Mt Lemmon top rope climbing

I haven't climbed much this summer but im gonna have free time in tucson this weekend. My wife and I would like to take it easy and just do some top roping, any suggestions in the upper area of the highway that are easy to set up? Maybe in the shade lol

You're in luck. Buy the guide and you can select the area: mountainproject.com/v/new-g…

I have number 2, it doesn't really have much info on the ease of setting up top ropes, the guidebook has nothing to do with my question I don't think. Unless the new one has more info on such things lol

Hi Jacob Koffler,

While not completely simple to set up, an area that may meet your desires is “The Havens.”

mountainproject.com/v/the-h…

Find a safe way to walk up to the telephone pole on top. Tie it off and rap down to the anchor of your choice.

Pull your rope. Move from anchor to anchor as you work through the climbs. Most all of the climbs are very moderate. Many of the anchors are not far from one another.

Remember to retrieve your anchor on the telephone pole at the end of the day!

You can probably top rope all the climbs on the main cliff and chase sun/shade.

Be Safe; Have Fun!

Scott Mc

Thanks for the info!

Good call Scott. The new guidebook doesn't really tell you where good top-roping is. Using Scott's beta you can however, you can go to Munchkinland, Raycreation, Ridgeline and many other areas on the mountain to set of Top-ropes. It always surprises me people don't do this more often.

On a side note, please use your own draws or slings and carabiners at the anchors. Top-roping through the anchors puts excessive wear on them. You can almost always yard the rope or rap again to get back to the top and retrieve your gear. Thx.

Good call Scott. The new guidebook doesn't really tell you where good top-roping is. Using Scott's beta you can however, you can go to Munchkinland, Raycreation, Ridgeline and many other areas on the mountain to set of Top-ropes. It always surprises me people don't do this more often.

On a side note, please use your own draws or slings and carabiners at the anchors. Top-roping through the anchors puts excessive wear on them. You can almost always yard the rope or rap again to get back to the top and retrieve your gear. Thx.

There aren't too many places on Mt Lemmon w easily-accessible TR anchors; placing them that far back would almost by definition create rope drag for those leading and lowering off the route.

In some cases there'll be a ledgy part plus a bulging section where the anchors can go without creating rope drag (some of the easy routes at Raycreation), or the top is very flat and long chains can be used (North Fin). The Practice Wall at Windy Point is TR only but will be hot now if the sun is out (bring long slings).

Most other places might involve somewhat sketchy downclimbing where there's rock that is less traveled and friable, vegetation, dirt, etc..

Be careful both for yourself and people who might be underneath. If I remember correctly the rock at the Havens is pretty bombproof but it's probably still possible to knock off stuff as you rap in from the phone pole.

If you extend your anchors a good bit, you'll get a lot less drag.

I've enjoyed top-roping at all the places Scott and Eric mentioned (the Havens, Munchkinland, Raycreation, Ridgeline), as well as places like Scavenger Crag, Boot Hill, Boyscout Wall, Milagrosa (a little off Mt. Lemmon...) and even slabby areas like Incinerated Ridge.

Lots of ways to be safe and to avoid putting wear and tear on the fixed gear.

Good luck! And buy the guidebook ;)

Lora

P.S. If you're comfortable with a 9 lead, top-roping becomes a lot easier at a lot of these places, as you can often traverse to drop a rope from the next set of anchors.

P.P.S. Public groups will often post outings you can hop in on. Try Meetup or this Facebook group can be a good place to find partners.