Mountain Project: Climbing Sandia Mountains

Submitted By: Anthony Stout on Sep 20, 2006
Administrators: Aaron Hobson, Anthony Stout, George Perkins
Latitude: 35.2021 Longitude: -106.4470
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Description

Home of the beautiful Yucca Flower Tower, Echo canyon has one of the shortest approaches in the Sandia Mountains. The summit of the Yucca Flower Tower Tower is just off the La Luz Trail. Rapping down this formation access several high quality lines. If looking for a few "alpinish" sport routes, Techweeny buttress is where you will find some.

Getting There

Find the Sandia Crest Spur trail at the south end of the Sandia Crest parking area. Follow it down and past its junction with the La Luz trail (.5 miles). At this junction, your direction will depend on the formation that you plan on climbing. For Techweeny Buttress or Bush Shark Spire, you will drop down into echo canyon by heading southeast, or right at the junction. If heading for Yucca Flower Tower, continue south on the La Luz. See Yucca Flower Tower for continuation of directions to the routes on this formation.

The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Echo Canyon:

Crackula 5.8 Trad, Alpine, 2 pitches, 180 feet Techweeny Buttress

Aces and Eights 5.8+ Trad, Alpine, 1 pitch, 180 feet Yucca Flower Tower

Bush Shark Spire 5.9 Trad, Alpine, 2 pitches, 200 feet, Grade II Bush Shark Area

Westeron Wynde 5.9 Trad, Alpine, 3 pitches, 400 feet Bush Shark Area

Yucca Flower Tower 5.10b Trad, Alpine, 3 pitches, Grade II Yucca Flower Tower

Big - T 5.10c Trad, Alpine, 4 pitches, 350 feet, Grade II Bush Shark Area

Great Escape 5.10c Trad, Alpine, 1 pitch, 100 feet Yucca Flower Tower

Rawhide 5.10c Trad, Alpine, 2 pitches, 300 feet Yucca Flower Tower

Raven Steals the Sun 5.12a Trad, Alpine, 6 pitches, 800 feet, Grade III La Vista

Hammerhead 5.12a/b Trad, Sport, Alpine, 2 pitches, 220 feet, Grade II Bush Shark Area

Featured Route For Echo Canyon

Raven Steals the Sun 5.12a NM : Sandia Mountains : ... : La Vista

From the tree a top the main face after the notch rap straight down ~190' to a stance with a pin and a bolt. From there rap ~60'until you can see a nice belay ledge with a pin and a bolt. You have to swing with a bit of effort to reach this as it will be off to your right a ways. We left a link on the fixed pin but it is wise to leave a draw here as the rope was tough to pull. From here rap to a tree covered ledge ~100 (The Living Room). Walk nor...[more] Browse More Classics in NM

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