All Locations > New Mexico > Las Cruces Area… > Organ Mountains > Rabbit Ears Area

Middle Rabbit Ear Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Routes in Middle Rabbit Ear

L › R R › L A › Z

	Church Key T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b C1
	East Ridge T 5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a
	Great Expectations T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
	Gubbins T 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
	Normal Route (South Corner) T 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
	North Face Gullies T 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
	South Face Central T 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
	South Face Cutoff T 5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c C0
	Three's the Charm T 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
	West Face T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c

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Elevation:	7,778 ft	2,371 m
GPS:	32.3685, -106.5772 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
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Shared By:	Aaron Hobson on Aug 7, 2007
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Access Issue: Power drilling is prohibited in the Organ Mountains Wilderness. Details

Description

The middle peak of the Rabbit Ears group. The west face has some beautiful lines, and there is hard-route potential on the north side where a steep series of roofs dubbed the ChurchKey is found. You're not likely to run into other climbers up here, but you will find great 3-4 pitch routes. If you time your ascent right, you can climb in either the sun or shade. Even in July, you can comfortably climb here, although the approach/descent begin to get stifling.

Getting There

Approach can be made from either side of the range (Starting from the Aguirre Springs parking or from the Topp Hut). The typical approach is to come from the Topp Hut. Hike into Rabbit Ears Canyon, past The Citadel. Continue up the canyon, staying in or near the stream bed which is usually dry. Eventually, there will be a lesser-gully that branches off to the left directly up towards the North and Middle Rabbit ears. Follow an indistinct trail in this gully and next to it on its south side. It leads roughly to the base of the West Face of the Middle Rabbit Ear.

Descent

The descent route is off the south side. Scramble down to a large tree, with several old slings and a wire-cable around it. A two-rope rappel gains a large tree-filled ledge. There is also an old belay station consisting of two old 1/4" bolts which allows you to gain the ledge with two single-rope rappels. Walk to the far west side of the ledge where a chain anchor is found. A single-rope rappel reaches the ground.

The descent route roughly follows the Normal Route (South Corner).