Buckhorn Area Rock Climbing

Elevation: 5,800' - 7,283+'
Seasons: 🌸, ☀️, 🍁
Problems: 35+
Routes: 13

Section Under Reorganization! The Buckhorn area is all the rock climbing around the Campground, north and south of Highway 2. From the campground (or the Bukchorn Day Use parking area) you can access rope climbing at Fish Wall, Odessa Falls, the small crag in the Campground (near campsite 23). Bouldering exists on Mt Akawie on the south face near the campground and above the Burkhart Trail. There is also bouldering accross the street above Buckhorn Spring, at the Whittier Boulder, and along the summit trail to Lady Waterman's Peak via the Buckhorn Day Use Parking Area.

There are two main bouldering areas on Mt. Akawie. One accessible from inside the campground (near campsites 36, 37, and 38) and the other down the Burkhart Trail. The quality of these boulders is high (tighter grain structure and less chossy than the rest of the Angeles), but there aren't many of them, there are no trails, and the terrain is steep and loose. There are also some scrambles/rope climbs in the campground (campsite 23). Down the Burkhart Trail there are a couple of small sport climbing areas. And accross the Angeles Crest (visible from the road while driving) there is the highball Whittier Boulder.

Directions

Mt. Akawie Trailhead: 34.350341, -117.925213

Burkhart Trail Parking: 34.347484, -117.911073

From the Shell gas station in La Cañada head north on the Angeles Crest Highway, aka The 2, for 34.7 miles, passing Horse Flats, John Henge, Winston Peak, and the Mt. Waterman ski area along the way. Turn left into the Buckhorn Campground and wind yourself 0.75 miles through it to the Burkhart Trail parking area.

Access the climbs by going up from the campground, or hike along the Burkhart trail and walk up towards the rocks.