All Locations > Arizona > Central Arizona > *Phoenix Areas > Camelback Mountain

The Praying Monk Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Routes in The Praying Monk

	East Face S 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
	Exorcist, The S 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
	Holy Devotion S 5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b
	Monk's Ass T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b A4 X
	Monk's Chin T 5.3 3+ 10 III 9 VD 3a C1

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Elevation:	2,000 ft	610 m
GPS:	33.51971, -111.96917 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	39,179 total · 161/month
Shared By:	Orphaned on Mar 13, 2006 · Updates
Admins:	Greg Opland, Brian Boyd, JJ Schlick, Kemper Brightman, Luke Bertelsen Page Updates (admin only)

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Description

The Praying Monk has probably been climbed by more Phoenix beginners than any other formation in central Arizona, although the advent of gyms and sport climbing has lessened this absolute somewhat over the last ten years. The East Face route, first climbed in 1951 by Phoenix pioneer climber and ex-mayor, Gary Driggs, is the usual route of ascent.

If you wonder how the Monk got it's name, climb it late some sunny afternoon, and look down to the east to see the "praying monks" shadow.

Getting There

This squat tower of petrified mud perches quite obviously on a northern shoulder of Camelback Mountain to the east of the Echo Canyon parking lot. Take the standard hiking trail up to the Headwall, then you'll have to ascend one of the Headwall routes to get up onto the plateau where the Monk resides.