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Horse Flats

The Word: Nice daytrip bouldering area.
Sun/shade: Either.
Wet weather options: None
Style of Climbs: Granite bouldering, nicely featured rock so there's a lot of overhung stuff.
Season(s): Autumn (fall) and spring are probably ideal. In winter it snows but may have some good days, while in summer it can get way too hot, but can be good on cooler days especially in the evening.
Grades: sub-V9?

The Details: A pleasant secluded bouldering area about an hour's drive from LA's northern suburbs. Even though it's at over 3,000ft, it was damn hot when we were there so we didn't do much. This area is in the Angeles Crest National Forest, so you need a permit to park your car anywhere in the Forest. The $35 annual pass is the way to go, it's good for all other Californian National Forests including the San Bernardino National Forest (Tahquitz!) and the Los Padres National Forest (Sespe Gorge). Get it at the Ranger's station about 25mins up the hill.

Access: Drive up highway 2 (the Angeles Crest highway) from La Canada for about 30miles (1hr). Steep winding road the whole way. Turn L to Horse Flats and follow this windy narrow road (beware several blind corners!) for another 2 miles or so to another L turn into the campground. Towards the far end of the loop, across from site 7, a trail heads off up the far ridge, stay on the ridge and you'll be at the boulders in about 10mins.

Here's Boulder 1, the first you'll see. Has several nice warm ups on it. Most of the other boulders are on that hill in the background.

And here's some of the more impressive boulders, that finger crack is a nice 6m problem, while the R boulder has some great-looking problems on that surface patina.