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Elevation: 6,386 ft 1,946 m
GPS: 35.68569, -106.65638
Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views: 177,423 total · 871/month
Shared By: Brian Quiter on Aug 3, 2008 · Updates
Admins: Jason Halladay, Mike Hoskins, Anna Brown

Description Suggest change

Climbing ranges from thin face problems to steep overhung burl-fests with both lowball and highball climbing. The rock is volcanic tuff, but quite different from the popular tuff area, the Happys in California. Ponderosa doesn't have the thick and solid patina layer that the Happys does. Where there is thick patina here, it is probably choss. But where the patina is thin, it is awesome and very grainy, making for excellent pocketed face climbs. Conversely, the climbing on the underside of the boulders is quite similar to the Happys.

Ponderosa bouldering features rails, pockets, thin slabs, sharp aretes, hollow huecos, and interesting three-dimensional scoops. The rock is sharp and coarse and hard on the skin.

The setting is pleasant but very exposed to the sun and elements. Typically arid and dusty, the lower slopes at the Pond can however occasionally become extremely muddy following snowmelt. In this case, your best bet is to get higher where it is sandier. The gate to the Satellite area is closed in winter.

There is camping nearby. Just up the road is a national forest campground (closed in winter). Suds are available in Ponderosa, and there are more services on Hwy 4.

Getting There Suggest change

From any direction, the easiest way to get to Ponderosa is via Highway 4, then go east in northern Jemez Pueblo on Highway 290 aka Forest Road 10 towards the town of Ponderosa. After you pass the only bar in Ponderosa, it is 2.6 miles to the parking area. After you pass an irrigation pond, look for the turn to the left. This is parking for the lower area. I can't tell you how to get to the upper area because I haven't been.

From the north, it is easier to turn left off of Highway 4 near the mailboxes between mile markers 33 and 34. There's also a sign saying to turn left here for Ponderosa. From here, you follow Forest Road 10 for ~15 miles, hoping you stay on FR 10 and not some other road. I went this way, but I can't tell you the exact mileage because at one point, the signs indicating you're still on 10 become rare and the road gets worse (and I turned around to see if any other roads were better - they weren't). But if you follow the straight-looking way at any intersection, you'll get there. After ~13 miles, you come upon the aforementioned national forest campground, then right before the pond, turn a soft right into the parking area.

From the gate at the end of the parking area, follow the 'road' westward towards the north end of the pond. From here, most boulders are further west, climbing a gentle ridge via a good trail, however the Cube is more northward (and visible) up the wash.

The GPS location is somewhere in the middle of the climbing.

195 Total Climbs

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Location: Ponderosa Bouldering Change
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Classic Climbing Routes at Ponderosa Bouldering

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
V0 4
 7
Slab God
Boulder
V3 6A
 64
Spitoon AKA: The Scoop
Boulder
V3 6A
 42
Picture Perfect
Boulder
V3+ 6A+
 6
Picture Perfect Slab
Boulder
V4 6B
 28
Fannie Mae
Boulder
V5- 6C
 24
Dot Dot Space, AKA: V5 Arête
Boulder
V5 6C
 22
Mongo
Boulder
V6 7A
 15
The Joker
Boulder
V7 7A+
 29
King for a Day
Boulder
V7 7A+
 13
Powerstroke
Boulder
V7+ 7A+
 5
Status Quo
Boulder
V7-8 7B
 15
Scoop
Boulder
V8-9 7B+
 4
Soft Fluffy Bunnies
Boulder
V9 7C
 10
The Valsalva Maneuver AKA: Left…
Boulder
V10+ 7C+
 7
Mario Andretti
Boulder
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Slab God Pond > Upper Deck > Cluster
 7
V0 4 Boulder
Spitoon AKA: The Scoop Pond > Scoop Boulder
 64
V3 6A Boulder
Picture Perfect Pond > Picture Perfect Boulder
 42
V3 6A Boulder
Picture Perfect Slab Pond > Picture Perfect Boulder
 6
V3+ 6A+ Boulder
Fannie Mae Pond > Fannie Mae
 28
V4 6B Boulder
Dot Dot Space, AKA: V5 Arête Pond > King for a Day Boulder
 24
V5- 6C Boulder
Mongo Pond > Picture Perfect Boulder
 22
V5 6C Boulder
The Joker Pond > King for a Day Boulder
 15
V6 7A Boulder
King for a Day Pond > King for a Day Boulder
 29
V7 7A+ Boulder
Powerstroke Pond > NASCAR Boulder
 13
V7 7A+ Boulder
Status Quo Pond > Fannie Mae
 5
V7+ 7A+ Boulder
Scoop Satellite > Pinball Simulator Area
 15
V7-8 7B Boulder
Soft Fluffy Bunnies Pond > Upper Deck > Lost Descent
 4
V8-9 7B+ Boulder
The Valsalva Maneuver AKA:… Satellite > Pinball Simulator Area
 10
V9 7C Boulder
Mario Andretti Pond > NASCAR Boulder
 7
V10+ 7C+ Boulder
More Classic Climbs in Ponderosa Bouldering »

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