Mountain Project: Climbing Christmas Tree Pass

Submitted By: manuel rangel on Feb 17, 2006
Elevation: 4,000 feet
Latitude: 35.1416 Longitude: -114.6185
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Description

Desert domes of quartz monzonite on a ridge that rises from west to east. Rock quality is similar to Joshua Tree and approaches are varied, with some house-sized boulders complicating the approaches to the higher domes. Bounded on the south by Grapevine Canyon, a popular hike, and on the north by the road to Christmas Tree Pass, the area sees very few visitors. First developed in 1978, it has seen little traffic since then. It is part of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

Getting There

Located just 5 miles west of Laughlin off Highway 163, look for a signed dirt road (Christmas Tree Pass) and drive north a few miles to Grapevine Canyon or continue on the same road until it turns west to access the main area.

The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Christmas Tree Pass:

Funnel of Love 5.8+ Trad, 1 pitch, 100 feet, Grade II Main Area

NE face MDM Dome 5.10- Trad, 4 pitches, 500 feet Main Area

Stairway to Heaven 5.11c Sport, 2 pitches, 250 feet, Grade II Main Area

Photos of Christmas Tree Pass

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The coarse granite of Christmas Tree Pass. Photo b...	Petroglyphs greet you at the mouth of Grapevine Ca...	BETA PHOTO: The rocks of Christmas Tree Pass
BETA PHOTO: The rocks of Christmas Tree Pass	BETA PHOTO: The rocks of Christmas Tree Pass	Nancy on Tough Animals, 5.9+, Dali Dome, Christmas...
Fred East starting the 2nd pitch of Exhibition on ...	The Space Needle has two 5.10b face routes on it -...	The view from the top of Trac II. The Space Needle...
Christmas Tree Pass Panorama looking South.	Trac II summits where the hidden face meets the co...	Dr. Bombay revealed
Dr. Bombay just past the crux.	The summit pitch of Trac II.

Comments on Christmas Tree Pass

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By Dirty Gri Gri, or is it GiGi?
From: Vegas
Mar 12, 2008

A great area to explore, to say the very least.

Don't forget to stop off in CalNevAri at their restaurant (bar, and casino). A favorite hang-out over the years on my desert runs. Their food is yummy, and they make many of their food items from scratch. FYI: may be more crowded on some weekends due to "Fly-Ins." A friendly bunch though.

By Andrew Solow
Oct 18, 2009

FYI: Most of the 30 or so routes that have been done at Christmas Tree Pass since 1976 - including Manny Rangel's - are posted at: http://www.rockclimbing.com/routes/North_America/United_Stat>>>>>

I just posted some photos on the Mountain Project site, but it's too much trouble to re-post all of the routes.

Andy Solow, San Francisco, CA

By meghan c.
From: kingman, az
Nov 26, 2009

Weekend trips to X-mas Tree Pass? I live nearby and would love to climb here this winter. PM me if you'd like to climb here or other areas in this patch of desert.

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