PRINT: Rock Climbing in Hospital Crag, Los Alamos & White Rock

Hospital Crag

New Mexico > Los Alamos & Wh… > Los Alamos Crags > Los Alamos Canyon

Access Issue: April 2024 - The Road to the Los Alamos Reservoir is Closed on Weekdays until June 2024 Details

The Los Alamos Canyon Reservoir and the road leading to it will be closed starting Monday, April 22, 2024, through mid-June 2024 for watershed mitigation work on the damaged stream channel.

The reservoir and road will be closed to hiking on weekdays until the work is complete, however they will open for foot traffic on weekends. Hikers should park at the Los Alamos County Ice Rink as parking is not allowed near the reservoir road.

The repair project is a collaboration among the Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities (DPU), Keystone Restorative Ecology and Natural Channel Design. Large equipment and dump trucks will be used to move materials along the roadway for use in the stream channel. The materials will be placed to slow down the velocity of runoff water without scouring away natural sediment.

DPU Deputy Utility Manager Clay Moseley said the project will ensure stabilization of the canyon’s watershed and public access to the reservoir for recreational purposes, as well as prevent the road from becoming a liability during particularly wet seasons.

The road and reservoir will open again for recreation daily after the project is complete in June.

ladailypost.com/watershed-w…

Access Issue: This crag is on DOE/LANL property. By climbing here you may be trespassing. Details

Climbing, and certainly any new route development, is discouraged on DOE/LANL property. The information here is largely for historical purposes and climbing at this area is not at all recommended.

Description

The Hospital Crag is a relatively short section of rhyolitic tuff located on the north side of Los Alamos Canyon, immediately east of the Omega bridge. The rock quality here is generally poor, but there are a few fun 35-40 foot sport climbs here. Just beware that the rock here is soft. The plus side to this location is that the hospital is just up the hill. In 2008 Guido Bender put together a small PDF guide for the area.

Getting There

Note: This crag is on DOE/LANL property. Climbing, and certainly any new route development, is discouraged on DOE/LANL property. The information here is largely for historical purposes and climbing at this area is not recommended.

There are several ways to approach the crag. You may park at the Los Alamos Medical Center or, if that's too much walking, you can drive south from the intersection of Trinity and Diamond Drive and turn right onto West Road. Take an immediate left and follow that road back east underneath the Omega bridge. Parking here may be limited. One can walk down toward Omega Road and turn left onto a small trail leading east underneath the bridge. Just after passing under the bridge, turn left again and head up to the cliffs. You can also access the crag from the cliffs above, but it involves a bit of bushwhacking over steep, loose terrain and you may have to search for a safe passage to the base of the cliffs.

Routes from Left to Right

5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a PG13 5 ● Code Orange Sport
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c PG13 2 ● Unfinished Project Sport
5.10c/d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b PG13 2 ● Unknown Sport

● Code Orange

5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a PG13 Sport

● Unfinished Project

5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c PG13 Sport

● Unknown

5.10c/d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b PG13 Sport

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Scott Beguin
Santa Fe, NM

I would give all the routes at this crag one star or less. The rock is really bad. You are better off to go to upper LA Canyon where the rock is better and the routes are better, and you won't be harrassed by the bridge nazis. Jan 30, 2008

Logan Eckhardt
Albuquerque

A few years ago a friend of mine (from Los Alamos) and I were going to climb what I think must be these routes near the big bridge, when several of the security officers for the science lab there in town pulled up with flashing lights on their big SUVs and stopped us and made us show them our IDs and then they told us to leave because the bridge was a "security risk". They actually escorted our cars to the top of the hill to the stop light! Jan 31, 2008

Scott Beguin
Santa Fe, NM

Logan,
That is right, they are very touchy about the bridge. I too have been in those shoes in this canyon. Feb 4, 2008

Wa3lt

Luke and I bolted these in the mid-90s sometime. The rock is crud, the location sucks (especially nowadays) and someone should probably go yank the hangers and use them for something more worthy (no, seriously, they're my hangers, go take them).

-Walt Feb 14, 2010