There are some hidden gems in them thar mountains. I am talking about rocks, but not the kind you put on your fiancée’s left hand. The rocks in Holcomb Valley known as the Holcomb Pinnacles are crags just waiting for climbers to conquer.
I wanted to see for myself if Big Bear really is a destination for climbing. My first step was to connect with the right people in the rock climbing circuit to make it happen. Being a newbie to the sport my first objective was to find the right lead climber. My first call was to Billy Beach, a valley dude from Westlake. Beach made the suggestion a few months back that he has been itching to try out the crags of Big Bear. Scott Road from Lake Forest, another avid climber had the same agenda, which is to discover the hidden treasures of Big Bear. On Sunday, my two friends and I set out to find these goliath rocks, and see if Big Bear has what it takes for rock climbing.
This past May I invested in my first harness, and did some climbs in Joshua Tree. Of course in the summer it’s way too hot for climbs in the desert, but Big Bear provides a cool alpine setting with clean air, plenty of pines for shade, and soothing mountain breeze to for ideal comfort. More importantly, Big Bear does indeed have some real challenges and outright fun climbs. The combination of its cool climate and solid pitches makes Big Bear one of Southern California’s top rock climbing destinations for the summer. There are plenty of 5-10 and 5-11 climbs, but on this day we set out for 5-6 and 5-7 climbs.
Last week I spent my hard earned cash on a new set of rubber. I picked out a set of 5-10 Spires, a great beginner shoe with just the right amount of snug and plenty of that C-4 Stealth grip. The next thing was to find the ever elusive, hard to find copy of the San Bernardino Mountains rock climbing guide book titled “Hidden Treasures” by Brad Singer. Beach was able to track down a copy, which his buddy sent overnight to him. The good news is “Hidden Treasures” is getting reprinted and should be out in the next month or two. This will make a great stocking stuffer for the climber in the family. When the book is released it will be available at Equada Outfitters, located in Big Bear Village.
The rock formations we set out to discover were Skyy Slab and Gold Wall. The routes we conquered included Firewater (5-5), Naughty Pine (5-6), Mid Summer’s Night Seam (5-7) and Hidden Gold (5-7). The routes were a bit short, but nonetheless perfect for beginners like me. Hidden Gold was my favorite, and probably the most challenging for the day.
This time out I also learned some key climbing techniques, including belaying and self-repelling. Beach is one helluva a great teacher and I felt no intimidation learning these must-know routines. Thanks Beach.
I am off belay, but ready to conquer some more crags in Big Bear Valley soon. If you are itching for a great climb and want to get out of the heat Big Bear is the place for some quality climbing.
Chalk Up,
Daniel Pea
Getting There:
To get to the north Holcomb Pinnacles Take Highway 38 (North Shore) to Big Bear City. Turn onto Van Dusen Canyon Road (3N09) north to 3N16. Turn right on 3N16 to 3N32. Turn left on 3N32. This is a rough road and requires a 4×4 vehicle, preferably with high clearance. Take 3N32 to a side road that is marked with a rock cairn. Turn left at the rock cairn, and take that to the parking area. The approach to the Pinnacles is just a short jaunt away from the parking area.