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Avalon

Arizona > Southern Arizona > Mt Lemmon (Sant… > Mt Lemmon (Cata… > 8 - Summit Crags
Access Issue: Potentially unavailable to climbing February through July if raptors are breeding here. Details
Access Issue: Fire Closure Details

Description

Avalon is a great high elevation crag featuring some of the best rock quality on the mountain, a good variety of decent quality climbs, and a few gems. It was mostly developed by the late Steve Johnson and friends around 2012. The routes at Avalon tend to be slab-oriented, with the occasional steep, cruxy bulge move. You can get by with just quickdraws (12-15 or so), but a light rack opens up more good terrain. The rock is mostly south facing, so the routes get a lot of sun, but the base is shaded by some majestic evergreen trees so you can stay cool even on the hottest days of summer. As usual, the best details are found in Squeezing the Lemmon III - only about half the routes are listed here.

Getting There

Park at the summit and follow directions for Rappel Rock. When you get to the saddle directly in front of Rappel Rock - where you would normally drop your bags and head down the left side, you will instead head down a good trail to the *right*. You'll immediately see a large, white, low-angle slab with a few scattered bolts, on your right. This is the far right hand side of Avalon. Follow the trail close to the rock to drop down to the rest of the climbs.

Routes from Left to Right

5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 1
● Black Knight
Trad
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 10
● Sword in the Stone
Sport
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 7
● Merlin's Miracle
Sport
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 1
● Gauen, Not So Fearles
Trad
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 7
● Sir Mordede
Trad
5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 6
● Sorcerer's Apprentice
Sport
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
 2
● Knights of the Round Table
Sport
5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b
 14
● Green Knight
Sport
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
 7
● The Holy Grail
Sport
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 11
● Maid Marian
Sport
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
 2
● Camelot II
Trad
5.9- 5c 17 VI 16 HVS 4c
 1
● Little Miss
Sport
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a PG13
 2
● Little Miss Treatment
Trad
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a PG13
 1
● Relic
Trad
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
 2
● Unknown
Sport
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
 9
● The Tourney Slot
Sport
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
 2
● The Pillage Idiot
Sport
5.12- 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 1
● Adrilla the Hun
Sport
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
 1
● The Quest
Sport
5.12 7b+ 27 VIII+ 26 E6 6b R
 1
● Forged With Ancient Metal
Sport
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 1
● Unknown
Sport
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 5
● Launcelot Deulake
Sport
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
 5
● Lady of the Lake
Sport
5.8- 5b 16 VI- 14 VS 4c
 1
● Chastity
Sport
5.8- 5b 16 VI- 14 VS 4c
 5
● Fife
Sport
5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c
 5
● Squire
Sport
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
● Black Knight
 1
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Trad
● Sword in the Stone
 10
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Sport
● Merlin's Miracle
 7
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Sport
● Gauen, Not So Fearles
 1
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad
● Sir Mordede
 7
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad
● Sorcerer's Apprentice
 6
5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Sport
● Knights of the Round Table
 2
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b Sport
● Green Knight
 14
5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b Sport
● The Holy Grail
 7
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c Sport
● Maid Marian
 11
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Sport
● Camelot II
 2
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b Trad
● Little Miss
 1
5.9- 5c 17 VI 16 HVS 4c Sport
● Little Miss Treatment
 2
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a PG13 Trad
● Relic
 1
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a PG13 Trad
● Unknown
 2
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c Sport
● The Tourney Slot
 9
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Sport
● The Pillage Idiot
 2
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Sport
● Adrilla the Hun
 1
5.12- 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Sport
● The Quest
 1
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b Sport
● Forged With Ancient Metal
 1
5.12 7b+ 27 VIII+ 26 E6 6b R Sport
● Unknown
 1
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Sport
● Launcelot Deulake
 5
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Sport
● Lady of the Lake
 5
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b Sport
● Chastity
 1
5.8- 5b 16 VI- 14 VS 4c Sport
● Fife
 5
5.8- 5b 16 VI- 14 VS 4c Sport
● Squire
 5
5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c Sport

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Climb on Mt. Lemmon July 2012
[Hide Photo] Climb on Mt. Lemmon July 2012
Atop Mt. Lemmon July 2012
[Hide Photo] Atop Mt. Lemmon July 2012
Steve Johnson's original description of Avalon.
[Hide Photo] Steve Johnson's original description of Avalon.
View east from the Fortress
[Hide Photo] View east from the Fortress
From Left to Right: Knights of the Round Table 5.10+, Green Knight 5.10a/b, The Holy Grail 5.11
[Hide Photo] From Left to Right: Knights of the Round Table 5.10+, Green Knight 5.10a/b, The Holy Grail 5.11
The green electrical box that comes after the corrugated iron shed, as of July 5, 2018. Note that it is somewhat hidden while on the trail.
[Hide Photo] The green electrical box that comes after the corrugated iron shed, as of July 5, 2018. Note that it is somewhat hidden while on the trail.
Electrical box that was missed by Steven! Easy to see why. This photo was taken at least three years ago when I was compiling the guidebook.This is what can happen when you use one piece of information when trying to find a cliff.
[Hide Photo] Electrical box that was missed by Steven! Easy to see why. This photo was taken at least three years ago when I was compiling the guidebook.This is what can happen when you use one piece of informa…

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Abby S.
[Hide Comment] Thanks for posting, Nick. Nice pictures of the routes! Jul 25, 2016
1Eric Rhicard
Tucson
[Hide Comment] Hey Mr. Brian, Sorry you had trouble. However, these directions are correct when they say 250 feet past the steel shed with the spring. The overview map on P. 442 also shows a trail on the left past the Steel shed. You may have missed the electrical box listed in the description. Not sure how you missed the trail to the left after the steel shed, pretty sure there is only one between the spring and the trail described. I will double check that there is a transformer near where you turn left and up grade the info if necessary. Focusing on just one clue to the trails whereabouts appears to be your problem as well as the fact plants grow and a loose hillside made have hidden it more.

"Just returned from Avalon. It was my first time at Summit Crags, and I relied on STL III for approach beta. I think that the directions for getting to Rappel Rock and Avalon (p. 442) are wrong. The book directs you to a trail 25 feet past a green electrical box, 250 feet after passing the shed with the spring. These directions take you to the saddle between Ravens and Fortress (as pictured correctly on the map on p. 440). This is a lovely spot, but not where I wanted to go. Follow the map, not the written directions."

There are electrical boxes/transformers about ever 300 yards. Jun 29, 2018
Shelby Kincaid
Phoenix, AZ
[Hide Comment] from what I can tell this crag is super under-utilized. It's fantastic slab practice, almost entirely bolted, scenic, and there are no crowds. a couple routes have runout sections, but some can take gear if you happen to have a rack with you. I was there in late September and the conditions were perfect. Jun 3, 2019