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Elevation: 6,307 ft 1,922 m
GPS: 35.8253, -106.19218
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Shared By: Anthony Stout on Jan 20, 2006
Admins: Jason Halladay, Mike Hoskins, Anna Brown

Description Suggest change

From cracks to difficult sport, there is a wide variety of basalt climbing in and around the sleepy town of White Rock.

*Best sport climbing areas: The Overlook and Below The Old New Place

*Best trad and TR areas: The Playground and the Old New Place. Also good are Big Enchilada, The Overlook, and the Y.

*Best easier areas: Gallows Edge (sport) and Potrillo Cliffs (trad, toprope)

Different ethics apply regarding bolts and bolted anchors at the different crags; some are traditional only, while others have bolts and anchors. The local climbing community has had a number of open meetings and established this White Rock bolting agreement as a compromise for differing viewpoints and to allow for climbing of all styles at White Rock.

Season: Year-round, except during occasional winter storms. You'll want to find the sun in the winter and shade in the summer. Like everywhere in the SW, monsoon-style rainstorms are common in late afternoons in July and August.

Getting There Suggest change

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 Los Alamos/Espanola. From Pojoaque head west on highway 502. Highway 502 will take you directly into the town of White Rock, follow the directions to each crag from there.

Other Resources:

Suggest change
Several Webguides to this area can be found at: lamountaineers.org/zLOCATE.…

"Jemez Rock" by M. Beverly is comprehensive.
"Rock Climbing: New Mexico" by D. Jackson has info on the most popular cliffs.

402 Total Climbs

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Classic Climbing Routes at White Rock

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 62
Beginner's Hand Jam
Trad, TR
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 57
Upper Kor's Crack
Trad, TR
5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b PG13
 57
Cholla Wall
Trad, TR
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
 78
Way Beyond Zebra
Sport, TR
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
 23
Manic Crack (aka Left Twin Crack)
Trad
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
 29
Flying A
Trad, TR
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
 44
Wailing Banshees
Sport
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
 13
Rattlesnake Crack (aka Sidewinder)
Trad, TR
5.11b/c 6c+ 23 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 39
Flesh-Eating Gnats
Sport
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 31
Unrelenting Nines
Trad, TR
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 9
Sinewave (aka S Crack)
Trad, TR
5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a
 51
Thorazine Dream
Sport, TR
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 56
Face Off
Sport, TR
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 41
Monsterpiece Theatre
Sport
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 30
Atom Ant (aka Nuclear Ant Farm)
Sport
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Beginner's Hand Jam Playground
 62
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad, TR
Upper Kor's Crack Potrillo Cliffs
 57
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad, TR
Cholla Wall Overlook > South/E side
 57
5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b PG13 Trad, TR
Way Beyond Zebra Overlook > South/E side
 78
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Sport, TR
Manic Crack (aka Left Twin… Below The Old New Place
 23
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Trad
Flying A Playground
 29
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Trad, TR
Wailing Banshees Below The Old New Place
 44
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c Sport
Rattlesnake Crack (aka Side… Old New Place
 13
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c Trad, TR
Flesh-Eating Gnats Below The Old New Place
 39
5.11b/c 6c+ 23 VIII- 24 E4 6a Sport
Unrelenting Nines Playground
 31
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a Trad, TR
Sinewave (aka S Crack) Old New Place
 9
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a Trad, TR
Thorazine Dream Overlook > South/E side
 51
5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a Sport, TR
Face Off Overlook > South/E side
 56
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Sport, TR
Monsterpiece Theatre Below The Old New Place
 41
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Sport
Atom Ant (aka Nuclear Ant F… Below The Old New Place
 30
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Sport
More Classic Climbs in White Rock »

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