New Mexico

BETA PHOTO: New Mexico Climbing Areas.

Welcome to the New Mexico section of Mountainproject! 

As noted by Tim Toula in Rock and Road, "The west is still wild as far as climbing in New Mexico goes." Though difficult to compare to Utah or Colorado in terms of amount of climbing, the diversity of climbing around the state is tremendous.

NORTHERN NEW MEXICO 

Areas from the Colorado/ NM state line to Interstate 40 (though not including around the Albuquerque Area). Areas are Listed from North to South.

- Sugarite State Park: A 40-50' basalt cliff with a variety of fun vertical cracks & face climbs near Raton.

- Rio Arriba County (El Rito, Brazos, San Juans): This area is characterized by exciting sport and traditional climbing at El Rito, adventure traditional climbing in the Brazos Cliffs (please see access note to this area), and crazy sandstone adventures in the Ghost Ranch area.

- Taos Area: Outside the beautiful town of Taos, there is a unique topography that enables a variety of climbing, ranging from the several basalt crags in the Rio Grande Gorge, to the lowland and easily accessible granite of Tres Piedras, alpine granite at Questa Dome, and Comales Canyon.

- Los Alamos & White Rock: There are several great cragging areas (sport and trad) just within and near the towns of Los Alamos and White Rock.

- Jemez Valley Area: From granite to welded tuff to travertine; single pitch, multi-pitch, and bouldering, this area has various types of rock and styles of climbing and bouldering in the beautiful setting of the Jemez Mountains! This area includes: Gilman Tunnels, Battleship Rock, Crystal Cave, Area 37, and Las Conchas.

- Santa Fe Area: Pick your style - exciting sport climbing on granite (you can even get heckled from the roadside at the Pecos), tweaky and technical pockets of Cochiti Mesa, multi and single pitch basalt at Diablo Canyon, or alpine adventures into the southern Sangre de Cristos. It all exists around the capital city of New Mexico.

- New Mexico Navajolands: As it is tribal land, climbing is not allowed without special permission. However, it has been included for historical significance.

CENTRAL NEW MEXICO 

Includes areas generally South of I-40 and the Albuquerque area south to Truth or Consequences.

- Gallup/Grants Areas: The most popular place in this area, Mentmore, offers exciting and well protected sport climbing with a large number of moderate climbs. If you seek adventure on soft sandstone, try Church Rock or El Malpais National Monument.

- Albuquerque Area Climbing: Many areas exist just east of the city of Albuquerque. Enjoy Multi-pitch adventures in the Sandia Mountains, granite bouldering in the Sandia foothills at U-Mound , or technical limestone at Palomas Peak.

- New Canyon: Small, little known limestone climbing area near the town of Manzano. Climbs 40-50 foot vertical to less than vertical routes.

- Enchanted Tower: AMAZING sport routes on a beautiful formation. This pocketed tower is home to the best sport climbing in the state.

- Socorro: This area has a series of cliffs and boulders of mixed-quality rhyolite. Great winter area!

SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO 

Areas South of Truth or Consequences to the bottom of the state.

- Percha Creek, Hillsboro: Small basalt crag with a series of moderate traditional and sport climbs.

- The Tunnel: Outside the town of Alamagordo. Expect difficult limestone sport climbing here (highest concentration of difficult climbing in the state.)

- City of Rocks: A nice bouldering area northwest of Las Cruces.

- Dona Ana Mountains: Rock is similar to that of the Organ mountains without the long approaches. Bouldering to single and multipitch climbing.

- Organ Mountains: Outside of Las Cruces. Mostly traditional climbing with adventurous route finding(mmmmm spiky things) and long routes.

-Rough and Ready Hills: Small sport climbing area just outside of Las Cruces. Known for having choss, bees and a good pump.

- Sitting Bull Falls: Remote, but with high quality limestone routes ranging from moderate to wildly overhanging and difficult.

- Last Chance Canyon: Excellent limestone cragging near Queen, New Mexico.

Resources: 

"Sandia Rock" by Mick Schein. Sharp End Publishing, 2003.

"Jemez Rock & Pecos Area" by J. Marc Beverly. Sharp End Publishing, 2006.

"Rock Climbing New Mexico" by Dennis R. Jackson. Morris Book Publishing (A Falcon Guide), 2006.

"Taos Rock Climbs & Boulders of Northern New Mexico" by Jay Foley, Sharp End Books, 2005.

New Mexico Climbing Related Links 

Online area guides will be posted in appropriate sections. Here is a list of climbing information around new mexico that might be of interest (please let me know if you know of any additional links by adding comments, thanks):

- Stone Age Climbing Gym: http://www.climbstoneage.com

- Technical Climbing Section of the New Mexico Mountain Club:
http://www.swcp.com/~nmmc/climbrocks/

- Los Alamos Mountaineering Club: http://www.lamountaineers.org

- UNM Mountaineering Club: http://www.unm.edu/~mtnclub/

- Suntoucher Mountain Guides:
http://suntoucher.com/climbs/climbs.aspx

- Beverly Mountain Guides
http://www.beverlymountainguides.com/

- Kokopelli Adventures (Gallup, New Mexico)
http://www.kokopelliadventures.org/rockclimbing.html

- Mountain Skills Rock Climbing Adventures
Jay Foley has been officially permitted and insured to guide rock climbing in northern New Mexico and The Red Rock National Conservation Area of Las Vegas, Nevada for over 15 years.

- Yahoo Group for Climbing in New Mexico:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/climbnm/

- New Mexico Tech Climbing Club (Soccoro, NM):
http://infohost.nmt.edu/~climbing/

- Some Southern New Mexico Climbing Links (including the Ingraham
Organ Mtns. guide, topos for Percha Creek, etc. Not updated
frequently but you might find something useful):
http://www.nmsu.edu/~geology/amato/climbing.html

The Classics

Featured Route For New Mexico

Thunderbird 5.12-  NM : Sandia Mountains : ... : Muralla Grande

Starts at the head of a small gully 60 ft away from the start of Little Yellow Jacket and ~100 ft (a couple switchbacks) below Second Coming. The route begins in very obvious right-facing dihedral and climbs generally straight up for 6 pitches to the top of Muralla.P1 (95 ft – 5.11-): Climb an obvious right-facing dihedral and pull a roof to a fixed pin below a second roof. Back up pin with nut and traverse right under roof to belay on ledg...[more]   Browse More Classics in NM

Photos of New Mexico Slideshow

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Greig Arch. Photo by Todd Gordon.	somewhere, New Mexico	New Mexico
Fajardo Butte at Chaco Canyon National Monument wi...	Organ Mountains	Jay Foley working "Letting Go" 12c in the Bat Cave...