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Typical GM rock - second pitch of Coatimundi White...
Description
One of Arizona's premiere trad climbing areas, Granite Mountain features beautiful white fine-grained granite and many wonderful routes in a high desert wilderness area. You're not likely to see too many other climbers here either, but you will see plenty of awesome cracks and beautiful natural lines.
ACCESS NOTE: Granite Mountain is closed between early February and mid-July for peregrine falcon nesting!
Getting There
Granite Mountain resides just northwest of the city of Prescott. Head out of town on Iron Springs Road to the Granite Basin Rec. Area turnoff (right turn), follow this approx. four miles to either the Playa or Metate Day Use Area parking lots. Take Trail 260 up to the big granite wall.
I was worked by this "odub", and had to bail off high on the pitch using my #6 Friend and a sling. It was great! This is a single pitch of un-relenting OW. Two different starts are available. The one on the left looks harder than the one I chose on the right. While potentially easier, the rope seems to run over a sharp-ish edge when leading the right start, and some crumbly footing. Both starts are about 4.5 inch cams or so. After that, it ...[more]
There isn't much in the way of feed back for such a great area. Years ago while on a desert climbing tour, I visited this area and camped on what was known to us as the "front porch"a large ledge that overlooked miles of desert. At the base of an overhanging cliff there was an obvious fire pit that had to have been used for centries.My question is has anyone else built a fire in this pit and what did you see illuminated on the face of that overhang! The image we saw was ere enough that we moved our camp that night! This image has haunted me for over 25 years! The climbing was great and I have always thought that I should make a return visit.
For anyone who doesn't know it, it's pretty warm climbing up at Granite Mountain when the temps in Prescott are anwhere over 80 degrees. White rock, lots of sun exposure. Still, if you want it bad enough! :-)
Just watch out for rattlers while it's still warm out!! Saw a big fat one up there last year on our first trip up to climb.
Granite Mountain
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