Saguaro Lake Bouldering

While there are a couple of trad and sport routes here, the main climbing style is Deep Water Soloing (DWS) which is excellent! There is a Lower Canyon and an Upper Canyon both of which have some great routes and the water is a comfortable swimming temperature almost all year long! (And totally all year long if you're used to swimming in Minnesota or some such place)

The following are factors which MUST be born in mind if you're to have an enjoyable DWS experience at Saguaro.

1. NOT ON A WEEKEND OR SUMMER HOLIDAY!! If you'll be accessing Lost Whiskey Wall, the closest crag to the main launch at Butcher Jones beach or the marina, just know that it is in the main part of the channel which is also used by wake boarders, jet skiers, cigarette boats and everything else which will quickly drown your stoke and possibly put you in danger. Weekdays are paradise out there - go then!!

The upper part of the lake, where it turns back into the Salt River for a couple of miles above Cottonwood Creek Beach, is a no-wake zone. It is really quiet and beautiful and you can typically find some peace up there even on a weekend - we're talking about from around Cottonwood Creek beach to the dam at Canyon Lake. But it's about a 6ish mile paddle in each direction so a powerboat is advisable. See the River Crag area for more specific details on this.

2. HABITAT. All cliffs that climbers use are habitat for lizards, insect life, birds, etc. This is especially true over the water. All efforts have been made to minimize the disturbance of the denizens of the cliffs; the bugs, lizards, birds, spiders and so on by climbing lines that area relatively free of them. Nevertheless it is recommended to bring a little broom along and give your route a quick once-over before getting on it, especially near the waterline. Up higher it's just like any other cliff. If you have room aboard, a long-handled broom with a brushy end is an excellent tool, if not, a small broom that floats. (Editor's Note: In over 10 years of going out there, I've never seen a scorpion, rattlesnake, black widow or brown recluse anywhere near the water but this is wilderness and there's nothing to prevent it. Just look over the route carefully and use the broom when necessary, no reason to be alarmed.) Please respect the flora and fawna and refrain from climbing any routes that are obviously major habitat areas.

3. RE-ENTRY. All the climbing is over extremely deep water where there is no landing nearby. And you're going to need to get back into your boat. For this reason inflatible kayaks, sit-on-top kayaks and SUPs are all excellent choices for DWS. A motorized raft which can also be rowed is probably the ideal craft as they're soft and stable and can greatly improve your range. Canoes and sit-in kayaks are strongly discouraged, although if the canoe has an outrigger for stabilization, that can work pretty well. ALSO VERY IMPORTANT: anchor your craft away from the base of the route you're working and swim up to it - this is so you don't accidentally land on your craft if you fall off and so it doesn't get away from you if a wind picks up, or leave someone aboard.

4. LAKE-LEVEL FLUCTUATION. SRP releases water downstream based on the demands of the farmers in the valley. So the lake level is always either rising or falling - it's never constant. This means sometimes you have an additional slimy couple of feet added to your route if you go during a low period. This may very well make the move up out of the water the crux.

5. SWIMMING. You should be a strong swimmer if you're going to be out there. Watch for boats and make sure they can see you!

6. ROCK QUALITY. The rock in most places along the lake is horrible. BUT there are patches of surprisingly excellent rock and some truly spectacular climbs. Unless you've developed a strong sense of which is which, best stick to the routes described here. The water depth below all the climbs listed here is greater than 20 ft.

Most of the development in recent years has been coordinated through the Phx Local Climbing Friends facebook group. It is recommended to join this group if you're interested in coordinating or hopping on one of the regular outings with climbers who have been before. (A good, relatively safe option for your first time out there)

Finally, days spent at the lake are just NEVER bad ones. If you're properly equipped with gear, common sense and plenty of stoke, you're going to have a highball pushing your mental game out over the water. Enjoy!