Big Horn Wall  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Page Views:  11,072. Good page?    Administrators:  Aaron Hobson, Jason Halladay, Anthony Stout, LeeAB, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  Monomaniac on Sep 8, 2006 Make this area a Favorite What's New   Print a Mini-Guide with routes Add Route  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event

View of the Big Horn wall

Description 

The Big Horn Wall is the main attraction at Sitting Bull Falls, featuring some of New Mexico's most difficult routes. This area is occasionally heralded as the best sport climbing crag in the state, despite the limited selection of lines. But what this crag lacks in quantity, it compensates for in quality. Every line on the wall would be a 4 star route at any other crag in New Mexico.

Generally speaking, routes here are steep jughauls, with long moves between large holds and "active" rests that add up to a building pump that tends to culminate in a mad-dash for the anchor and a desparate clip. Unfortunately the easier lines are getting polished, but as more of the locals are diverted to Last Chance Canyon, this problem likely will not get much worse.

The crag faces north and receives virtually no sun. Heat-tolerant folks will be able to climb here on all but the warmest days, while those in search of 'redpoint conditions' should plan to visit in winter.

Bees are occasionally found on this wall as well, although there are no known hives on this wall.

Getting There 

This wall is visible from the Sitting Bull Falls State Park parking lot, however, the wall is further away than it appears, and the approach is a bit convoluted in order to protect the delicate environment located just beyond the artificial grass lawn, 1000 square foot brick restroom facility, and concrete and pavement parking lot.

From the pay station, follow the concrete path SE toward the falls for about 30 yds, where a well-defined dirt path signed for the top of the waterfall branches off to the right. Ascend laboriously up the steep winding trail until it flattens out. After the trail levels out, the trail bends to the west, where a faint climber's trail diverges to the right. After 20 yds the Rosebud Wall and Big Horn Wall will be visible. There are two possible downclimbs to reach the cliff, one is 4th class, the other 2nd.

To reach the Big Horn Wall, climb down to the Rosebud Wall, and traverse the base westwardly to the BH Wall.

The Classics

Featured Route For Big Horn Wall

Broken Arrows 5.12d  NM : New Mexico, other Southern ... : ... : Big Horn Wall

Starts in the middle of the cave (last route on the left side) on obvious chalked slots. Make long moves through good slots and crimps to a good rest. Complete the difficult, technical boulder problem between V4-V5. The crux hold has apparently long since broken making the crux move just out of the rest either a right-handed (very temperature dependent two finger stack in a pocket) or do the move left-handed, grabbing the same hold as a pinch. Clip the chains after navigating through the final s...[more]   Browse More Classics in NM

Photos of Big Horn Wall Slideshow

Add Photo

Getting Dylan ready to take the king swing from th...