Winter Climbing outdoors in Taos. A veritable sun-trap, the Solar Asylum remains in the shade until midday and then the winter sun warms the wall in the afternoon and evening. It is climbable on all but the coldest days of winter. There are a dozen routes (sport, mixed, trad) with overhanging, featured lower thirds and headwalls with steep technical face and crack climbing.
Getting There
There are several ways to reach this sunny crag. The easiest approach to this crag if you don't mind the hike is to sramble up the left side of Johns Wall then follow a carined climbers trail that climbs up and back to the East first passing under a smaller cliff with various short sport and trad routes, continue past this wall to reach the Solar Asylum, about 18 min from car park. If you want to save time hiking and can cross the river you may approach the base of the cliff by crossing the Hondo Creek about 0.3 mi East of the John's Wall. Follow a faint trail east and up the switchbacks to base of crag, about 8 min. . If the roads are dry you may also find it convenient to follow B0001 West off highway 522 north of Arroyo Hondo. Continue to the right up onto the mesa. Then turn right and down the hill to the north on a dirt road passing left of an old pick-up truck. Trend toward the gorge and to the south on obvious jeep trails so you come the top of a double track trail at the plateau overlooking the confluence of the Hondo and the Rio Grande(this can be a bit tricky your first time and requires a high clearance vehicle). From this parking area the cliff top is 50 yards to the east of the wire fence on a faintly cairned trail. Rap the routes or find the climb down about 100 yards to the west.MAny anchors can be reached here for top roping. Look for blue webbing and a rap ring set back from the cliff on a juniper tree. This can be used to help safely access some anchors. Check this and any webbing prior to use.
One of the best single track rides in the county (Horsethief) goes right by the parking spot at the top of this crag.
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