All Locations > New Mexico > Santa Fe Area > Diablo Canyon > Grotto

Grotto Left (East Side) Lower Tier Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Routes in Grotto Left (East Side) Lower Tier

L › R R › L A › Z

	Affirmative Action S 5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
	Bedeviled S 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
	Bergers Bakeshop S 5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
	Better Late than Never S 5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a
	Book of Souls, The S 5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b
	Bush in a Blender S 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
	Chopping Block S 5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
	Diabolical S 5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
	Evil S 5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
	Good S 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
	Ken's Shitty Route (K.S.R.) S 5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
	Loose Bottom T 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
	Muscle Crow S 5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b
	Paradise City S 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
	Pull Towards Darkness S 5.10c/d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
	Snazz By Nazz (aka Access Crack, Guillotine Crack p1) T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
	Under Powered S 5.12- 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
	Waiting to Procrastinate S 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
	Welcome to the Jungle S 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c

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Elevation:	6,050 ft	1,844 m
GPS:	35.80499, -106.14337 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
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Shared By:	Anthony Stout on May 15, 2006 · Updates
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Access Issue: Effective May 2025 - Climbing Fixed Hardware Authorization Process for BLM walls at Diablo Details

The BLM Taos Field Office implemented a Climbing Fixed Hardware Authorization Process for routes within its management area. The Diablo walls included in this plan are The Shack, Winter Wall, Sun Devil Wall, Solar Cave, Lake Street and Styx. The final document can be found online: shorturl.at/FYn4f

Description

This area encompasses the entire left wall of the Grotto. Most of the climbs are typical Diablo climbs similar to Early wall, and Winter wall utilizing sloping crimps on vertical walls. As you continue up the grotto beginning around Evil Paradise (~100 yards up canyon) the upper tier's less featured tan basalt connects with the canyon floor, resulting in a more technical and varied style of climbing.

The rock, while incredibly dense, can be extremely fractured, requiring precautions taken to prevent rock fall. Climb cautiously and consider helmets and belaying (and standing) out of the fall line of climbers. Be especially careful after the winter freeze / thaw cycle.

The wall is west facing so it gets morning shade and afternoon sun. In the winter it gets more shade and gets more sun in the summer. In early April the wall stays shaded until ~3:00. A good tool for estimating Sun / Shade beta is is the online sunearthtool.com estimator tool

Getting There

After reaching the Grotto area, the Grotto Left is the left side of the Grotto. This area includes everything on the left wall, except the upper Tier climbs.

19 Total Climbs

Route Finder - Best Climbs for YOU!

Location:	Grotto Left (East Side) Lower Tier Change
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Classic Climbing Routes at Grotto Left (East Side) Lower Tier

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

5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b 120 ● Waiting to Procrastinate Sport
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b 131 ● Good Sport
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b 55 ● Paradise City Sport
5.10c/d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b 11 ● Pull Towards Darkness Sport
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b 40 ● Bergers Bakeshop Sport
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b 88 ● Evil Sport
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c 106 ● Affirmative Action Sport
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c 39 ● Chopping Block Sport
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c 74 ● Bedeviled Sport
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c 14 ● Welcome to the Jungle Sport
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a 18 ● Diabolical Sport
5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a 32 ● Better Late than Never Sport
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a 62 ● Bush in a Blender Sport
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b 48 ● The Book of Souls Sport
5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b 19 ● Muscle Crow Sport