This 10-15 ft high limestone cliff band runs for a...
Description
Below the overlook at the Goosenecks of the San Juan State Park sits a short cliff-band of limestone with dozens of boulder problems. The rock is sharp limestone, vertical to slightly off-vertical. Exposure is primarily to the south/southeast.
Getting There
From Hwy 163 between Bluff and Mexican Hat turn onto Hwy 261. After a mile turn onto Hwy. 316 towards the Goosenecks State Park. A few miles and you're at the overlook.
The Classics
Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Goosenecks of the San Juan :
A good place for locals or anyone traveling through in the cooler months. Not a destination by any means though.
This is actually a ginormous area. The cliff band goes for miles and miles, with literally thousands of problems possible. Most problems are dead vertical technical face climbs or sharp cracks. My favorite problems are the aretes. There are also some very good roof problems where the cliff band has been undercut. The cliff band ranges from 12-25 feet high, making some problems quite highball.
The key is finding problems with flat landings. Otherwise, a tumble will leave you rolling 1,000 feet to the San Juan River.
My best recommendation for the first time visitor is not the cliff band below the visitor parking lot, as described in the area description. The landings there are not that great and the concentration of problems lower than other areas.
Instead, follow the two-track road that heads south east. Take this road for about 3/4 of a mile to the very end of the point. Here there's an easy route down through the cliff band and many problems with nice flat landings. The view is excellent and you'll also be away from the tourists. Right here at the point there are some really fantastic arete problems on immaculate, grey limestone.
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