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Sandia Mountains Rock Climbing
| Elevation: | 10,649 ft |
| GPS: | 35.211, -106.45 Google Map · Climbing Area Map |
| Page Views: | 309,870 total · 2,008/month |
| Shared By: | Anthony Stout on Jan 20, 2006 |
| Admins: | Jason Halladay, Anthony Stout, LeeAB Brinckerhoff, Marta Reece, Drew Chojnowski |
Getting weather forecast...
Access Issue: Seasonal raptor closure for some areas in the Sandias
Details
The Sandias are subject to a yearly, seasonal raptor closure, March 1 - August 15
For details and up to date info visit: fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DO…
fs.usda.gov/alerts/cibola/a…
For details and up to date info visit: fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DO…
fs.usda.gov/alerts/cibola/a…
Description
Because of the approaches to the climbing areas here, you will typically find solitude while climbing in the Sandias. Due to high elevation and nature of these mountains, conditions can vary. While one can climb at any time of the year, the best time seems to be between May through October. West and Southwest facing walls, such as Muralla Grande, can be warm and dry even on winter days. Watch for thunderstorms during the summer months.
Getting There
The majority of the climbs are accessed from the Sandia Crest, though some are approached from the foothills of Albuquerque (these directions will be give in the appropriate sections):
- Starting from Albuquerque, take I-40 east through Tijeras Canyon, exiting on the Tijeras exit (exit 175).
- North on highway 14 for 6.8 miles
- Turn left on NM 536 (follow signs to Sandia Mountain Ski area), and follow this road for about 14 miles, past the ski area, and finally to the Sandia Crest.
Getting to the different climbing areas:
Approach times and difficulties vary depending on where you are going. Directions will be given in the appropriate sections.
WARNING: Approaches can be DIFFICULT, as in both strenuous and difficult to find. It's not difficult to get lost in this area. Should anyone following directions posted on Mountain Project end up lost, feedback on the directions in order to make them more accurate is appreciated.
- Starting from Albuquerque, take I-40 east through Tijeras Canyon, exiting on the Tijeras exit (exit 175).
- North on highway 14 for 6.8 miles
- Turn left on NM 536 (follow signs to Sandia Mountain Ski area), and follow this road for about 14 miles, past the ski area, and finally to the Sandia Crest.
Getting to the different climbing areas:
Approach times and difficulties vary depending on where you are going. Directions will be given in the appropriate sections.
WARNING: Approaches can be DIFFICULT, as in both strenuous and difficult to find. It's not difficult to get lost in this area. Should anyone following directions posted on Mountain Project end up lost, feedback on the directions in order to make them more accurate is appreciated.
Resources:
- Sandia Rock by Mick Schein (2013, Sharp End Publishing)
- Rock Climbing New Mexico by Dennis R. Jackson (2006, Falcon Press)
- Hikers and Climbers Guide to the Sandias by Mike Hill (1993, Coyote Books)
- Rock Climbing New Mexico by Dennis R. Jackson (2006, Falcon Press)
- Hikers and Climbers Guide to the Sandias by Mike Hill (1993, Coyote Books)
Classic Climbing Routes at Sandia Mountains
Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
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Photos
25 Comments
More About Sandia Mountains
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Guidebooks (4)
www.sharpendbooks.com/pdfs/sandia.pdf Apr 29, 2006
thanks.... Jan 28, 2007
Morrison, CO
That's hilarious! You made my day! Jan 30, 2007
Morrison, CO
How about the Watchtower? Apr 19, 2007
Golden, CO
Ouray, Co
Albuquerque, NM
Hope that is helpful. Oct 8, 2007
Ouray, Co
mind & body in Colorado, he…
Morrison, CO
Los Alamos, NM
Ouray, Co
Los Alamos, NM
If you're looking for some serious grunting in Northern NM, Airbus would likely be right up your alley. :-) Oct 24, 2008
Ouray, Co
Albuquerque, NM
Albuquerque, NM
As for chimney routes hoys Chimney on the west side of the needle is about the longest chimney route in the Sandias. It ends up on the Southwest ridge right before you get to the fifth avenue level. It's not very hard but pretty fun. Dec 9, 2008
Los Alamos, NM
While I wholeheartedly agree that it is indeed hard to find ones way to particular walls and objectives (especially once within tree cover in higher elevations). It is 100% absolutely completely and utterly impossible to become truly lost on the west side of the Sandias. I mean lost in the sense of "which direction is my car?" or "where is civilization?". Its possible to lose your way to the trail or become cliffed out (at higher elevations) but youll always have an idea of the 'big picture' regarding navigation.
On another note, I love this area. I spent my entire childhood boulder hopping and scrambling around the lowlands and spent many days in my teen years on the bigger objectives at higher elevations. The knife edge, pulpit, and the needle are not to be missed. Mar 16, 2015
I have soloed the West Face of the Needle way back in the 1970-s and found "Hoy's Chimney" to be a nightmare of loose rubble :op
Since then, yours and my friends have put up a few good chimney routes such as "Smorgasborg" (sp?) on the Shield and "ChockStone Chimney" on Hail Peak. They may not be considered as 'long' , but the quality of the rock and the climbs themselves are much better than HOY'S Chimney. I can still remember my solo descent down that "gully" ; and Jim Fuge's and my rappels during a lighting storm after an overnight ascent of the SW Ridge ( w Lighting! ).
Thank God for those little trees :o)
Good to hear from you my Dear Friend,,, even if I'm a bit late finding all of you in this cyber world :op Jun 14, 2015
Las Vegas, NV
Many thanks, Steve Aug 26, 2015
Utah
New Mexico ClimberÂ’s Resource and Advocacy Group (NM CRAG) Route Development Guidelines
NM CRAG advocates and encourages climbers to abide by the following fixed anchor guidelines when establishing new routes in the Sandia Mountain Wilderness:
NM CRAG acknowledges and supports the existing laws that ban the use of motorized drills in Wilderness.
Minimize your impact by staying on existing trails when possible; do not build new trails without Forest Service approval.
New climbing routes requiring fixed anchors should be evaluated based on:
Rock quality, aesthetic position, environmental impact, natural terrain features, potential appeal to present and future climbers, the effect on other user groups, and the number of existing routes in the vicinity.
Ask yourself and others if your potential route is a worthy addition to the area before adding fixed anchors.
New routes requiring fixed anchors should not crowd existing climbs. Fixed anchors should not be used when reliable options for removable protection exist.
Fixed protection may be appropriate to prevent the risk of ground fall, hitting dangerous obstacles or factor two falls. Climbers should bear the responsibility for determining when to place safety anchors and how to use these tools.
Fixed anchors may be appropriate when used for rappel stations to reduce excessive trails and damage to fragile cliff-top environments. All fixed protection should be camouflaged to blend in with natural terrain.
Bolt intensive climbs are not appropriate in Wilderness. Sections of fixed protection may be required to link natural features containing possibilities for protection with removable gear. Aug 27, 2015
The Dungeon, NM
Approaches are usually 30 min- 1hr, if you don't get lost. (Except for the Needle and the Shield- those are more like 1.5hrs- 2 hrs, if you don't get lost.)
Early April is typically a bit early in the season. (edit 4/2016) But this year, it ought to be ok, I've climbed in the Sandias a couple of times already this year. Jan 13, 2016
Albuquerque, NM