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El Portal, California

Looking for the best rock climbing in El Portal? We've got you covered with the top trails, trips, hiking, backpacking, camping and more around El Portal. The detailed guides, photos, and reviews are all submitted by the Outbound community.

Top Rock Climbing Spots in and near El Portal

  • Bridgeport, California

    Climb Matterhorn Peak via the East Couloir

    10 mi / 6000 ft gain
    Matterhorn Peak in the northeastern Yosemite Wilderness is an SPS Emblem Peak and many regard it as the beginning of the High Sierra, as there are no peaks higher to the north in the Sierra Nevada.There are many routes to the summit, but the shortest and most direct (though not easiest) begins at...
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  • Sonora, California

    Bouldering at Columbia College

    Get your hands on some limestone bouldering at this spot. There's actually two locations for bouldering in this area, Columbia College and Columbia State Park (about less than a 10 min. drive from Columbia College), but I made this specific adventure for climbing on the college. GPS Coordinates f...
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  • Pinecrest, California

    Climb Granite Dome via Lower & Upper Lewis Lakes

    25 mi / 5000 ft gain
    Granite Dome is the signature peak in the Emigrant Wilderness, with fantastic views north to the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness, east to the Hoover Wilderness (Sawtooth Ridge), and south to Yosemite including, on a clear day, Cathedral Peak and the Cathedral Range.There are several routes up Granite D...
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  • Lee Vining, California

    Hike Panum Crater Trail

    3.3 mi / 874 ft gain
    If you are visiting Mono Lake, the Panum Crater Trail is not to be missed! From 395, take highway 120 east for about 2.5 miles. Look for a small wooden sign for Panum Crater and turn left onto a dirt road. If you reach the turn-off to the South Tufa Area, you have gone too far! After about a mile...
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  • Pinecrest, California

    Camp at Baker Campground

    5.0
    / 6224 ft gain
    Baker Campground is a first come, first serve campground. Each site is equipped with a fire ring, picnic table, and bear boxes. The cost for a single family site is $20 per night and a double family site is $40 per night. The campground provides bathrooms and potable water. The campground is typi...
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  • Shaver Lake, California

    Balsam Forebay

    4.0
    1.05 mi / 62 ft gain
    Access to the forebay starts at the trail head from the parking lot 6,700 ft up, also from the parking lot there is access to two different sets of boulder patches separate from the ones encountered along the hike in.  Hike Start the 1 mile out and back hike from the parking lot following the t...
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  • Mono County, California

    Rock Climbing at Clark Canyon

    5.0
    Good quality volcanic tuff? That may somewhat of a contradiction, but nevertheless, Clark Canyon is indeed one of the best pocketed playgrounds in the Mammoth area.Be advised, however, that it is a little tricky getting there, and in certain spots you may need high clearance (a Prius won't make i...
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