Lamoille Canyon Climbing

Located in the Ruby Mountains, Lomoille Canyon is called the Yosemite of Nevada because like Yosemite it was carved by glaciers, as evidenced by the U shaped valley and moraines on the valley floor. I was there this past November (2005) to scout the area for future climbing. I found a few bolted routes right off the road, but didn't have time to get to the cliffs and crags that line the road up the canyon. The road ends at 8800 feet and runs around Ruby Dome, the highest peak in the area at 11,249 feet. The pictures I posted show the canyon from the start of road to the end. The potential for climbing in Lomoille Canyon is tremendous, it's proximity to Elko makes it attractive and it's isolation in northeastern Nevada means very few climbers are there at any given time. I look forward to spending more time there. Feb 19, 2006

Hows the rock? Looks a bit loose. More like the Rock Creek of Nevada. Jul 3, 2008

Hopefully a new incarnation of the guide book will be in the works over this summer. Looking for contributions from everyone to make it up to date.
Thanks May 6, 2009

Was out there today. 31 degrees and perfect in the sun. Anyway, I've got the guide, which is far from complete. Anyone know who may be chronicaling the goings on hereabouts? Jan 18, 2010

I drove all the way from SLC in search of the "Yosemite of Nevada". All I can say is at least the beer is full strength. It's choss; lots of other areas way more worth the drive. Apr 10, 2010

The Ruby Mountains are one of the few east-west aligned mountain ranges in the West. Geologically, the rocks are part of the Ruby Mountain's metamorphic core complex and the walls are mostly gneiss. Other climbing areas with the same geologic setting are City of Rocks (ID) and Mount Lemmon (AZ).

I agree that Lamoille Canyon is the Yosemite of Nevada and in 1979 counted at least six almost-Yosemite sized walls.

Oct 17, 2011

Ken - my map must be sideways, because they look pretty close to north-south... Aug 13, 2012

Flintstonehenge is the correct name for the Sport Rocks as in the guidebook. This was named in 1990, well before the guidebook authors decided to name it Sport Rocks. FA research included talking to some folks who owned a shop in Elko at the time and did not know of any previous names for the formation or routes. I was told "we did some practice for Yosemite in the area". Ruby Heliguides did not have any other information.

Conventional naming (e.g. historical) should be used. If anyone climbed on and referred to this area as anything different, please update, it would be great to have a full history.

This Section needs to be subdivided based on the last guidebook (or so) with the following nomenclature and then some:
Flintstonehenge - Oldest known name for the Sport Wall
Great White Wall - Oldest known name for the Dead Snag area.
Zip World - Oldest known name for the Boulder Garden. Jun 9, 2013

It sure would be nice to have a little more information on these climbs. Referencing a guidebook that not too many people have doesn't help much. Aug 12, 2018

When I compiled the guidebook information I used all the available data that could be found from many of the old climbers of the area. Not only did many of the early climbers just bolt and run but then others had no intention of sharing the info with anyone.Ken Hirst gave me the info and I compiled the book. We then used the money from the book to pay for supplies to put more bolted routes up. oldfattradguuy kk can take it up with Ken and Jim if he has a problem. I stopped printing the guidebook when unknown climbers put up numerous climbs in the canyon and refused to offer any names and route info. I apologise to anyone who might be offended because of names. I tried my best to compile to most complete and accurate information possible. Oct 26, 2018

A major fire started at the shooting range on Sep 30, 2018, and burned a huge part of Lamoille and adjoining canyons. Many of the climbing areas were devastated or at least severely compromised. One of the jewels of Nevada (some say the best part of the state) has been ruined for a long time by the gun nuts. Mar 7, 2019