| Crystal Cave |
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| | Closed for Sensitive Archaeological Resources MORE INFO >>>
The Forest Service issued a temporary closure of Crystal Cave to all public access in order to perform an archaeological survey. Impacts to the cave’s nationally significant archeological resources are the major concern. The Access Fund continues to work with New Mexico Climbers’ Resource and Advocacy Group (NM CRAG), local climbers, and the US Forest Service to address this issue.
This information is a public crowdsourcing effort between the Access Fund,
and Mountain Project. You should confirm closures, restrictions, and/or related dates.
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Keeping climbing areas open and conserving the climbing environment
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Random climber at Crystal Cave.
Description Do Not Climb HERE for now this is the current situation: The Santa Fe National Forest issued a temporary closure order for Jemez (aka Crystal) Cave on August 21st. The closure applies to all users and is in effect until rescinded or for one year and includes the cave and surrounding area within 50 feet as well as the access trails. They plan on fencing and posting the area next week. Violations are punishable by fines of up to $5000 and/or imprisonment of up to 6 months.
- For more info, please see the "condition reports" from Bryan Pletta below.
This crazy place is made up of a mineral called travertine, a mineral deposit from hot springs. It has a feel of limestone with multiple pockets. The routes here are difficult, all overhanging as they travel through the cave. Not only are they difficult to climb, we found them quite difficult to find! Typically you are lowered off single chains from the roof of the cave, and left wondering what route you did! There were many that were described in the guidebook "Jemez Rock", and we could not even figure out which was which. So, be warned, fun and difficult climbing with confusing route finding! Please leave the biners on the chains for lowering!
Getting There Follow the directions to the Jemez Valley, and continue up highway 4. About one mile beyond the town of Jemez springs is the Soda Dam. Once you see the Soda Dam, continue to drive just past by some guardrails and park in the left side parking lot. Follow a trail going up the left side of the canyon, directly across from the Soda Dam, for 2-3 minutes and you will run into the cave.
The ClassicsMountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Crystal Cave:
New 1 5.12- Sport, 30 feet
Dope 5.13b Sport, 50 feet
Leper 5.13c Sport, 50 feet
Faith 5.13c Sport, 60 feet
Browse More Classics in Crystal Cave
Featured Route For Crystal Cave
Dope 5.13b NM : Jemez Valley Area : Crystal Cave
Thuggy moves right off the ground lead past 3 bolts to a shelf and some underclings. Rest up here as much as possible. Continue past a couple more bolts on smaller holds to a difficult move getting established in a pair of pockets and a big throw out of them to a jug. Move up the series of jugs past another bolt. Make a long reach out left from the highest jug to clip, call it good for "Short on Dope" 5.12+, or bust the V6 boulder problem moving out left to another jug and clip, then up on flat ... [more] Browse More Classics in NM
Looking out from inside the cave
| BETA PHOTO: Topo, more the left side of the right cave
| BETA PHOTO: Topo, right side of the right cave
| BETA PHOTO: After reading the general description of Crystal C...
| New Mexico "CAVING" Crystal Cave-Dope (5.13)
| Steep climbing at Crystal Cave
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By lance hadfield From: tijeras Mar 17, 2010
| it sucks that the descriptions of my climbs were pulled so Marc and Timmy could bolt some variations to train on and not just give updated descriptions. |
By LeeAB Administrator From: ABQ, NM Jun 3, 2010
| I've added some photo topos with names of routes that I've been on and resubmitted the routes that I've done. Please feel free to chime in with names of the new routes that I've just listed as "New #?" for the time being. |
By Anthony Stout Administrator From: Albuquerque, NM Jun 11, 2010
| George is right. Removing the route descriptions was done because, from the information I received from Marc, the changes that had been made in the cave made these descriptions obsolete. Removal was not intended to offend anyone. I apologize if it did. |
By djkyote May 7, 2012
| while tightening the 4th and 5th nuts on Dope that like to loosen themselves, we discovered that the entire bolts are loose and can be moved up and down. |
By Eric Whitbeck Jun 8, 2012
| Nice job Bryan. Removing the fixed hardware sounds like a great gesture. |
By Ty Harlacker From: Albuquerque, NM Jul 4, 2012
| Thanks for taking action!, I appreciate everything you do for the local climbing community. I hope the tentative closure can be averted. If it can, it would largely be cause of you. Thanks again. |
By Dustin Stephens Aug 16, 2012
| I hope this "temporary archaeological assessment closure" turns out to be a lot less permanent than the ones here in the Red River Gorge. Best of luck with the process! |
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