Diablo Canyon 

We drove down to Diablo Canyon today and the sprawl and development of houses along the main road atop the mesa is getting crazy! The paved road appears to have been extended by a mile or more and we missed a right turn where I don't remember having to turn in the past (Note: I was last there a couple years ago so maybe my memory doesn't serve too well!)

We didn't set the odometer in the car but as you get onto real new pavement (still without stripes) for a while the really new pavement turns to somewhat old pavement with a center stripe. If you see this, you've gone too far! Backtrack and take the right-ish road that starts as pavement for 50 feet and then turns to dirt. If we go again soon, I'll take note of the odometer readings.

We climbed at the Cockscomb for the first time and really enjoyed it! Great stuff but see my comment under the Cockscomb Crag-->Poultrygeist Area about two routes there...

You now have to make a right turn onto Buckman Road. So watch your odometer, or just look for the first dirt road to the right after the stop sign.

Many of the fine crack climbs were done in the 1970s. These FA parties went to the top and usually did not leave evidence of their ascents. By the later 1990s two groups were putting up routes (a generally Albuquerque group and a Los Alamos route). The different names of some features in Diablo Canyon come from the two groups.

Greg Swift and Tim Johnson did a lot of trad climbing in Diablo in the early 1980s. Greg mentioned that several climbs which are currently bolted have been climbed without bolts.

I am going to be traveling to santa Fe this fall and maybe climbing in Diablo canyon Does any one have and recmondations for long/multi pitch routes inthis area.

There is a fun route on sunshine wall called post moderate, it's 5.9 with 17 or so bolts but you can traverse over to some chains and do it with one rope and eight or nine, if not bring two for full rap. its a great warmup but gets really hot. The name is aptly given, do it on a day when its overcast .

I received a subscription to National Geographic Adventure for Christmas and discovered a photo of John Kear and Carolyn Parker on top of the Early Wall - Right End at Diablo on page 61 of the March 2009 issue. :-)

I'm looking for good, free camping near the Canyon. Thanks, Lee

Not that its "good camping" but I'm pretty sure you can camp right at the parking lot. I believe its all BLM land. If you want some more privacy, keep heading west on the dirt road past Diablo and in a few miles you'll end up at the Rio Grande. That would probably be a nice place to camp. Be careful if the road is wet, its easy to get stuck in the mud.

As Mono says BLM, but I belive this only applies to the solar cave and winter wall and would include the parking area. I've been told that the early wall and the notch are on NFS land, which would mean off limits if the forest gets shut down.

I've got a copy of "The Climber's Bible" by Robin Shaw, published 1983. It's just an old, quaint, 'how-to' climb book, but in the back, it has a list of US climbing destinations. Under New Mexico, it lists:

"Sandia Mountains, near Albuquerque
The Tooth of Time, Cimarron
The Basalts, near Santa Fe"

Maybe that's what Diablo used to be called? Ring a bell for any of you oldsters?

how are the temps down there in the late fall or winter?

You can find sun or shade which ever you need so it should be fine.

I was in the canyon on wednesday and if you are not familiar with the area be ready for some real aggressive wash boards on the way out there.

I called Santa Fe County public works today to request a road-grading. They finally got some moisture enough to reasonably grade the road. Anyone can do this any time, just call 505-992-3010.

Its best to do when the road has some moisture, pointless when it is dry.

Rick Bradshaw and I were discussing the top ten 5.10 routes for Diablo. Seems to be grade of trend for Diablo. What is your top ten list? Based upon stars the following come to mind.

Grape Ape, Humbolt, Chicken Out, Sunday Bloody Sunday, Evil Paradise, Ergo, Solar Eclispe, The other Side, Chicks with Ricks, El Bolto del Diablo

I'm a sucker for lists. Its been a long time since I climbed here, so I'm not too sure on the order and I couldn't come up with 10, but here are some climbs that stick in my mind as routes that would be classics at any crag:

Where the Wild Things Aren't
Clovis Hunter
Cock-a-Doodle-Do
Grape Ape
Mastadont
Pale Face
Unnamed Arete (Left of Tweak Fuck)
Schmeming
Good (more memorable than good!)

Haven't been all of those but a good list for all climbs. We were thinking of 5.10's only as they are most prolific for the area. Though it would be interesting to expand the list to any grade, sport vs. trad. Always aspired to do ten tens in a day but at 8 or 9 of them the cold beer and forearm burn gets in the way. My 5.10 sport route list would be(in order):
Grape Ape
Two Wheel Drive
Evil Paradise
El Bolto del Diablo
Chicken Out
Waiting to Procrastinate
Chicks with Ricks
Good
Ergo
Humbolt

Haven't climbed The Other Side but I hear may bump Humbolt off the list. The other interesting thing is the distinct difference between the pillow basalt vs. vesicular column climbing. The pillow climbs are generally more sustained with less defined cruxes while the vesicular climbs have distinct cruxes but less continuous at the grade IMHO.
Cockeyed

I was running solo in Diablo canyon yesterday morning and I had a confrontation with two coyotes about a mile from the Rio Grande. My husband and two others were on a 16 mile run and I parted company with them at the Rio Grande and was on my way back through Diablo canyon. I heard a screaming yowling noise off to the side and thought it might be coyotes denning? A few minutes later I heard the noise again but it appeared to be closer and following me. I kept looking over my shoulder and saw two coyotes running after me. The coyotes seemed to perceive me as prey and I was charged by one of them. I threw rocks, yelled and after pegging one with a rock they appeared to run off, but I did not turn my back and start running again for 20 minutes. I had no food on me at the time. (BTW I am Peter's wife, Deb, and using his mountain project sign in.

Anyone been working on a new route between Drunk Rednecks & Clip Art (at the Runway/Early Wall)? We cleaned the line partialy about 2 weeks ago and added a directional bolt. Last Friday, Mike noticed a set of anchors above the line that I don't recall being there before. Anyone planning anything?

Just as a warning, I was climbing at Diablo on Memorial Day and my car window was smashed and some personal items were stolen. Make sure you don't leave valuables in your car!

Found a small set of cams at the belay ledge, far left end of the grotto, camalots, c4's, and an alien or two, hit me up if this is you! I know i'd be pissed if I forgot this. pretty dirty and looks like they've been there for a while. mlopez364@gmail.com

Just a question: Why is this in the Santa Fe section of MP? It's just so much closer to White Rock....

David McKenzie wrote: Just a question: Why is this in the Santa Fe section of MP? It's just so much closer to White Rock....

I love this question and would enjoy the story of anyone who approached Diablo from White Rock. Hats off to that adventurous soul.

The approach from White Rock (on foot, wading the river) has been done. Josh S. did this as part of a multi-sport adventure a few years back. They climbed Sun Devil. I don't know enough details to really tell any story, though.

Many folks have run/hiked the old railroad grade from NM502 to Diablo. At least some have climbed afterward.

I've heard that back in the day (90s?), there was a short-cut dirt road from NM502 to Diablo (now gated by San I Pueblo) that made it really quick to get there from the north. Now the only reasonable approach is from the Santa Fe bypass.