PRINT: Rock Climbing in The Mace, Sedona Area

The Mace

Arizona > Northern Arizona > Sedona Area > Sedona > Cathedral Rock Area

Description

The Mace is possibly the best-known climbing formation in Sedona and probably the most climbed as well. Back in the 1950's when California climbers Bob Kamps and Dave Rearick came to town, the Mace was one of the first formations to get their attention. The Original Route (AKA "The Mace") is the ultra-popular and classic route to do.

Getting There

Park at Back O' Beyond trailhead and follow the tourist trail marked with large cairns up to the east side and then traverse over to the Mace from there.

Routes from Left to Right

5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c R 0 ● Blood,Sweat, and Fears Trad 3 pitches
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b 0 ● Bruce Carson Memorial Route Trad 3 pitches
5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c PG13 1 ● Little Big Man Trad 3 pitches
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a 330 ● Original Route Trad 5 pitches
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b 4 ● Rappel Route TR 2 pitches
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b 2 ● Real Rappel Route Trad 2 pitches
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b 0 ● Webster/ Becker Variation Trad 2 pitches
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b A2+ R 0 ● Wind, Sand, and Stars Trad, Aid 2 pitches

● Blood,Sweat, and Fears

5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c R Trad 3 pitches

● Bruce Carson Memorial Route

5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b Trad 3 pitches

● Little Big Man

5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c PG13 Trad 3 pitches

● Original Route

330

5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a Trad 5 pitches

● Rappel Route

5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b TR 2 pitches

● Real Rappel Route

5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b Trad 2 pitches

● Webster/ Becker Variation

5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b Trad 2 pitches

● Wind, Sand, and Stars

5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b A2+ R Trad, Aid 2 pitches

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Nathan Kalish leading the step across pitch with his roommates Josh Williams and Henry Braun.

Deep Space Crossing

Crowded day on the Mace

view from the start of pitch 4 looking through the towers that form part of the Mace formation

Drawing I did for the Sedona guidebook.

Richard and Santiago on top of the Mace's first (lower) tower...

The Mace, Sedona, AZ

Leading the 4th pitch

Whipping into the void!

Backside of the Mace formation.

First rig of the Mace---> Dodger Highline done by the Zen Lunatics: Sean Doctor, Lorenzo DeMuro, and Catie May, Photo by Jake Hewitt

Margaritas on the Mace!

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Ladd Raine
Plymouth, NH

Check out the article climbing.com/exclusive/clas… in Climbing Nov 8, 2007

Gail Blauer
Gardiner, NY

The Mace was a great climb. We didn't have any offwidth or chimney experience so this made our experience on the Mace even more fun. We learned technique as we went. Each pitch was a full body slog, we grunted, squeezed and chicken armed our way up the offwidths. Oct 31, 2009

JJ Schlick
Flagstaff, AZ

Just saw this online and thought I would share...
climbing.com/exclusive/feat… Jan 9, 2012

Austin Sobotka
Tucson, AZ

awesome climbing, great belay ledges, and sedona views to top it off. will definitely be back. since nobody has mentioned it on here i will point out that due to sandbagged ratings and the strange nature of offwidth climbing this will seem way harder than most peoples' idea of what a 5.9 is Oct 29, 2012

MegChad

We had a great day on The Mace yesterday. FYI, the summit registry is full. A replacement registry will be required soon. It was fun going through the entries of past summits. Mar 21, 2014

Christine Spang
Oakland, CA

The summit register booklet is still pretty darn full—we managed to find a blank back of a page in the middle, but there's not much space at all to sign in. The booklet says it's originally from 2007. Plenty of pens I'm the box though! Fantastic climbing! Nov 25, 2018