (via Wikimedia Commons)

Warmup-Hangout Zone

~24 min drive

Warmup-Hangout Zone is a bouldering area in Oregon with 15 routes.

Downstream BouldersPhoto: OSU Special Collections & Archives : Commons, No restrictions (via Wikimedia Commons)

Downstream Boulders

~24 min drive

5 bouldering routes at Downstream Boulders in Oregon.

(5) Southern TipPhoto: Bill Reynolds from Lake Oswego, Oregon, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

(5) Southern Tip

~34 min drive

Southern Tip in Oregon has 13 climbing routes across 11 grades.

(7) Flounder and Cod RockPhoto: Bill Reynolds from Lake Oswego, Oregon, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

(7) Flounder and Cod Rock

~35 min drive

Flounder and Cod Rock in Oregon has 8 routes with 6 difficulty grades, offering sport, top-rope, and trad climbing.

(6) Northwest FacePhoto: bill mulder from santa margarita, usa, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

(6) Northwest Face

~35 min drive

(6) Northwest Face is a climbing crag in Oregon with 23 routes.

(m) Smith Rock GroupPhoto: Theoweesnerpdx, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

(m) Smith Rock Group

~35 min drive

Smith Rock Group in Oregon has 4 climbing routes across 3 grades.

(1) Northeast FacePhoto: U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

(1) Northeast Face

~35 min drive

Northeast Face in Oregon has 23 climbing routes spanning 16 grades.

(2) Llama WallPhoto: bill mulder from santa margarita, usa, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

(2) Llama Wall

~35 min drive

Llama Wall in Oregon has 21 climbing routes with sport and trad options.

(3) PhoenixPhoto: bill mulder from santa margarita, usa, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

(3) Phoenix

~35 min drive

Phoenix in Oregon has 9 climbing routes across 7 difficulty grades, offering sport and trad options.