NEW GUIDEBOOK! SQUEEZING THE LEMMON III - Weekly to daily cliff suggestions for the changing seasons!

The only way to make sure that we have every four star climb in the new guide accounted for is if everyone buys the book and double checks Joe's list. :)

ah yes R-4. that's a good one. Old Man is up there too as far as classic 5.9 trad routes on lemmon go.

Looking for a partner for R-4 and Nang! :)

Bump for a great book and a great person.

Thanks for all the hard work.

My list of classic Lemmon routes below 5.10:

• Stoner's Boner
• R4
• Old Man
• Fort Stress
• Steel Crazy

Old Man for sure. Stoner's Boner is really good but i wouldn't call it classic. Fort Stress and Steel Crazy i've heard great things about but i haven't done 'em. i'm pretty sure R4 is really good but it was the first 5.9 trad route i ever led so i was too terrified at the time to say for certain how good it was haha.

LOL John! Climb it again some time so you can enjoy it. It is terrific. :)

yeah i intend to this season. still a bit warn for full on sun at that elevation, but soon...

Jon, looking for a partner for R-4 and Nang! :)

yup as soon as it's cool enough that full-on sun at windy point is comfortable i'm there.

I think it will be good by Sunday Jon.

Bump. :)

Hey Everyone,

A friend and I are planning on hitting up the area this coming weekend. I bought the book from my local shop and have to say it’s EXTENSIVE. Can anyone help us narrow it down a bit and recommend a few areas with good climbs, that would also be good for the weather conditions (highs in upper 70s for Tucson)?

We’d be looking for Trad up to 5.8/9, Sport up to 5.10 and TRing up to 5.11.

Based on what I’ve read in the book a few areas that seem to work are:

Hairpin Turn (TMNT, Left Hand Wall), Rivendale, Mr. Meaner, Cell Blocks, Bug Spring, Weathertop, The Ruins, Wall of Flying Scorpians, Chessapeak and Bowling Alley.

Thanks!

Michael

I would recommend Swim Fin, North Fin, and South Fin at Windy Point West for iconic Mount Lemmon climbing. These areas are close to the road and have varying shade aspects.

Swim Fin
North Fin
South Fin

Most of the areas you listed are fairly low on the mountain where the rock is of lesser quality. The climbing is fun but not what I would personally show a first time Mount Lemmon climber.

Rivendale & Bug Springs - Neither is worth the hike

Hairpin, Sunny side of Prison Camp, Ruins - Still too hot, though if you're looking to meet other climbers you'll almost certainly run into some at Prison Camp

Weathertop - More for at least solid 11 sport leader

Both Chessapeak & Flying Scorpions would work - I think the rock is better at Chessapeak

Munchkinland is a good option at these temps, though a lot of the 10s are super sustained and may feel hard, may be crowded but there are many options like going down to Dancing Dwarfs if the main wall is crowded

Raycreation would still be OK temps, may be slightly chilly in the morning, may be crowded for only a smattering of 9s/10s

John's suggestions at Windy Point are also really good

Thanks, guys! Advice from locals will always trump my eyeballing topos in a guidebook.

the path to chessapeak, if there ever was one, seems to have disappeared into the brush. so if you go there be prepared to bushwhack. also note the routes there are decent but not great. i second john h's suggestions. you may also want to check out chimney rock or green slabs for moderate trad.

I don't think I've actually climbed at Chessapeak since Andy (RIP) took me there many years ago, but the best way to get there is to go high almost to the main Chessmen formations and then drop down and diagonally left on a trail towards the gully where it is. At some point the trail sort of ends up and you continue by hugging the rock on the uphill/rightside formations (where "The Phalanx" is)until you're basically across from Chessapeak wall.

Jon/Christian, thanks for the advice. Bushwhacking and scrambling around (and probably getting lost) to get to Chessapeak doesn't sound like an efficient way to spend time since we'll only be there for few days, so we'll try and focus on other areas. As of now it seems like Windy Point West (the Fins), Prison Camp, Flying Scorpions, Munchkinland/Dancing Dwarfs and Raycreation are the recommended areas. Hitchcock Pinnacle also looks like it'd be fun (from the book) and is right off the road.

Thanks again!