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U-Mound



U-Mound

Submitted By: Anthony Stout on Jan 24, 2006
Administrators: Aaron Hobson, Anthony Stout, George Perkins
Latitude: 35.0847  Longitude: -106.4810 
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Description 

Granite bouldering area at the foothills of the Sandia Mountains. As this area is very close to Albuquerque, this is likely the closest we have in Albuquerque have to the "after work crag". So, when the days are longer, your tired of climbing in the gym, and daylight savings time comes around, get out and shred your fingers out at U-Mound! Note that the granite here can be quite rough


Resources 

- The Official Online Guide to U-Mound Bouldering: http://www.cs.unm.edu/~moret/u-mound.html


Getting There 

Go east on I-40. Exit Tramway and head North until you reach Copper (second light). Turn East on Copper (toward the mountains), and drive until you arrive at the end of the road, there is a parking area here. Hike north on a trail for ~ 200 yards to a clump of boulders, just north of the pointy orange hill (the U-mound itself).



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By Dave Wachter
Feb 26, 2008

As noted above, there's a website with a good map of boulders and descriptions of a number of problems
http://www.cs.unm.edu/~moret/u-mound.html
Grades mostly ridiculously sandbagged on this site - in a few cases the authors admit to not having done problems, yet give them ratings in the V3 - V4 range (with pluses and minuses!), when the problems are probably 2 full grades harder.
Fantastic granite bouldering, and I'm not just saying that 'cause it's right at the edge of town. The rock can be brutally sharp, but some climbs have really nice holds that won't make you bleed. I've listed some of my favorites below. They are mostly skin-friendly, except where noted. Best to mix it up, as repeated attempts at the same problem can wear through dermal layers quickly...

Favorites:

  • V1-ish highball up the middle of the south-facing fin at the upper (east) end; tricky feet, best on a cool day, as feet get slick when it's warm (problem "A2" on above website); problem just to the right of it (would be "A2.5") is maybe a bit easier, but equally scary.
  • V0+ layback on the sharp west arete of the same fin (lay back off the steep north side); you can also do a nice warmup on the south, slabby side of the arete, which is harder and more interesting if you don't use the arete. Harder and more interesting still if you start on the right side of the slab and traverse left into the problem (A3--> 2--> 1 and up)
  • V7 "Switchfoot sit start" - crimp fest on the northeast corner of the boulder behind the fin; grade assumes you go from the butt-dragging start off obviously chalked low flake; body position for this seems crazy hard until you work it out; sharp crystal in a sloper can tear your left fingertips if you're not careful (abs!); probably V4- from squatting start (located between B1 and B2)
  • V1-V5 variations in the middle of the north side of the boulder behind the fin - hardest goes from right side to left on a line of crimps near the lip, then tops out left of "switchfoot" - crux is finding feet (B1 and left)
  • V1-ish Manatee undercling traverse heading east then north from the south face of the middle upper boulder (leaning out off the beast's upper lip, then hand jamming up and right to topout); no need to tape, easy on hands if you're careful (H1); "Manatee direct" goes straight up the upper lip of the beast on a plumb line to the top. I haven't had enough pads and spotters (read:guts) to try this one, but it's meant to be fantastic (H1.5)
  • V2 hand traverse along west-facing slopey edge of "tipped over jelly bean boulder" (looks like the jelly bean has been cut in half) - go right-to-left, heel hook/ mantle onto the top or continue left and pull around the edge above ankle-breaker boulders (F1)
  • V2 highball up the west face of the tall boulder in the upper east clump; hard crimps to mantle just off the ground, then 5.8 solo to top (E2)
  • V6 crimp problem in the corridor between the middle and western sections of boulders in the upper jumble; On the north end of the corridor, on the western side (facing east); crimpy, technical, with a scary boulder sitting in the landing zone. Amazing! (Between I1 and I2)
  • V3 Wounded Knee - diagonal crimps to easy topout. Downclimb is exciting (P2)
  • V4-(?) Wounded Knee boulder northeast arete - cool moves - should get more stars than the guide gives; bad landing from high up - scary at first, but no big deal once you get it dialed (P1)
  • V7(?) "Skinner problem" (AKA "shark's tooth," AKA "driftwood") on north side of tall boulder above wounded knee (in an alcove above a disappointingly small and uneven podium); direct start on matching razor crimps at chest height, through a few more hard crimps into scary but easier upper section; Mega Classic! Crux sequence can be avoided by traversing in from arching crack on the left, then up (V4?) (Q1.5)
  • V4-ish problem in a corridor to the left (east) of the Skinner problem, on the right (south) side of the corridor - crimps to slopers to funky hand jams and slopey mantle. Technical and interesting (Q4?)
  • V3 problem on south side of round balanced boulder on east end of lower (west) sector; more fun and a bit harder if you don't use the pedestal boulder (start with feet up and left, then swing hard up and right to the sloper); at least 2 variations from there to pull your way up the boulder - if you don't love it the first time, try a different variation and I think you will (L1)
  • V1-ish highball on the east side of the balanced boulder. Chalked right hand crimp to rail that goes up and left to a decent topout over a lot of air (east side of "L")
  • V2+ middle of south side of lower boulder - technical feet and crimps, topout a bit exciting (M3)
  • V2+ "Africa," a dozen feet to the left, on a big flake that looks like the continent - best started sitting with both hands under South Africa, then the beta goes, Ethiopia --> Somalia --> Morocco, and on up the slopey top (M2)