Seasonal
Idyllwild · Top-rope, Trad, Multi-pitch
Suicide Rock
Silver granite slabs in the pines above Idyllwild. A cool summer escape and a classic SoCal classroom.
- Rock
- Granite
- Grades
- 5.1–5.13
- Drive
- 2 hr 15 min
Photo: Zach Behrens / USDA Forest Service (Public domain)
Seasonal
Summer full days, great with a Big Bear weekend
This is a mountain crag, so we only run trips here in season (May–early November). Roads and trails can close for snow, storms or fire, so we check the land manager's alerts before every trip.
Hundreds of short, featured granite pinnacles in the pines north of Big Bear Lake.
About Holcomb Valley Pinnacles
North of Big Bear Lake, the Holcomb Valley Pinnacles scatter hundreds of short granite towers through a pine-forested, gold-rush-era valley at 7,500 feet. The rock is covered in big, positive features, so routes often feel easier than their grades. It's one of the friendliest places in Southern California to climb.
It's a long way from LA, so we run full days here in summer, ideally for groups already spending a weekend in Big Bear. Bolted moderates, short walks and cool mountain air make it ideal for families.
Highlights
- Bolted moderates with big, friendly holds
- Very short approaches
- Cool summer climbing at 7,500 feet
- Pair it with a Big Bear weekend
Good for
- Kids & families
- Summer days
- First-timers
- Full days
Classic easier routes
Gold Standard (5.6), Bye Crackie (5.7), Coyotes at Sunset (5.8)
Your guide picks routes on the day to suit your group, the conditions and how busy the walls are.
Access and permits
- Access
- Reached by dirt forest roads that are gated after the first snow. Adventure Pass required (we provide it). The 2025 Gold Fire burned nearby; we check Forest Service alerts before every trip.
- Permits
- Commercial guiding on national forest land requires a Forest Service outfitter-guide special use permit.
Sources and further reading
Access changes often, with fires, storms and closures all common. Check the land manager's alerts before you go.
Keep exploring
Other crags
Seasonal
By request
Idyllwild · Trad, Multi-pitch
Tahquitz Rock
The 1,000-foot granite tower where the American climbing grade system was born.
- Rock
- Granite
- Grades
- 5.4–5.12
- Drive
- 2 hr 15 min
Seasonal
Perris · Top-rope, Trad, Multi-pitch
Big Rock, Lake Perris
A huge, friendly granite slab above Lake Perris. The best beginner granite in the Inland Empire.
- Rock
- Granite slab
- Grades
- 5.5–5.12
- Drive
- 1 hr 15 min