Our top picks for a December trad climbing trip are Red Rock, Joshua Tree and La Pedriza. December sits inside the reliable season at all of them. Each pick is based on decades of weather data run through our rock-drying model — tap a card for the full month-by-month breakdown.
Top trad climbing picks for December
Red Rock
Aztec sandstone walls just outside Las Vegas, from single pitches to long routes. November is the pick, December to March is good between storms, and summer afternoons are too hot.
See the month-by-month weather data →
Joshua Tree
Short, rough cracks and slabs among the desert domes. November is the pick, December to March is almost as good, and summer afternoons are too hot.
See the month-by-month weather data →
La Pedriza
Granite domes and slabs in the Sierra de Guadarrama, an hour from Madrid. March and September lead, winter holds up well on the lower crags, and summer belongs to El Yelmo.
See the month-by-month weather data →How the December picks compare
| Destination | Country | Rock | December | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Rock | Nevada, USA | Sandstone | Good | Nov–Mar |
| Joshua Tree | California, USA | Quartz monzonite | Good | Nov–Apr |
| La Pedriza | Spain | Granite | Good | Sep–Jun |
Season = the months each destination's own weather-data article rates good or best.
Also in season in December
Questions
Where is the best place to go trad climbing in December?
Our top picks are Red Rock, Joshua Tree and La Pedriza. December sits inside the reliable season at all of them.
Which trad climbing destinations are at their best in December?
None of our trad climbing destinations has its best month in December, but Red Rock, Joshua Tree and La Pedriza are reliably in season. Our picks are at their best at other times of year: Red Rock in November; Joshua Tree in November; and La Pedriza in March and September.
Where else can I go trad climbing in December?
Also in season in December: Annot. Each guide has the month-by-month weather data.
Where should I go trad climbing in January?
In January, our top picks are Annot, Red Rock and Joshua Tree. See where to go trad climbing in January.