All Locations > New Mexico > Albuquerque Area > Sandia Mountain… > La Cueva Canyon (Upper)

Rat's Rock Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Routes in Rat's Rock

L › R R › L A › Z

Lost Hole T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b

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Elevation:	9,997 ft	3,047 m
GPS:	35.20754, -106.45131 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	1,988 total · 10/month
Shared By:	Chris Wenker on Jun 7, 2010
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 The closure will be enforced from April 30, 2026, at 6 a.m. through January 15, 2027, at 6 a.m., unless rescinded.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

This summit lies southeast of Torreon. From a distance it sort of gets lost in the maze of walls and spires in Upper La Cueva Canyon.
Described by Hill's guidebooks (e.g., 1993:152-153). It appears that all the established routes are on the western aspect of the crag.

Getting There

We approached from the La Luz; continue down the switchbacks past Donald Duck. Once at the switchback that puts you below the Fin, bushwack north to the western base of the rock.
Once you've summited, scramble down the back side (east), turn north up the aspen filled gully, and then head east when the forested slopes thin out; you should intersect the La Luz again somewhere high up, near the first wilderness sign if you're lucky. Doing it this way means you shouldn't leave packs at the bottom of Rat's Rock, it would be a PITA to get back to them.

Alternately, maybe some variation of Schein's approach and descent to and from Torreon could be good too.