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Elevation: 6,242 ft
GPS: 34.7547, -111.062
Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views: 389,407 total · 1,770/month
Shared By: Anthony Stout on Feb 22, 2006 · Updates
Admins: Greg Opland, Brian Boyd, JJ Schlick, Kemper Brightman, Luke Bertelsen

Description Suggest change

Beautiful limestone, well protected sport routes with pulling on pockets and edges of mostly high quality rock. Setting is within a beautiful canyon and climbing can be had year around, chasing either the shade or the sun.

 For the majority of the year, the weather is beautiful (as is common of the desert southwest), with the best time of year being March through May (springtime), and September through November (fall). 

Floods occasionally drown some of the walls and make some of the climbs inaccessible, this varies by year.

Climbs here are, for the most part, very well protected, and range from 5.5 to 5.14. One can easily push their limits here, and do it safely. 

A clip stick is helpful for keeping some of the starts safer.

Seasonal fire restrictions are often in place during summer months, which prohibit campfires and charcoal grills. 

Getting There Suggest change

From the north: Drive south on Highway 87, and look for mile marker 314.  Continue 0.3 miles to a gate on the right.  

From the south: Drive north on Hwy 87, and look for mile marker 313.  Continue 0.7 miles to a gate on your left.

The gate is marked with a ton of climbing stickers.  There is typically a piece of webbing/cord on the gate, use it to open the gate and please close the gate after passing through. 

9736F is the actual road number, Jack's Canyon

The Asylum and Lost World have separate driving directions. These directions are for the main Jacks Canyon area:   From the gate, continue straight ahead on a good dirt road. Turn left at a Y at 0.2 miles, then take a right at 0.4 miles.  When the road ends, you will find a pit toilet on the right.  Dispersed camping is found on the left side, as well as the trail to the clifftop.

Jacks Canyon approach from Hwy 87

The road in is passable by most vehicles, although some cars have experienced undercarriage damage.  After rain, the fine-grained soil turns to quicksand, and has led to many stuck vehicles.  So, if it is your first time driving offroad in northern Arizona, think twice before you optimistically plow through a large puddle.

Resources

Suggest change
Jacks Canyon Sport Climbing by Deidre Burton and Jim Steagall.

226 Total Climbs

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Classic Climbing Routes at Jacks Canyon

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 160
Betty Cracker
Sport
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 198
Gouda
Sport
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 274
Mickey Goes to Vegas
Sport
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 155
Yarlsberg
Sport
5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b
 152
Dealers Choice
Sport
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
 171
Genesis
Sport
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
 121
Jack and the Beanstalk
Sport
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
 114
Bats in the Belfry
Sport
5.11a/b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
 161
Sacrificial Lizard
Sport
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
 30
Always Smooth
Sport
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 72
Enemy Wind
Sport
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 93
Tales From the Grypt
Sport
5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a
 17
The High Life
Sport
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b
 51
Kindest Cut
Sport
5.13b 8a 29 IX+ 30 E7 6c
 6
Evil Party Vortex
Sport
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Betty Cracker Cracker Jack Cliffs
 160
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Sport
Gouda Swiss Wall
 198
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Sport
Mickey Goes to Vegas Casino Cliffs
 274
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Sport
Yarlsberg Swiss Wall
 155
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Sport
Dealers Choice Casino Cliffs
 152
5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b Sport
Genesis Main Wall
 171
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b Sport
Jack and the Beanstalk Cracker Jack Cliffs
 121
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Sport
Bats in the Belfry Main Wall
 114
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Sport
Sacrificial Lizard Main Wall
 161
5.11a/b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c Sport
Always Smooth High Life Wall
 30
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c Sport
Enemy Wind Cracker Jack Cliffs
 72
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a Sport
Tales From the Grypt Main Wall
 93
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a Sport
The High Life High Life Wall
 17
5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a Sport
Kindest Cut Main Wall
 51
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b Sport
Evil Party Vortex Asylum > Main Wall
 6
5.13b 8a 29 IX+ 30 E7 6c Sport
More Classic Climbs in Jacks Canyon »

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