The Sewer Crag  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Lat, Long:  35.8299, -106.1811 Map Page Views:  603. Good page?    Administrators:  Aaron Hobson, Jason Halladay, Anthony Stout, LeeAB Submitted By:  Monomaniac on Apr 9, 2007 Make this area a Favorite What's New   Print a Mini-Guide with routes Add Route  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event  Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun 86° | 52° 88° | 52° 90° | 54° 88° | 46° 82° | 45°

This crag is on San Ildefonso Pueblo. MORE INFO >>> However, climbers have not had any issues with access so far, probably because the cliff is so rarely visited. Keeping climbing areas open and conserving the climbing environment

The uncrowded Sewer Crag.

Description 

A south, east and SE facing cliff of dirty, pocketed basalt. This crag is opposite of the North side of The Overlook. Currently has ~5 bolted routes and a few pointless cracks.

This crag is so-named due to its proximity to a sewage treatment plant. The climbing is not particularly stanky, nor is the surrounding environment. A good place to go if you want a bit of seclusion. The routes would be really good if they ever got cleaned up, but that seems like an awful lot to hope for.

Getting There 

The approach is much shorter, easier and cleaner than all of the area guidebooks imply. It took me ~15 minutes, and I never had to 'ford a foul smelling stream'.

Park at the Overlook. Walk N from the P-lot and locate the Sewer crag visually across the canyon. Note the creek you will need to cross, and identify the approach route, which basically traverses the canyon rim until you are almost above the Sewer Crag, then descends a grass covered talus field to the base of the wall.

Walk back up the road the way you came for about 100 yds to a large clearing on the N side of the road. Bushwhack NW for 100 yds into thickening brush, and pick up a faint trail that leads to a stream crossing near the large waterfall. It is trivial to cross this stream without getting your feet wet. Once across the stream, continue on a much better trail N, then NE, then E along the canyon rim. After ~ 200 yds a subtle cairn appears on the right, about 30 yds S of the trail. Walk to this cairn, and descend the bushy talus field below to the base of the cliff. First bolted route encountered is "Toxic Avenger".

The Classics

Featured Route For The Sewer Crag

One Hundred Years of Solitude 5.10d  NM : Los Alamos & White Rock : ... : The Sewer Crag

A long-abandoned project reclaimed on New Mexico's 100th birthday. Like most climbs at the Sewer Crag, begin by scrambling through a sizable choss band, clipping a couple of bolts just to be safe. The climbing begins in earnest at the third bolt as the rock morphs into the bullet basalt endemic to White Rock and the wall steepens to vertical. Cool pockets lead to a tricky crux on the arete at bolt 5 and more sustained climbing to the anchors. ...[more]   Browse More Classics in NM