Climbing
Sport climbing, Trad climbing
Alpine climbing NCCS rating
Grade II
Elevation Gain
60.00 m (196.85 ft)
Distance
1.02 km (0.63 mi)
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

The Tombstone Tower is a tricky-to-reach crag that is a short distance from the road. It offers some steep climbing on somewhat chossy rock. For hot days when you're trying to escape the sun, it's a perfect spot. Located deep in the Cypress Canyon, it is well sheltered from the sun.

Expect some trickiness getting here. There are numerous bike trails that obscure the correct path. Starting at the playground, head across a short bridge and to the right along the wide path. At the footbridge, head uphill to a black gate. Follow this trail down a short hill. It veers off to the right from here. A brief, well-trodden, steep hill to the left will tempt you, but press directly forward toward the sound of water. You'll meet up with a trail along the canyon edge here. Follow this to another black gate. Directly to the right in the canyon is the crag. The trails here are sparse, so pick your way down to the edge and look for a rope leading down the edge of the canyon. It's a fairly steep descent made easy by the ropes. At the base, you'll need to make your way up the riverbed to the routes themselves.

The easiest route, Headstone, is fairly loose with plenty of blocks. It's also often right over the water, so you may need to construct a belay ledge or set up a hanging belay to avoid ropes getting sodden. The rest of the crag is a little more solid and offers stout, very steep climbing through crack systems in the 5.10 range.

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)

Summer

Congestion

Low

Parking Pass

Street Parking

Open Year-round

Yes

Pros

Very scenic. Serene. Quiet. Short approach. Great on hot days.

Cons

Tricky belaying. Awkward descent. Approach trail can be tricky to locate.

Pets allowed

Allowed with Restrictions

Trailhead Elevation

820.21 ft (250.00 m)

Highest point

853.02 ft (260.00 m)

Features

Old-growth forest
Wildflowers
Bird watching

Access

Vehicle

Typically multi-day

No

Permit required

No

Primary aspect

East facing

Class / Rating

5.8-5.11d

Drinking water

Unfrozen water

Location

Nearby Lodging + Camping

Comments

Have updates, photos, alerts, or just want to leave a comment?
Sign In and share them.