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The Enchanted Tower Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Areas in The Enchanted Tower

North (Left) Face 0 / 10 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 10

South/Southeast (Right) Face 0 / 10 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 10

West (Center) Face 0 / 4 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 4

Elevation:	8,000 ft
GPS:	34.231, -107.917 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	76,714 total · 441/month
Shared By:	Anthony Stout on Feb 15, 2006 with improvements by Anna Brown
Admins:	Jason Halladay, Anthony Stout, LeeAB Brinckerhoff, Marta Reece, Drew Chojnowski History (Admin Only): Jason Halladay handled an improvement for this area Apr 15, 2020

Access Issue: Thompson Canyon Details

The gate to Thompson Canyon's southern end is locked and is no longer a viable option for short and convenient access. The standard access is now via the longer, rougher Davenport Lookout/Thompson Canyon route.

New Mexico CRAG (NMCRAG) will continue to be in contact with the ranch owners and the Forest Service to see if it can resolve this issue. In the meantime, please respect the closure, spread the word and don't attempt to drive through the private ranch.

Description

What can you say about this? Many areas have striking formations that are just begging to be climbed. They don't beg any harder than this one! The inverted wedge of Enchanted Tower features lots of hard routes on usually overhanging rock. One the easiest and most obvious (and therefore most popular) routes on the Tower proper is Golden Stairs at 5.11c (originally rated 5.12a). This is likely the only route you'll encounter a line on. From there, the difficulty goes all the way into the 5.13's, including the amazing and picturesque Goliath (5.13a). Bring the big guns!

The Tower is commonly broken up into three distinct faces. The typically shaded North (Left) Face, the typically sunny West (Center) Faceand the South/Southeast (Right) Face.

Climbing began at the Tower in the early 80s when students at the nearby New Mexico Tech college in Socorro were tipped off about a huge "mushroom rock" by a local forest service ranger.

Getting There

If you can't find the Tower, you're in big trouble! Trails come up from the parking area below and also from the areas across to the left. Approach time about two minutes.

24 Total Climbs

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Classic Climbing Routes at The Enchanted Tower

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.

5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c 138 ● Grendel Sport N (Left) Face
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a 84 ● Once Upon a Time Sport N (Left) Face
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a 114 ● Golden Stairs Sport South/Southeast (Righ…
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a 88 ● Technowitch Sport N (Left) Face
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a 77 ● Flotsam & Jetsam Sport South/Southeast (Righ…
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a 82 ● Rumplestiltskin Sport N (Left) Face
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b 56 ● Jabberwocky Sport N (Left) Face
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b 25 ● Full Rubber Mission Sport N (Left) Face
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b 44 ● Tinkerbell's Nightmare Sport N (Left) Face
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b 6 ● David Sport South/Southeast (Righ…
5.12b/c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b 31 ● Straight On Til Morning Sport N (Left) Face
5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b 34 ● Zee Wicked Witch Sport W (Center) Face
5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b 45 ● Shipwrecked Sport South/Southeast (Righ…
5.12d 7c 28 IX 28 E6 6b 14 ● Ripped Van Winkle Sport W (Center) Face
5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c 39 ● Goliath Sport South/Southeast (Righ…