Rappel Rock  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Page Views:  22,510. Good page? (2 likes)    Administrators:  Kristine Hoffman, Greg Opland, James DeRoussel, JJ Schlick, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  James DeRoussel on Oct 28, 2002 Make this area a Favorite What's New   Print a Mini-Guide with routes Add Route  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event  Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu 91° | 64° 93° | 63° 93° | 64° 97° | 66° 97° | 63°

Closed to climbing, March 15 - June 30 MORE INFO >>> This area is closed March 15 - June 30 for nesting pregerine falcons. This information is a public crowdsourcing effort between the Access Fund, and Mountain Project. You should confirm closures, restrictions, and/or related dates. Keeping climbing areas open and conserving the climbing environment Closed to climbing, March 15-June 30 MORE INFO >>> This area is closed March 15 - June 30 for nesting pregerine falcons. This information is a public crowdsourcing effort between the Access Fund, and Mountain Project. You should confirm closures, restrictions, and/or related dates. Keeping climbing areas open and conserving the climbing environment

Rap Rock.

Description 

Rappel Rock is located near the summit of Mt Lemmon at an elevation of over 9000 feet. Like the other summit crags, Rap Rock offers cool temps and spectacular views of Tucson to the south.

There are a number of high quality routes, including some of the longest moderate routes on the mountain.

Getting There 

Driving up the Catalina Highway, turn right on the road to the ski valley. Continue past the ski valley, through a gate, and down a rough paved road. Drive to the gravel parking lot on the left just before the observatory. Park here and continue on foot, up the road, following the 'trail' sign. (Stay left when you see the sign at the observatory).

Ten minutes will bring you to a metal shed on the right hand side of the road. There is a spring here on the left...its probably safe, but drink at your own risk.

Continue past this shed for another hundred yards until you see a trail lead off left, downhill toward the crags. There is a large boulder in this area just below the trail. A few minutes on this trail will put you down in plain view of Rap Rock. Follow the trail down and around the west (right) end of two smaller formations. You will be deposited at the back side of Rap Rock.

Many parties rack up here to avoid hiking back down for gear after summiting. Its also a good idea to scramble up and check out the descent.

To find the climbs, follow vague, steep trail down and around east end of Rappel Rock.

The Classics

Featured Route For Rappel Rock

Baradur 5.11d  AZ : Mount Lemmon (Santa Catalin... : ... : Rappel Rock

A number of us locals were competing for the FA of this line in the late 70s, a right-facing, right-leaning corner that just disappeared into an apparently blank face. Until Steve’s lead in 1979, those of us who tried it didn’t even make it to the end of the crack. Some of us called it the Crack of No Return, which doesn’t make sense now, but seemed to then – something to do with what appeared to be oblivion waiting at crack’s end. Steve didn’t have an easy time of it, though, taking several...[more]   Browse More Classics in AZ

Photos of Rappel Rock Slideshow

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Rappel Rock	Aaron M. at the top of Rap Rock. September 2007	Rappel Rock from the Orifice Wall after a storm.
Ryan enjoying the view	Finishing the third pitch of Black Quacker. photo...	Dawn approaching Rap rock. February 2010
Here ya go...Took this Saturday Sep.18th 2010...On...	The infamous tree belay at the first ledge.	The notch in the Obituary Column with a two bolt a...
Rappel Rock from Orifice Wall	Me on the summit of Rappel Rock after climbing the...