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White Rock
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Below The Old New Place 
Big Enchilada, The 
Coffee Shop (aka Quickstop) 
Crack House (aka Estante Edge), The 
Doughnut Shop, The 
Gallows Edge 
Lounge, The 
New New Place 
Old New Place 
Overlook, The 
Pajarito Gorge 
Playground, The 
Potrillo Cliffs 
River Crag, The 
Sewer Crag, The 
Sununu Place 
Tortilla Flats 


White Rock

Submitted By: Anthony Stout on Jan 20, 2006
Administrators: Aaron Hobson, Anthony Stout, George Perkins
Latitude: 35.8253  Longitude: -106.1922 
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Gallow's Edge at White Rock


Description 

From cracks to difficult sport, there is a wide variety of basalt climbing in and around the sleepy town of White Rock.


  • Trad climbers and topropers should probably focus on the excellent crack climbing at The Playground and the Old New Place, as well the two previously mentioned sport areas (which also have good crack climbs), and various other smaller cliffs scattered about.

  • For beginning climbers or new leaders, Gallows Edge and Potrillo Cliffs are excellent choices with more easier climbs (5.4-5.9) to choose from.

Different ethics apply regarding bolts and bolted anchors at the different crags; some are traditional only, while others have bolts and anchors. The local climbing community has had a number of open meetings and established this White Rock bolting agreement as a compromise for differing viewpoints and to allow for climbing of all styles at White Rock.

Season: year-round, except during occasional winter storms. The cliffs face enough different directions that it is always possible to seek out sun or shade as desired. Like everywhere in the SW, monsoon-style rainstorms are common in late afternoons in July and August.


Getting There 

From I-25, head either north or south toward Santa Fe (depending on where you are coming from), and get onto highway 285/84 toward Pojoaque. From Pojoaque head west on highway 502. Highway 502 will take you directly into the town of White Rock, follow the directions to each crag from there.


Other Resources: 

Several Webguides to this area can be found at: http://lamountaineers.org/zLOCATE.html


The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for White Rock:
(30) Beginner's Hand Jam   5.9     Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 60 feet   The Playground
(11) Ralph's Revenge   5.9     Trad, 60 feet   Below The Old New Place
(13) Upper Kor's Crack   5.9     Trad, TR, 45 feet   Potrillo Cliffs
(09) Ralph's Dilemma   5.10a     Trad, 60 feet   Below The Old New Place
(12) Holy Wall   5.10a     Sport, TR, 55 feet   The Overlook : South/East side
(10) Cholla Wall   5.10a/b PG13     Trad, TR, 55 feet   The Overlook : South/East side
(03) Boy What Assholes (You Guys Turned Out to Be)   5.10b     Sport, 55 feet   The Overlook : South/East side
(06) Huecos Rancheros   5.10c     Sport, 1 pitch, 45 feet   The Overlook : North/West side
(38) Blow Hole   5.10d     Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 80 feet   The Playground
(14) Flying A   5.11-     Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 60 feet   The Playground
(15) Way Beyond Zebra   5.11b     Sport, TR, 65 feet   The Overlook : South/East side
(10) Flesh-Eating Gnats   5.11b     Sport, 1 pitch, 60 feet   Below The Old New Place
(14) Rattlesnake Crack (aka Sidewinder)   5.11     Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 70 feet   Old New Place
(14) Manic Crack (aka Left Twin Crack)   5.11     Trad, 1 pitch, 60 feet   Below The Old New Place
(13) Wailing Banshees   5.11b/c     Sport, 62 feet   Below The Old New Place
(05) Unrelenting Nines   5.11c/d     Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 50 feet   The Playground
(29) Thorazine Dream   5.11d     Sport, TR, 1 pitch, 55 feet   The Overlook : South/East side
(12) Adam Ant (aka Nuclear Ant Farm)   5.12a     Sport, 1 pitch, 50 feet   Below The Old New Place
(20) Face Off   5.12a     Sport, TR, 1 pitch, 60 feet   The Overlook : South/East side
(05) Monsterpiece Theatre   5.12a     Sport, 1 pitch, 60 feet   Below The Old New Place
Browse More Classics in White Rock

Featured Route For White Rock
Taking full advantage of my wings on Wailing Banshees. Photo by Shems BJ...I think, could have been Wa3lt as well.

(13) Wailing Banshees 5.11b/c  NM : Los Alamos & White Rock : ... : Below The Old New Place
A very sweet arete route just right of Adam Ant. Nice, positive pockets on both sides of the arete serve up great hands while little edges and points on the arete give it up for the feet. Be sure to look on both sides of the arete for the pockets. A small crux comes above the second bolt trying to get to the great ledge and then another crux heading to the chains on a hold that looks good from below but is not quite as positive as th...[more]   Browse More Classics in NM


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White Rock Petroglyph

White Rock Petroglyph


Comments on White Rock Add Comment
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By Randy Carmichael
From: Boulder, CO
May 4, 2006

The on-line guide book is excellent, but I would encourage posting routes here too in order to get the climbing communities wisdom and perspective.