My top 5 spots in So-Cal for Sport Climbing
When it comes to outdoor rock climbing, there’s so many great places to choose from in Southern California. Here’s my 5 favourite spots!
Wheeler Gorge, Ojai
Running along a beautiful creek, the sport climbing area in Wheeler Gorge is one of my all-time favourite places to go. The climbs range in difficulty from 5.8 to 5.12a so climbers of all levels will have something to enjoy. The “parking area” is basically a dirt patch off the side of the road and the approach is about a quarter mile along the water so make sure to bring water-friendly shoes and plenty of snacks to last the day (also don’t forget the bug spray!!). Another great benefit of this spot is that dogs are allowed and if you have a well trained dog, its a pretty good area for them to enjoy themselves off-leash!
Point Dume, Malibu
Right along the edge of a cliff facing the Pacific Ocean, Point Dume is a place I love taking visitors from out-of-state. The picturesque views and chill vibes are perfect for people new to climbing with the added benefit of being right on the beach for other friends that want to join in on the fun but don’t necessarily want to climb. The difficulty range is 5.7 to 5.11a and the 5.7 climb is a super non-threatening route along the cliff’s arette (a good first-climb for newbies). Dogs are not allowed and I’m sure you can find a free parking spot nearby but out of sheer laziness I usually end up just paying the $10 so I don’t have to walk far (the climbing spot is at the very end of the paid parking area). Another fun part of going to Point Dume is saying hi to Greg, a local of Malibu who visits the spot almost daily and jumps off of the top of the cliffs for fun/exercise. Some people hate on him or share unfortunate “stories” of him but I’ve hung out with him countless times and each time he was incredibly pleasant, well-informed, and helpful to other climbers. I’ve seen him help people on routes when they are stuck and let others use his gear when they’re in need. He’s a great guy and it’s always fun to watch him jump. Also he befriended a squirrel that comes and eats bread out of his hand when he calls it, which is frickin adorable.
Malibu Creek, Malibu
Another awesome spot in Malibu, Malibu Creek boasts of a huuuge number of routes with a large range in ratings. From 5.5 to 5.13d, you can find beginners as well as really well-seasoned climbers here for good reason. Malibu Creek feels to me like a sci-fi Jurassic Park-like setting with routes surrounded by all different kinds of wildlife and plants. The approach is quite a hike so make sure to bring plenty of water and food for the day. Dogs are not allowed and you’ll have to traverse above water to get to the climbing spot so I probably wouldn’t bring someone who has never climbed before unless you’ve notified them of that factor beforehand. I also try to avoid Malibu Creek on holiday weekends or days I know it will be busy because a bottleneck forms along the traverse since it is the only way in/out of the climbing area.
Texas Canyon, Santa Clarita
About a half hour north of the San Fernando Valley is Texas Canyon. Ratings go from 5.7 to 5.12c, the approach is pretty short, and it’s a dog friendly spot! Watch out for the weather here, I’ve been nearly blown off the face of a few rocks more than once. But when it’s nice out, this spot is great. There’s a pretty easy/epic multi-pitch that is great practice with a sick view at the top.
Alabama Hills, Lone Pine
Alabama Hills is something straight out either a Western movie (it actually is a featured location in many Western’s) or something on a different planet. We usually save trips to Alabama Hills for long weekends or vacations since the drive from Ventura County is about 4.5 hours so we arrive deep into the middle of the night and wake up to these epic rock formations all around us. It’s pretty dog friendly and mostly BLM land so don’t forget your poop shovel if you’re staying overnight :)
Bonus: Echo Cliffs, Malibu
I know I already listed 5 but I just could not exclude Echo Cliffs from the list. With about a 40 minute approach along the Sandstone Peak trail, Echo is by far one of the most beautiful spots to climb. The approach is really rad — once you reach the part of the trail that looks like it once had water rushing down it, you actually follow the rock formations all the way down to the bottom. I’ve done the approach in Chaco sandals a couple of times and I was fine, but I wouldn’t wear flip-flops or anything like that for sure. The climbs range from 5.8 to 5.14a and by mid-day its just so epic to see all the climbers along the face of the wall going up and down. On years when we’ve had good rain, Echo is the most beautiful because of all the lush greenery along the mountains. Plus it’s dog friendly!
Concluding Thoughts:
I hope someone finds this list of climbing spots helpful. For climbers/adventurers looking to build out vans or just to make friends, my fiance and I try to climb as much as possible and he builds out vans for a living so don’t be shy (instagram: @van_go_custom_kits).
Also I do want to take a second to mention that bringing your dogs to these climbing spots is a huge responsibility, especially if they are off-leash. If not properly trained it could cause huge, potentially life threatening problems for fellow climbers and even the local wildlife. In desserts especially, some small mice or local animals have such a low supply of water that even if your dog chases them and doesn’t catch them, they’re likely to die from dehydration. In order to preserve the local wildlife, sometimes it’s just best to leash your dog and take them on walks! So please be mindful of your furry friends as well as the trash you bring in and out of these areas! With that, I hope anyone who stumbled across this article found something useful! Happy adventuring!
