All Locations > New Mexico > Albuquerque Area > Sandia Mountains > La Cueva Canyon, Upper

Frog Rock Climbing

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West Ridge T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b

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GPS:	35.20747, -106.45201 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
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Shared By:	Chris Wenker on Sep 14, 2009 · Updates
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Description

This 450 foot granite fin, one of the most westerly crags in upper La Cueva Canyon, is dwarfed by Yataghan to the north and Chaos Crag to the east. The crag is mentioned in Kline (1970:27) and Hill (1993:144), but no topos are published. Presumably all the established routes ascend the western face.
The FA's passed by a frog (toad?) in a crack on their ascent, hence the name. Hill also points out that the profile of the summit block, when viewed from below the west face, is also frog-like (or just as easily could be a Guinea Pig?).

Getting There

Approach: From the Crest, hike down the La Luz trail, past all the switchbacks, to the creek crossing (marked by a steel trail sign; about 1:00 hiking time). You are near the southern foot of the Frog formation. To approach climbs on the western face, continue west ca. 50 yards to a rock slab adjacent to the north side of the trail. Scramble up this slab and hug the base of the cliff as you continue north (same as The Happy Gnome approach). After a couple hundred yards you reach the gully that separates the Frog from the Yataghan, farther north. This gully is guarded by a huge chockstone with a big cave underneath. The West Ridge route starts near here.
Descent: After summiting, walk north off the summit ridge (a few Class 3 moves). Hill says to then descend back to the La Luz trail by bushwacking south, down the gully on the east side of the crag, but thats crazy talk. Since you probably left your water and packs at the western base, you can just as easily rock-hop down the loose Class 3 gully that leads west, between the Frog and Yataghan. Do a 40-foot rap off the chockstone at the bottom of the gully to land next to the cave.