All Locations > New Mexico > Los Alamos & Wh… > White Rock

The Playground Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Routes in The Playground

L › R R › L A › Z

	Advanced Start T,TR 5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
	Barlow's Buttress T,TR 5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
	Battle of the Bulge T,TR 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c R
	Beginner's Hand Jam T,TR 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
	Black Wall T,TR 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
	Blow Hole T,TR 5.10c/d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
	Burnt Crack T,TR 5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
	Cactus Climb T,TR 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
	Cactus Climb, Left (var.) T,TR 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
	Cheeks, The T,TR 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
	Code Brown T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
	Face Variation TR 5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c
	Fingertip Layback T,TR 5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
	First Strike T,S,TR 5.12 7b+ 27 VIII+ 26 E6 6b
	Flakey Face TR 5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a
	Flakey Nine T,TR 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
	Flying A T,TR 5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
	Flying A Buttress T,TR 5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a R
	Luke and Carlo's Route TR 5.12d 7c 28 IX 28 E6 6b
	Moment of Inertia T,TR 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
	Mononucleosis T,TR 5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a
	Moon Dog T,TR 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
	Mr. Foster's Lead T,TR 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
	Obsidian Corner TR 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c PG13
	Open Project TR 5.14 8c+ 34 XI- 34 E9 7b
	Original Horak Route T,TR 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
	Playground Traverse V6-7 7A+
	Playgrounder, The T,TR 5.12 7b+ 27 VIII+ 26 E6 6b PG13
	Repo Man T,TR 5.12 7b+ 27 VIII+ 26 E6 6b
	Route 1 T,TR 5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
	Route 16 T,TR 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
	Route 17 T,TR 5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
	Route 18 T,TR 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
	Route 20 T,TR 5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a R
	Route 25 T,TR 5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
	Route 27 T,TR 5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b R
	Route 37 T,TR 5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
	Route 6 T,TR 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
	Route 6 (var.) T,TR 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b PG13
	T2 Flake T,TR 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b R
	Texas T,TR 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
	Tree Climb T,TR 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
	Unrelenting Nines T,TR 5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
	Upper Left Roof T,TR 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
	Vulture Roof TR 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
	Zander Zigzag T,TR 5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b PG13
Unsorted Routes:

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Elevation:	6,270 ft	1,911 m
GPS:	35.8164, -106.1912 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
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Shared By:	Mark Mathis on Jul 18, 2007
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Description

The Playground is a 60 foot south-facing basalt cliff. Numerous moderate to difficult crack and face climbs ascend the cliff. Routes at this area are not bolted (by agreement), so be sure to bring your gear to lead. While route bolts are strictly verboten, anchor bolts are allowed. However, the last anchor bolts to be installed (over Beginner's Hand Jam) were chopped and few currently exist, so many climbs require trad gear to establish anchors.

Climbs are numbered from left to right with numbers as in 'Jemez Rock' and as shown in the beta photos.

Getting There

To get to the Playground from NM state road 4, turn south on Rover blvd. After about 100 yards, take a left on Meadow lane. Follow this street (it will slowly curve south) passing the turnoff for the Overlook, and continue to 719 Meadow Lane. Park near by, being careful not to block mailboxes or driveways (several residents have complained in the past). Take the public access trail between 719 and 721 Meadow Lane. From here, turn right and walk toward the rim of the canyon. Follow the rim for 300 yards and locate an approach gully with a 30 foot basalt tower on it's left side. At the bottom of this gully is the Playground.

Routes with Fixed Anchors

A handful of routes at The Playground have two bolt anchors. If you're heading to the Playground with limited gear or static line for anchors, or simply want to get a quicker session in, here's a list of the routes with bolt anchors (left to right):

* Unrelenting Nines - Two bolt anchor on big ledge about 12 feet below the rim. Accessible from the top. Long slings helpful.

* Flying A - Two bolt anchor (brown painted glue-in bolts) on downhill side of large boulder on big ledge about 12 feet below the rim. Accessible from the top. It is also possible to climb right at the top of Texas and use this anchor without any trouble.

* Tree Climb / Mr. Foster's Lead - Two bolt anchor on big ledge about 8 feet below the rim. Accessible from top. Anchor is near small, dead tree. Quickdraws adequate.

* Black Wall - Two bolt anchor on big ledge about 6 feet below the rim. Accessible from top. Long slings or short static rope helpful.

* Cactus Climb - Two bolt anchor a few inches below the rim. Accessible from top. Quickdraws adequate. It is also standard to use this anchor for Beginner's Hand Jam. A 0.5 camalot works great as a directional piece between the top of Beginner's Hand Jam and this anchor.

* Upper Left Roof - Two bolt anchor over the edge of the big ledge that's about 10 feet below the rim. Accessible from top via easy downclimb. Quickdraws adequate.

* Flakey Nine - Two bolt anchor on the big ledge about 12 feet below the rim. Accessible from the top via short downclimb. Long slings or static rope helpful.

46 Total Climbs

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Classic Climbing Routes at The Playground

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.

5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c 35 ● Texas Trad, TR
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a 63 ● Beginner's Hand Jam Trad, TR
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a 27 ● Upper Left Roof Trad, TR
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a 16 ● Mr. Foster's Lead Trad, TR
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a 20 ● Flakey Nine Trad, TR
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b 25 ● Cactus Climb Trad, TR
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b R 7 ● T2 Flake Trad, TR
5.10c/d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b 25 ● Blow Hole Trad, TR
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b 12 ● Burnt Crack Trad, TR
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c 29 ● Flying A Trad, TR
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c 10 ● Fingertip Layback Trad, TR
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a 34 ● Unrelenting Nines Trad, TR
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a R 4 ● Route 20 Trad, TR
5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a R 4 ● Flying A Buttress Trad, TR
5.12 7b+ 27 VIII+ 26 E6 6b PG13 4 ● The Playgrounder Trad, TR