Keyhole Rock

Description 

Keyhole Rock is the fourth of the major climbable formations at the Garden. Most of the climbing tends to be on the east face of the rock (i.e. good morning sun in the winter, nice shade in the afternoons and evenings in the summer). There are routes on the west face, but from what I hear not worth the effort. Routes range in difficulty from loose 5.6 to solid 5.12. I recommend looking at the D'Antonio or Geiman guidebooks first because some of the routes are extremely unprotected and could result in major falls. That being said, the majority of the routes are relatively short and bolt/pin/piton protected. The descents tend to be walk offs on ramps. There are anchors on top of the formation available for rappels. A great place to go if you want to escape the crowds of the central areas of the park and get on some other solid routes.

Getting There 

There are a number of ways to get to this formation. The three main ones in no particular order: 1) (Recommended if you are doing other climbs in the park) Park at the main Garden lot. Hike through the park, past Montezuma's Tower. Look for a major trail heading south, starting just south of the tower. Hike past Easter Rock (smaller formation that isn't worth the time), down to the right of a small rib. Keyhole rock is the large formation to your right. 2) (Recommended for climbs on the north end of the rock)Park at a pullout/parking area just past the intersection of Juniper Way Loop and Garden Drive. Take a trail to the east up the hill. Keyhole rock is the large formation closest to you. 3) (Recommended for climbs on the south end of the formation) Follow Juniper Way Loop around to the south Garden lot. Hike along the road, down the hill, to an obvious trail heading west just past the base of Grey Rock. Hike/Bushwack your way to Keyhole Rock

CAUTION: When parking in the south lot be sure to conceal any valuables. There was a rash of break ins last winter that resulted in lots of gear and possessions being swiped.

The Classics