Holcomb

Search
Go

Discussion Topic

Return to Forum List
This thread has been locked
Messages 1 - 16 of total 16 in this topic
Rudder

Trad climber
Costa Mesa, CA
Topic Author's Original Post - Jul 24, 2017 - 03:02am PT
I've been climbing since the 70's but just last Saturday finally made it out to Holcomb. I didn't do any homework on how to get there or what to climb once there. Just kinda took off in the morning and went for it. Couple of thoughts:

1) I imagined it right off the highway in Big Bear. I had heard there were some dirt roads involved, but didn't really understand that we're talking about some serious offroading. :O haha My "navigator" had Mountain Project downloaded to her phone, but rather than use those instructions opted for a direct line from a pin drop on google maps. Must of took us nearly two hours from the highway cutoff and a bunch of dead ends before we parked nearly at the base of Claim Jumper wall. We were in a 4x4 truck, no chance we we have made it in a car the way we went. Ah, the adventure. lol

2) It is this isolated fun center, for sure.

3) It was way crowded.

4) Didn't talk to anyone that I got the impression knew much about climbing, per se. Everyone was young, friendly, and had their quickdraws to clip 'em up. And, after all, the place is very much like gym climbing.

[Click to View YouTube Video]

[Click to View YouTube Video]



Rudder

Trad climber
Costa Mesa, CA
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 24, 2017 - 03:03am PT
Oh, is there a guidebook I can buy for Holcomb?
Rudder

Trad climber
Costa Mesa, CA
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 24, 2017 - 04:24am PT
Oh, and ate dinner at Sweet Basil Bistro. Really made the trip! My dinner and desert were amazing! Much better than bouncing around offroading. haha
10b4me

Mountain climber
Retired
Jul 24, 2017 - 07:32am PT
1. No 4wd needed if you come in from the sw.
2. The guidebook, by Brad Singer, is out of print.
phylp

Trad climber
Upland, CA
Jul 24, 2017 - 10:31am PT
If you can post any email account where I can contact you, I'll send a PDF guide.
I have a junk account I use for these kind of public internet contacts, hope you have one too.
Phyl
dirt claud

Social climber
san diego,ca
Jul 24, 2017 - 10:56am PT
Holcomb is fun, nice scenery and setting, but like you said it is like an outside gym. There are a lot of other fun spots in Big Bear area to climb that are not crowded since everyone goes to Holcomb. There used to be a PDF guide someone had made and posted on Mountain Project a couple years back but I do not see the link on there anymore.
Rudder

Trad climber
Costa Mesa, CA
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 24, 2017 - 07:42pm PT
1. No 4wd needed if you come in from the sw.
2. The guidebook, by Brad Singer, is out of print.

Thanks... do the MP directions work for the no 4WD needed?

""Van Dusen Canyon Approach - This, the most popular approach, is up scenic Van Dusen Canyon (3N09) which is quite rocky and sees a fair amount of traffic on the weekends. Just past the pavement's end (about 0.5 miles up) is a gate that gets locked after the first snowfall and that re-opens in the Spring when the road is dry enough.

Take Van Dusen Canyon Road (3N09) to it's end at a junction with 3N16 and make a left (heading west). Drive 0.6 miles, passing the Holcomb Valley Campground on the right, and make a right onto 3N07. Drive north along 3N07 passing Wilbur's Grave, a Boy Scout Camp on the left and several large dips in the road (often several feet deep with water in the early spring) until you can make a right which parallels a fence on the right. Follow this road (3N07) until it ends at a large parking area just below Parking Lot Rock. ""
Rudder

Trad climber
Costa Mesa, CA
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 24, 2017 - 07:43pm PT
If you can post any email account where I can contact you, I'll send a PDF guide.
I have a junk account I use for these kind of public internet contacts, hope you have one too.
Phyl

Thanks, Phyl, that would be great... joe at ruddermayhem dot com :)
10b4me

Mountain climber
Retired
Jul 24, 2017 - 09:27pm PT
Thanks... do the MP directions work for the no 4WD needed?

""Van Dusen Canyon Approach - This, the most popular approach, is up scenic Van Dusen Canyon (3N09) which is quite rocky and sees a fair amount of traffic on the weekends. Just past the pavement's end (about 0.5 miles up) is a gate that gets locked after the first snowfall and that re-opens in the Spring when the road is dry enough.

Take Van Dusen Canyon Road (3N09) to it's end at a junction with 3N16 and make a left (heading west). Drive 0.6 miles, passing the Holcomb Valley Campground on the right, and make a right onto 3N07. Drive north along 3N07 passing Wilbur's Grave, a Boy Scout Camp on the left and several large dips in the road (often several feet deep with water in the early spring) until you can make a right which parallels a fence on the right. Follow this road (3N07) until it ends at a large parking area just below Parking Lot Rock. ""

Yes, that is the non 4wd way to go.
phylp

Trad climber
Upland, CA
Jul 24, 2017 - 10:33pm PT
sent you an email...
mooch

Trad climber
Tribal Base Camp (Kernville Annex)
Jul 25, 2017 - 08:55am PT
Nice shot looing up 'Bye Crackie'. Always a fun route. Brad Singer put out a second edition for Big Bear (East) about 7 years ago and was expecting to put out another book that covered Big Bear West, to include Lake Arrowhead Pinnacles but he lost interest and never released it. He's now heavily into bird watching. The Big Bear West guidebook may be obtained through either Kevin Graves, Pat Brennan or Kenn Kenaga from Rim Of The World Climbing Club. They may have spare copies if you prefer a "guide in hand".
Rudder

Trad climber
Costa Mesa, CA
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 25, 2017 - 03:50pm PT
sent you an email...

Thanks, Phyl! :)
Rudder

Trad climber
Costa Mesa, CA
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 25, 2017 - 03:52pm PT
The Big Bear West guidebook may be obtained through either Kevin Graves, Pat Brennan or Kenn Kenaga from Rim Of The World Climbing Club. They may have spare copies if you prefer a "guide in hand".

How do I get in contact with them? thanks!
10b4me

Mountain climber
Retired
Jul 25, 2017 - 06:06pm PT
contact info for Pat.

http://www.buzzfile.com/business/Patrick-Brennan-Construction-909-337-9460
Splater

climber
Grey Matter
Jul 25, 2017 - 11:39pm PT
If you're coming from the west,
Polique Cyn road is faster to the south parking (non 4wd).
Old_Duffer

Trad climber
Lake Arrowhead
Jul 26, 2017 - 04:24pm PT
Re; new copies of Big Bear East (Holcomb and Bear areas). Both Pat Brennan and Brad Singer may still have several new "original" copies for sale but the price has escalated based on the few copies available (ie; ebay pricing has been established at x multiples of the published price). Call Brad Singer at Singer Carpets in San Bernardino or Brennan Construction in Rim Forest.

I have one copy but I'm keeping it for my own use. There are rumors of several Holcomb pioneers putting together a guide book but I personally don't think it will happen. You can walk the areas and find hundreds of climbs to explore and the .pdf compiled (?) from MP seems to offer a fair sampling. MP has quite a few areas covered. Just a little more work.

Check out Black Bluff and Arctic Temple or Upper and Lower Dinosaur Rock (Keller Peak Road/Running Springs) for some classic crack climbs :)
Messages 1 - 16 of total 16 in this topic
Return to Forum List
 
Our Guidebooks
spacerCheck 'em out!
SuperTopo Guidebooks

guidebook icon
Try a free sample topo!

 
SuperTopo on the Web

Recent Route Beta