Solitude Dome Rock Climbing

Drive to Catalina State Park on Oracle Road (Hwy. 77) just north of Tucson in Oro Valley.

After paying the entrance fee of $7.00 as of Jan. 2013, (self-pay if you've started as early as you should!), park at the parking lot for the Ruins Trail and take the Alamo Loop trail to the base of Alamo Canyon. Immediately after crossing the huge CDO wash, just before the trail heads uphill, there is a well used horse trail forking right. Take this trail as it climbs up onto a ridge that parallels the Ruins Trail ridge. It eventually heads right into Alamo Canyon. Right before it drops into the canyon there is a herd trail towards and past the wilderness sign. This trail stays on the left side of Alamo canyon, though it can be too overgrown. It eventually drops into the canyon. Follow the canyon to the obvious turnoff for Leviathan and continue right in the main canyon. Shortly (>~5 min) after negotiating a waterfall cliff take the next major drainage heading left (east.)

This takes you along the right side (south and west faces) of the Solitude dome. You should now be able to see the “small” pointed prow on the top left corner of the summit that marks the final bolted bulge of "Solitude." Look at the base of the dome for the obvious 100+ foot fin of rock with vertical red streaks, just off the main face. Head up the steep gully around between that fin and the dome. The gully around the left side of the fin is really loose and unpleasant but might be faster than going around the right side. There is a nice rope up spot at the base of the Solitude route and the free for fall variation.

This area is about an hour hike past the Leviathan turnoff. (roughly 3 hours from the car)

Extra info available in Kerry's Guidebook on Climbaz.com