Best sport climbing near Tucson in December?

Hey all! My partner and I are planning a late December Tucson trip to get some climbing in and see the area. What are the best crags around Tucson for that time of year?

Also any suggestions for good areas to stay in Tucson would be awesome.

Thanks!

How hard? Most crags along the Catalina (Lemmon) Highway feature some sport routes. You could climb high if you look for walls with a southerly aspect.

Milagrosa Canyon is the lowest/warmest sport climbing area and is fun.  From there, you can work your way up areas along the Catalina Highway, starting with the Hairpin.  Basically, the higher you go the colder it gets (depending of course on sun/shade, etc.).  Hard to believe when you are sitting in Tucson, but the highway goes to the top and ends at a ski area that opens from time to time.  There is climbing from bottom to top.  You'd probably be fine up to and including Windy Point in December, maybe higher if the weather is cooperating and you are in the sun.  

I’m surprised that no one has mentioned the destination limestone sport climbing crags close to Tucson. The Homestead would be my clear recommendation. Others could speak to The Farmhouse or The Dry.  Homestead takes a couple hours and requires 4x4 w clearance or long walk, at least it used to. Also best to camp and climb up there more than one day given the drive and the volume of quality climbing. 

Jerry Cagle wrote:

How hard? Most crags along the Catalina (Lemmon) Highway feature some sport routes. You could climb high if you look for walls with a southerly aspect.

We have fun on climbs between 5.10-12d! But mostly mid 11s to mid 12s. 

Tim Dolan wrote:

Milagrosa Canyon is the lowest/warmest sport climbing area and is fun.  From there, you can work your way up areas along the Catalina Highway, starting with the Hairpin.  Basically, the higher you go the colder it gets (depending of course on sun/shade, etc.).  Hard to believe when you are sitting in Tucson, but the highway goes to the top and ends at a ski area that opens from time to time.  There is climbing from bottom to top.  You'd probably be fine up to and including Windy Point in December, maybe higher if the weather is cooperating and you are in the sun.  

Amazing thank you! I'd heard about Milagrosa Canyon so we'll definitely check that out. Any particularly good crags along the Catalina Hwy you like?

j mo wrote:

I’m surprised that no one has mentioned the destination limestone sport climbing crags close to Tucson. The Homestead would be my clear recommendation. Others could speak to The Farmhouse or The Dry.  Homestead takes a couple hours and requires 4x4 w clearance or long walk, at least it used to. Also best to camp and climb up there more than one day given the drive and the volume of quality climbing. 

Ohh I have heard of Homestead, but wrote it off because it seemed kind of far (we're only in Tucson for a week and got an Airbnb so no camping on this trip!). Think it's worth a day trip? Any other gems outside of Tucson we should add to the list?

Thanks!!

Ahhhh. If staying nightly in Tucson probably Homestead is a bit much. What I notice is that you climb some trad (jah man?  Before it fell down?) and hard enough sport to go do Peacemaker on the Sheepshead. It has a few optional gear placements for those, like me, who like to keep things kinda safe, and a heads up first bolt. Honestly a set of DMM offsets and .2 to .5 is probably overkill. And it is a walk off, 90 minutes drive each way, and I predict if you never have been out there it will be the most memorable part of your trip.

I don’t mean to talk down milagrosa or low mountain crags but for me Lemmon destination climbing was summer stuff at reef and orifice and then some scattered mid mountain gems. If the weather permits go to middle earth just to do planet eater alone (the Breeze is fun too). Or also a bit high but Red diamond wall is very very good but not sport except sidewinder which may be the best bolted 10 on mt Lemmon. 

FWIW: Rock quality on The Lemmon improves as you go up highway.

Peacemaker is awesome, but note that it is multi-pitch. Isle of Ewe, also in Cochise, seems to get a lot of attention.

As others have mentioned, Lemmon is more of a mountain range than a "climbing area". With over 3,000 routes spread over 27 miles and 7k of elevation it can take a bit of time (years) to really get a feel for the place. The upside is you can basically be a goldy-locks about your climbing, chasing sun/shade and temps up or down the mountain. December highlights would be (in order of lower to higher elevation): La Milagrosa, Hairpin, Prison Camp, Chessmen, Windy Point, and Middle Earth.

It's definitely worth taking a day trip to climb down south, whether that's Cochise, The Farmhouse or The Dry (4x4 req.). The Homestead is quite a bit further, but is definitely some of the best rock in the state, and would be its own destination if it weren't guarded by a proper 4x4 road (you can mountain bike in if you're fit).

