Continue with onX Maps
Sign in with Facebook
Routes in Gemstone West
|
Broken Ladders T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b |
|
|
Christian Rock T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b |
|
|
Fin Left, The T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a |
|
|
Flail Out T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a |
|
|
Gemstone T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c |
|
|
Markingstone T 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c |
|
|
Pair of 4s T 5.9- 5c 17 VI 16 HVS 4c PG13 |
|
|
Seamingly Hard T 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b |
|
|
Shoots & Ladders T 5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c |
|
|
Sinsemilla Shake 5.11d, R T 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b R |
Order Wrong?
Sort Routes
| Type: | Trad, 180 ft (55 m), 2 pitches, Grade II |
| GPS: | 35.23408, -106.69239 |
| FA: | Gary Hicks and Jim Fuge, June 8, 1974 |
| Page Views: | 4,821 total · 21/month |
| Shared By: | George Perkins on Nov 19, 2007 · Updates |
| Admins: | Jason Halladay, Mike Hoskins, Anna Brown |
Your To-Do List:
Add To-Do ·
Your Star Rating:
Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more.
Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.
Access Issue: SANDIA CREST CLOSURE ALERT - Beginning APRIL 30, 2026, 140 acres at the top of the Sandia Mountains is under a closure order.
Details
Beginning APRIL 30, 2026, 140 acres at the top of the Sandia Mountains will be under a closure order so the Forest Service can complete two different projects. The first project is an extensive "fuel reduction project" and the second is the demolition/remodeling of the whole upper parking lot and crest house. The Crest Road and all parking areas above the 10k parking lot will be closed in addition to the 140 acres of forest that will be under going the fuel reduction work. The closure will be enforced from April 30, 2026, at 6 a.m. through January 15, 2027, at 6 a.m., unless rescinded. You can find the official area closure order 03-03-05-26-02 on the forest website, where it describes the parking areas and trails that the agency will close at: fs.usda.gov/r03/cibola/alerts. For more information visit fs.usda.gov/r03/cibola/news… or contact the Sandia Ranger District Office at 505-281-3304.
Description
Pitch 1
Step right and climb a left-leaning hand crack with poor feet to easier climbing (crux). Continue in the same left-angling crack system; some variations are possible. There are 2 sets of anchors at the top.
Descent:
Simplest descent is one rappel with 2 ropes. A comment below suggests a 70m rope will work, but I haven't tried that. If you have only 1 shorter rope you can get down if you angle hard to stay on the ascent route. Or scramble down steep terrain to the west.
:
Start up the obvious large left-leaning off-width. Traverse left under the roof (turning the roof crack is Markingstone, 5.11a). Climb easier cracks in the left-facing corner above to a bolted anchor on a ledge.
Step right and climb a left-leaning hand crack with poor feet to easier climbing (crux). Continue in the same left-angling crack system; some variations are possible. There are 2 sets of anchors at the top.
Descent:
Simplest descent is one rappel with 2 ropes. A comment below suggests a 70m rope will work, but I haven't tried that. If you have only 1 shorter rope you can get down if you angle hard to stay on the ascent route. Or scramble down steep terrain to the west.
12 Comments