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Echo Canyon Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Areas in Echo Canyon

Techweeny Buttress 2 / 2 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 4

Point / Ramp Area, The 5 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 5

Bush Shark Area 13 / 4 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 14

La Vista 2 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 2

Yucca Flower Tower 11 / 0 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 11

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Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more. Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.

Elevation:	9,663 ft	2,945 m
GPS:	35.20212, -106.44666 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	75,713 total · 311/month
Shared By:	Anthony Stout on Sep 20, 2006 · Updates
Admins:	Jason Halladay, Mike Hoskins, Anna Brown Page Updates (admin only)

See Weather Forecast

Access Issue: SANDIA CREST CLOSURE ALERT - Beginning APRIL 30, 2026, 140 acres at the top of the Sandia Mountains is under a closure order. Details

Beginning APRIL 30, 2026, 140 acres at the top of the Sandia Mountains will be under a closure order so the Forest Service can complete two different projects. The first project is an extensive "fuel reduction project" and the second is the demolition/remodeling of the whole upper parking lot and crest house. The Crest Road and all parking areas above the 10k parking lot will be closed in addition to the 140 acres of forest that will be under going the fuel reduction work. The closure will be enforced from April 30, 2026, at 6 a.m. through January 15, 2027, at 6 a.m., unless rescinded. You can find the official area closure order 03-03-05-26-02 on the forest website, where it describes the parking areas and trails that the agency will close at: fs.usda.gov/r03/cibola/alerts. For more information visit fs.usda.gov/r03/cibola/news… or contact the Sandia Ranger District Office at 505-281-3304.

Description

Home of the beautiful Yucca Flower Tower, Echo Canyon has one of the shortest approaches in the Sandia Mountains. The summit of the Yucca Flower Tower Tower is just off the La Luz Trail. Rapping down this formation access several high quality lines. If looking for a few "alpinish" sport routes, Techweeny Buttress is where you will find some.

Getting There

Find the Sandia Crest Spur trail at the south end of the Sandia Crest parking area. Follow it down and past its junction with the La Luz trail (.5 miles). At this junction, your direction will depend on the formation that you plan on climbing. For Techweeny Buttress or Bush Shark Spire, you will drop down into echo canyon by heading southeast, or right at the junction. If heading for Yucca Flower Tower, continue south on the La Luz. See Yucca Flower Tower for continuation of directions to the routes on this formation.

36 Total Climbs

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Classic Climbing Routes at Echo Canyon

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

5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b 57 ● The Ramp Trad 4 pitches Point / Ramp Area
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c 98 ● Crackula Trad 2 pitches Techweeny Buttress
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a 86 ● Bush Shark Spire Trad 2 pitches Bush Shark Area
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a 46 ● Westeron Wynde Trad 3 pitches Bush Shark Area
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b 70 ● Yucca Flower Tower Trad 3 pitches Yucca Flower Tower
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b 74 ● Great Escape Trad Yucca Flower Tower
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b PG13 18 ● Feeding Frenzy Trad Bush Shark Area
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b 44 ● Big - T Trad 4 pitches Bush Shark Area
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b 38 ● Rawhide Trad 2 pitches Yucca Flower Tower
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c 18 ● Western Justice (Frontier Justice) Trad, TR Yucca Flower Tower
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a PG13 11 ● Squash Blossom Trad 2 pitches Yucca Flower Tower
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a 7 ● Raven Steals the Sun Trad 6 pitches La Vista
5.13 8a 29 X- 30 E7 6c PG13 4 ● Daisy Trad 3 pitches La Vista
5.13+ 8b 30 X- 31 E7 7a 10 ● A Date with Death Trad Yucca Flower Tower
5.13d 8b 31 X 32 E8 7a PG13 5 ● Medicine Man Trad Yucca Flower Tower