FWIW: And, don't be surprised if you find yourself thinking that the difficulties are a little underrated. It's not uncommon for people to find the ratings on Lemmon a little on the sandbagged side.

j mo wrote:

Ahhhh. If staying nightly in Tucson probably Homestead is a bit much. What I notice is that you climb some trad (jah man?  Before it fell down?) and hard enough sport to go do Peacemaker on the Sheepshead. It has a few optional gear placements for those, like me, who like to keep things kinda safe, and a heads up first bolt. Honestly a set of DMM offsets and .2 to .5 is probably overkill. And it is a walk off, 90 minutes drive each way, and I predict if you never have been out there it will be the most memorable part of your trip.

I don’t mean to talk down milagrosa or low mountain crags but for me Lemmon destination climbing was summer stuff at reef and orifice and then some scattered mid mountain gems. If the weather permits go to middle earth just to do planet eater alone (the Breeze is fun too). Or also a bit high but Red diamond wall is very very good but not sport except sidewinder which may be the best bolted 10 on mt Lemmon. 

Ah I see! Yeah, we used to do a ton of multipitch and alpine stuff but we have two pups now, so we've done a hard pivot to hard sport climbing instead where we can hang with the dogs. Peacemaker sounds very cool though! Maybe one day. 

And yes we did sneak in Jah Man before it fell off!! What a cool climb. 

Thanks for all of the suggestions - psyched to check out a new area!

Kemper Brightman wrote:

As others have mentioned, Lemmon is more of a mountain range than a "climbing area". With over 3,000 routes spread over 27 miles and 7k of elevation it can take a bit of time (years) to really get a feel for the place. The upside is you can basically be a goldy-locks about your climbing, chasing sun/shade and temps up or down the mountain. December highlights would be (in order of lower to higher elevation): La Milagrosa, Hairpin, Prison Camp, Chessmen, Windy Point, and Middle Earth.

It's definitely worth taking a day trip to climb down south, whether that's Cochise, The Farmhouse or The Dry (4x4 req.). The Homestead is quite a bit further, but is definitely some of the best rock in the state, and would be its own destination if it weren't guarded by a proper 4x4 road (you can mountain bike in if you're fit).

This is really helpful, thank you! Good to know there are spots a bit further to the south - will do some investigating. 

Forgotten Wall on Mt Lemmon is pretty rad that time of year.

Catalina Hwy:

Cold but sunny: Ripple Wall, Goosehead/Knight's Wall, Beaver Wall (AM), Northeast face of South Fin (AM), Punch and Judy, Big Pine Towers, Chimney Rock (AM/backside PM), Chessman (PM). Sunspots bakes on any day, even the coldest. Pinhead Wall in the PM

Cold and shady (good for warmer days): New Wave Wall, any AM wall above in the PM, Backhand Wall at Hairpin

There are many more, but this should keep you busy ;-)

Andy Bennett wrote:

Catalina Hwy:

Cold but sunny: Ripple Wall, Goosehead/Knight's Wall, Beaver Wall (AM), Northeast face of South Fin (AM), Punch and Judy, Big Pine Towers, Chimney Rock (AM/backside PM), Chessman (PM). Sunspots bakes on any day, even the coldest. Pinhead Wall in the PM

Cold and shady (good for warmer days): New Wave Wall, any AM wall above in the PM, Backhand Wall at Hairpin

There are many more, but this should keep you busy ;-)

Thank you!! Follow up q: I’m recovering from ankle surgery so we’re looking for some short approaches - any of your recs fit that bill? Thanks again!

Another vote for anything in Cochise, especially if bringing the pups. It's less crowded, warmer, plenty of short approaches, more dog friendly, and the drive time from Tucson is about the same as it is to the top of Mt Lemmon. Its well worth at least one of your days here. But whatever you choose will be fun and just right, this is Arizona after all! 

Meghan Walker wrote:

Thank you!! Follow up q: I’m recovering from ankle surgery so we’re looking for some short approaches - any of your recs fit that bill? Thanks again!

Most popular stuff at Windy Pt, all of Chimney Rock, and Crag Against Humanity are gonna be your shortest approaches.

boneyard for sure!

the ruins- long approach but worth it

milagrosa canyon- beautiful setting, long but VERY easy approach, classic climbs

crag against humanity- pretty much belay from your car

barnum rock- short but steep approach. easier but fun climbs. 

pinhead!!- always empty, great climbs

definitely check out the boneyard. my personal favorite!