Mountain Project: Climbing Central Arizona

This is the orange and black streaked wall you can see driving in when you are at the second gate. This wall curves from east facing to south facing. The area called Tufa City starts more or less near the apex of the curve. The rock is good and the Tufa routes are fun. Climb fall to spring and later if you love the heat. The afternoon is a good time to be on this wall unless it is cold.

Getting There

Hike up the wash and turn left at the cairn to Slate Nation. Continue up trail past gully that separates Slate Nation from Finland. This gully is used if you approach Finland via the ridge trail. This trail starts about 100 feet from the parking area and branches left. It is a scenic hike but it takes a few minutes to get the legs working. There is also supposed to be a spot above Finland where you can rap in. Continue past the gully to find it. Dropping down the gully was easy enough. Climbing up the gully at the end of a day is work but the hike down is great.

Warning

Do not climb on tufas after a big rain or if the wall appears wet!
Tufas are very fragile and break really easily when wet.
Don't ruin climbs for everyone else! Thank you!

The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Tufa City:

John's Meat Market (aka: Fred's Line) 5.11a Sport, 1 pitch

Tufa-one 5.11- Sport

Ground Affects 5.11- Sport, 35 feet

Canned Heat 5.11b Sport, 60 feet

Tufa Yard Dash 5.11c Sport, 1 pitch, 70 feet

Fred's Route 5.11c Sport, 50 feet

Couples Fear Factor 5.11c Sport, 45 feet

Grip It And Rip It 5.11+ Sport, 35 feet

Millenium Meltdown 5.11d Sport, 40 feet

Micro Burst 5.12a Sport, 65 feet

Calcite Cruiser 5.12b Sport, 1 pitch, 55 feet

Black Sunshine 5.12b Sport, 1 pitch, 75 feet

Way 'Stead 5.12 Sport

Spicy Crispy 5.12b/c Sport, 1 pitch, 45 feet

Tufa Tussle 5.12c Sport, 80 feet

La Linea Negra 5.12c Sport, 1 pitch, 65 feet

Flying Cocksman 5.12c Sport, 45 feet

Sun Burst 5.13a Sport, 1 pitch, 80 feet

Dead Sea 5.13a Sport, 1 pitch, 80 feet

TuFa king $:@%*~! 5.13 Sport, 1 pitch, 75 feet

Comments on Tufa City

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Comments displayed oldest to newest — Skip Ahead to the Most Recent Dated Nov 17, 2011

By Red
From: Arizona
Mar 12, 2013
CONDITION REPORT

The tufa system between Tufa Yard Dash and Tufa One was wet this past weekend. (March 9 & 10, 2013) It would be best if people stay off these two climbs until the tufa's have dried internally, which is a while after they dry externally.
The large tufa rings when you bump it and sounds fragile even when it is dry.

By Red
From: Arizona
Oct 23, 2009

PLEASE DO NOT CLIMB ON TUFAS IF THEY APPEAR WET! Tufas are very fragile and break really easily when wet. Don't ruin climbs for everyone else. THANK YOU!!

By Braxtron
From: ...
Oct 23, 2009

Why the yelling, Red?

By Red
From: Arizona
Oct 26, 2009

Braxton Norwood, sorry to come off as yelling. I just want people that are viewing this page for beta on the place to know not to climb on wet tufas. I feel it should be mentioned in the description of the wall but I can't add it there since I did not create the page. Used caps so people might see it easier.

By Paul Davidson
Oct 29, 2009

I thought this area was sedimentary Limestone?
Also water soluable and so should be avoided after rains.

Isn't Tufa closer to Travertine than Limestone?

By Red
From: Arizona
Oct 30, 2009

There is plenty of climbing to be had at the Homestead after rain. However, most of Tufa City is unclimbable after a big rain because the wall and it's tufa's stay wet for weeks. I once saw the wall flowing water a month after a heavy rain! A small storm shouldn't effect the wall.

Sorry, I'm not an expert in Limestone so I don't know the type(s) that are at the Homestead, but there sure are tufa's on this one wall.

By RyanJ
From: Tucson, Arizona
Oct 30, 2009

Isn't Tufa closer to Travertine than Limestone?

Tufa and Travertine are both varieties of limestone. Both are carbonaceous precipitates, attaining key minerals from the calcite that makes up the majority of limestone. tufa is more porous than travertine. Travertine is generally formed near hot springs, while tufa forms in more moderate waters. Both can make the fantastic column structures we love to climb.

By DisturbingThePeace
From: Albuquerque, NM
Feb 10, 2010

This area would be a lot easier to follow if the Terrace area was separated off with it's own description. I'd be happy to write up the area description if someone moved the climbs over.

By BenClimbing
Feb 10, 2010

I agree. The Finland Terrace should be separate from Tufa City.

By Red
From: Arizona
Feb 15, 2010

Good call, I too agree. I recommend that this area title be changed to just Tufa City since more of the routes listed here are from Tufa City. Make the new area Finland/Terrace. I'll move any routes I've added over...

By Sam Daley
From: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Nov 14, 2011

Would you be able to climb here in December?

By Pat Mac
From: Tempe
Nov 17, 2011

@ Sam Daley:
Yeh you totally can. Pretty cold though. Great conditions. Totally able to climb there in December.

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Tufa City

Description

Getting There

Warning

The Classics