Beautiful sport climbing on amazing clastic flow (or welded tuff, I am not sure, see the below comment!). In my opinion, this is the best sport climbing in New Mexico. Note that the guidebook that exists for this area is certainly worth the purchase, it has great topos and directions to the climbs and areas.
Getting There
NOTE: Access to Enchanted Tower via the dirt road off HW 60 is granted by the ranch manager and can be revoked! Please be courteous: travel no more than 15 mph on the dirt road into Enchanted Tower and do not go in and out after dark. Thanks!!
If going from Albuquerque, head South on I-25 to Socorro, NM. From there go west on Highway 60, in about 1 hour you will pass through the town of Datil. Continue 5.3 miles past the town (and 0.9 miles past mile marker 73), and turn right past the guardrail.
Go on a dirt road, through a gate that may look like it is locked. It is not. Please close the gate if it is open.
Continue down the dirt road towards the ranch house, and turn left at the metal gate just before the ranch house. Sign in there. Note that the gate may or may not be locked. There are a few ways to get that combination:
1) Contact Stone Age Gym for the gate key number: stoneagegym@earthlink.net or call 520-326-1449 before 10 p.m. (it would be wise to do this BEFORE you make the trip).
2) A riddle to assist you in getting the combination (see comments below by user and 2003 guidebook author Eric Rhicard: 1] The first number is the same as the first number of US climbing ratings. 2)Add 1 to the first number and you have the second number. 3)Multiply the first number by two and that double figure gives you the 3rd and 4th numbers.
or
Another puzzle: This company makes C4 Rubber? You now have the first third and fourth numbers. To get the second number add 1 to the first number.
Crags
East to West, or right to left as you see them from the road.
- Frog Prince: Many good routes from 5.10b to 5.HARD
- Rapunzel Wall: Nice beginners wall. This and Mother Goose wall are great for beginning leaders. Bolts can be a bit high and the cruxes are at the start.
- The Enchanted Tower: The namesake of the place; beautiful. Routes from 5.11b to 5.13a.
- Mother Goose Wall: Largest selection of beginner routes at the tower. Again, a good wall for the aspiring leader.
- Renaissance Wall: Only three routes on this wall, one being the hardest at Datil at 5.13+.
- The Land Beyond: Continue driving down the road to this one. About 1.5 miles west, past the main tower area. A few 10s but a great selection of .11 and .12 routes.
This fine line spawned the now classic, and much more popular Goliath. This was the original line up the Towers prominent prow, turning left around the arete at the midway anchors, and continuing to the top along the golden NW face just left of the hanging arete (the upper half of ZWW).Now largely ignored, this route makes a great victory lap for those who have sent Goliath, but its also a great route in its own right, and would make an excellen...[more]
By Jason Hundhausen From: Los Alamos, NM Mar 28, 2009 CONDITION REPORT
3/28/2009
I'm considering making a trip to the Tower in the next couple of weeks and was wondering if anybody knows the conditions of the road going in and the campground. Thanks!
By Anthony Stout Administrator From: Albuquerque, NM Mar 30, 2009 CONDITION REPORT
Hey Jason,
I was there at the beginning and middle of March. Conditions were excellent. Road was fine, you should have no problem getting in there. If you go this weekend I hope to run into you!
In a conversation with Adam Read (Tower first acensionist and geologist at NM Tech) Adam stated that The Tower is actually a clastic flow and not welded tuff. I write this just for info and not to argue anything. Maybe if Adam ever reads this he can comment further.
Here are a few questions and directions that will give you the combination to the sometimes locked gate. 1] The first number is the same as the first number of US climbing ratings. 2)Add 1 to the first number and you have the second number. 3)Multiply the first number by two and that double figure gives you the 3rd and 4th numbers.
Okay, here is another puzzle that will unlock the gate. This company makes C4 Rubber? You now have the first third and fourth numbers. To get the second number add 1 to the first number.
By Monomaniac Administrator From: Morrison, CO Jan 30, 2007
Anyone been out to the tower recently? I'm curious about the road conditions with respect to all of the snow we've gotten.
My buddy and I took a spring break tour down south with the intentions of going to Mexico. We took a wrong turn at Albuquerque, and ended up in enchanted tower. Some of the coolest pockets, crappy road entry, and a New Mexico sunset kept us there for another week...Worth every second of it. The caves are rifle like but not rifle grade. Very few people and a lot more routes to be discovered but not bolted. Amazing!
I was wondering if anyone climbs here during the winter months. I saw that is at 8000 ft I'm looking at hitting this place up in mid january but with all the snow lately Im kinda worried if its worth it?
Hey Devin, I've not heard of anyone climbing here in winter. In a typical winter you'd probably need to snowshoe or ski on the road beyond the ranch house. I'm not sure about this but it certainly wouldn't surprise me. Then, of course, that would lead to parking near the ranch house which wouldn't be cool with the owners. Also, the routes generally face west which would mean some very chilly climbing for much of the day until the sun came around. If you're in the area in January, the climbing closer to Socorro would be a much better bet. That said, I live quite far north from the Tower so I'm by no means an expert.
Thanks for the info Jason. I'm also from Los, but go to school in las Cruces so I was hoping to hit up the tower on my way down in jan. but Soccoro probably would be a safer bet. Hopefully the snow will clear enough that i can climb a bit while I'm up here.
Enchanted Tower
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