Central Mogollon Rim Rock Climbing

The Central Mogollon Rim contains a series of time and water worn canyons that carve their way down the basalt rim and eventually drain into the Verde Valley. Woods Canyon, Wet Beaver Creek, West Clear Creek, and Fossil Creek are all popular backpacking/canyoneering adventures in their own right.

I envision this area covering the rim lands on both sides of Interstate 17 and north of the Verde River, (which is historicaly considered the southern boundary of Northern AZ), then stretching East to Highway 87. This would include Munds Canyon, Schnebly Hill, Woods Canyon, and Rattlesnake Canyon on the west side of I17. On the east side of Interstate 17 are Mullican Canyon, Wet Beaver Creek, West Clear Creek, and Fossil Creek, as well as, Thirteen Mile Rock which is a basalt butte just off highway 260.

To date there is developed sandstone crack climbing in West Clear Creek, and Wet Beaver Creek at lower elevations. There are also developed basalt areas, though details are still forthcoming. The hearts of the “big three” canyons are wilderness areas, so fixed hardware is sparse.These are big drainages and there is a lot of stone tucked away on the rims of these canyons. Someday this tough country might yield some new basalt areas to hardened crag hunters, but they won’t come easy. Time will tell.