Dona Ana Mountains

Description 

The Dona Ana mountains offer ample climbing for any climber passing through Las Cruces. Although not as eye-catching as their magnificent neighbors , the Organs, they have been a favorite climbing area among locals for many years. From bouldering to long traditional routes, the climbing here is varied and spread out over a large area owned by the BLM and NMSU. The rock tends to be granitic, and similar to that found in the Organs. While the Dona Ana Mts lack the grandeur of the Organs, they have relatively short approaches and even some "drive-up" climbing, which gives them an advantage over most of the climbing in the Organs.

The main attraction is the Checkerboard wall, a beautiful 500ft cliff offering several moderate-easy lines. Other popular spots are the Bear Boulders and Pizza Boulders, which offer drive-up climbing in a secluded desert surrounding. NMSU recently acquired much of the land in the Dona Ana range and has closed some areas to climbing, including the Columns and the North boulder Field. Please respect these clusures and we may have a chance to negotiate access.

The Dona Ana Mts are bounded by the Jornada Experimental Range on the north/east, and Las Cruces on the south/west. It is harsh desert environment and should be treated as such (birng plenty of water and minimize your impact). Camping is permitted on BLM land, and there is a great network of biking trails.

Getting There 

The main access point is Jornada rd. To reach this rd take Hwy 70 east from las Cruces. Exit at Mesa Grande Rd and follow signs for the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Park. This will take you to Bantaam Memorial Drive heading west for a few blocks. Turn right onto Jornada rd at a Shortys gas station. Jornada rd becomes a wide gravel rd within a few miles and will drive you by the east side of the mountain range. Several dirt rds lead to the various climbing areas.

Resources 

Rosul-Dunning Guide. This PDF guide has a good topo for the Checkerboard wall, as well as a map to the different climbing areas in the Dona Anas. Contact me (Aaron Hobson) if you would like a copy.

There is a guide to the some boulder problems that can be found at the NMSU climbing wall.

The Classics