| Hidden Jewels |
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From Soldier Trail pullout
Description Hidden Jewels is a small Mount Lemmon crag with a little more dust and dirt than many other area crags. All of the climbs are a single pitch. Most of the routes here have a few bolts, but require some gear as well. With a single 60M rope and plenty of webbing + gear to set up anchors, you can TR about anything there. What makes Hidden Jewels nice is the fact that it is low on the road, which means that they are at a low elevation, and thus warmer when it is otherwise cold. It is a reasonably short walk in, and that there is a high concentration of moderate grades in this one place. You can go here for a single day and climb everything.
The rock faces primarily West, giving morning shade and afternoon sun, so plan accoringinly.
Getting There Drive to MP 1.4 up the Mount Lemon Highway, to a pulloff on your left, which can accomodate just a few cars. Hike up the steep Soldier Trail from here uphill through a nice forest of Saguaro Cacti for about 15 minutes, where the trail has leveled off a bit and there is a branch to the left. Along the way you will have seen out across the drainage to your left (west). There are more cliffs out there across the drainage where you can see other climbers for much of the day.The left-hand branch you have taken now leads out over the South set of Cliffs at Hidden Jewels and then further north past the base of the Northern set of cliffs in about 5 more minutes of walking.
The ClassicsMountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Hidden Jewels:
Lazy S 5.10- Trad, Sport, 1 pitch, 70 feet
Featured Route For Hidden Jewels
| Comments on Hidden Jewels |
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By Pusher
Aug 24, 2003
| Nice morning and afternoon climbs with shade until around 1. Bit of a hike though. |
By Wes Turner
From: az
Jun 4, 2004
| the unknown FA's are Jeff Mayhew's |
By Christian
From: Tucson, Az
Jun 17, 2006
| Would recommend belayers wear helmets here |
By Braxtron
From: ...
Feb 5, 2007
| Climbs not worth the approach, in my opinion. |
By Joseph Stover
From: Santa Barbara, CA
Dec 2, 2007
| The right and left ones on the upper blocks are okay climbs, the left one has runout between bolts 3/4 (a good small nut/cam works quater inch or so) and 5/6, the gear between 5/6 is no good.
I'd have to agree that it might not really be worth the hike, can't comment on the stuff down below. The view and hike are worth it in there own right though. Rock was cold and shady, but climbable.
To get there, once you get up pretty high on the soldier trail, you'll see a cairn and a big hill to the left, a big rock formation across the valley to the right, and a ridge in front of you. You want to get around the ridge towards the left side. You will be above most of the climbs, but keep following the top of the cliff and you'll see a few big fomartions/walls/chimneys. The 2 moderates are on the obvious big face. I bet you could walk off the top, but not sure.
Good view of left hand wall, and you can hear the climbers down there yelling. |
By Jason Syracuse
Mar 1, 2009
| Not worth approach. There's a cool 5.9ish crack with 2 bolts (definite runout after second bolt, need medium stoppers/cams) and new chains. Get there by way of a scrambly cliff passage just north of the upper blocks. |
By Forest Hill
From: Denver, CO
Mar 3, 2009
| There are only three climbs up above, so of course that's not worth the approach. There are a number of climbs down below that are quite fun, tho. This is an especially great crag for an early morning in the summer. |
By JFox
From: Tucson
Feb 10, 2011
| This crag gets a bum rap in the guidebook, but it's a real nice, moderate, low elevation crag. It has a great view down onto Hairpin Canyon and for the life of me, I can't figure out what people mean by "not worth the approach". The approach is litterally 20 minutes, on a good trail. Sure, it's uphill, but come on people.
There are three routes on the upper tier. Two real nice 5.7's. The 5.10 is a little contrived in my opinion.
The lower tier has three routes. I did the 5.9 and thought it was fun. Some loose stuff. Rap down from good anchors, near where the trail first rounds the corner, out onto the cliffs. |
By Jimbo
Feb 11, 2011
| I thought two of the 5.7ish routes on the upper wall were great. |
By Matt Juaire
Apr 8, 2012
| Thanks again Jeff (and company) for helping out yesterday! If the bees move out, we will be back to see about doing Lazy S again. |
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