Los Alamos Crags

Description 

There is a great array of crags near the town of Los Alamos, on the various rhyolite outcrops and canyons nearby. The Dungeon area is the hardman sport climbing area nearby and sees frequent visits, but most of the other areas are rather obscure and have very little information published in guidebooks. Though local climbers have been climbing in the Back Rocks/Clifty areas above Los Alamos for over 50 years, White Rock became the more popular local destination sometime in the 1970s and most locals climb mainly at White Rock or the Dungeon. For those who don't mind hiking 10-15 minutes, the crags and canyons in Los Alamos are definitely worth exploring and have a lot of potential.

- The Dungeon: The best and most popular crag nearby. Premier overhung rhyolite sport climbing in a beautiful setting. A great summer area.

- The Back Rocks: North of Clifty in upper Rendia Canyon with about 20 routes.

- Clifty: A Rhyolite crag near the town of Los Alamos. A nice get-away for locals.

- Upper Clifty: On the top of The Clifty Hill and can be seen from the north community of Los Alamos.

- Y, The: hosts 45' crack climbs in a narrow portion of lower Los Alamos Canyon. A good choice for basalt climbing in Los Alamos/White Rock in the summer.

- Los Alamos Canyon: A selection of ice and rock climbs can be found in Los Alamos Canyon, just south of the town of Los Alamos.

- School Canyon: A vast tuff crag with lots of potential for route development and lots of fun bouldering. Most of the routes are pretty short but tend to offer stiff and entertaining climbing.

- Pueblo Canyon: Decent quality streambed bouldering area as well as longer cracks on less-than-perfect rock.

- other undocumented areas: Lots of excellent bouldering and other climbing can be found in the hills and canyons near Los Alamos for those willing to explore. Go find it!

Getting There 

From I-25, head either north or south toward Santa Fe (depending on where you are coming from), and get onto highway 285/84 toward Pojoaque. From Pojoaque head west on highway 502. Highway 502 will take you to the Los Alamos/White Rock split. Follow highway 501 to Los Alamos, and look at individual area directions from there.

The Classics

Featured Route For Los Alamos Crags

(11) Loose Cannon 5.13a  NM : Los Alamos & White Rock : ... : Main Wall

Maybe the best line on the wall, marred only by the fact that the crux is particularly desperate, which is why there is a chain draw for bailing off of if in the middle if you can't do the crux. Starts right of Peter's route and works up and right to a few crimpy and technical moves right to deposit you underneath the chain draw. At least 2 solutions to the crux exist. One very powerful, one very crimpy and still powerful. Climb ...[more]   Browse More Classics in NM