Hall of Legends, Mid-Leap Rock Climbing
Elevation: | 4,628 ft | 1,411 m |
GPS: |
33.28612, -111.07589 Google Map · Climbing Area Map |
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Page Views: | 1,204 total · 87/month | |
Shared By: | Ian Gunn on Dec 18, 2023 · Updates | |
Admins: | Zach Levy, Sierra Blair, Greg Opland, Brian Boyd, JJ Schlick, Kemper Brightman, Luke Bertelsen |
This is a one-time and free process so once you are registered you are good to go.
You can read more about this process and the announcement at the Queen Creek Coalition website – theqcc.com or the Queen Creek Coalition’s Facebook page – facebook.com/Queen-Creek-Co…
Description
Apache leap is a 300 to 600 foot volcanic cliff band that comprises the eastern skyline of Superior Az. The Hall of Legends is the tallest deepest cleft in the middle of the cliff band. The approach is long. The climbs are multi pitch and have lots of exposure and a sense of adventure. Not your average sport area but some of the best multi pitch sport routes in Az for climbers who are up to it. Helmets strongly suggested.
Be aware routes are sorted climbers left to right. Keep that in mind if hiking in from the top.
Double-check the GPS coordinates where applicable, it can be tricky to find a route. Copy and paste the coordinates into the mapping application of choice for some additional help. There's likely service when you get up on top of the leap, which will help you locate routes from the top.
Bring a 70 meter rope and 20+ draws for all of these routes.
This is a complicated area to navigate that can be reached from the top or bottom, depending on which routes you plan to do. Ussen and the lower towers are best approached from below. Climbs near NPI, Victorio, Lozen and Child of Water are best from above. Mangas area is a toss up.
Getting There
FROM THE TOP:
Park as if you were going to climb at the mine area, it's a 45-minute to an hour hike. Start on the mine trail. When you reach the dirt road, follow it to the saddle, about 200 yards. Start down the road toward the mining platform. About halfway down the trail, you'll see cairns and two white posts on your right. If you reach the flat area, you've gone too far.
Once on the trail, follow cairns carefully. The trail winds up the backside of the Magma Gardens, crossing the drainage twice, and then turning left once you get close to the crest. Once you turn left, continue over three ridges before turning right again, and continuing up towards the top of the Apache Leap. Make sure you're following cairns carefully!
Once you reached the top, if you've followed the cairns, you are standing between Mangas/Coloradas, and Victorio. If you look west, you're looking at the east face of the Ussen tower.
There is a big rock with a bolt on top. There are small rocks with painted names of the routes. You can Rap the route you want to do if you find the anchors, but it is usually easier to walk south (climbers right) towards the narrow end of the canyon. You'll see a large cairn at the top of Naiche and Lozen. Both of these will get you to the bottom with two raps. Lozen is the cleaner rappel but Naiche can be done with an 80 for one 40m rap. TIE KNOTS IN YOUR ROPE!
Once you have rapped into the hall of legends, the east-facing routes are on your left, and the west-facing routes are on your right. To reach these routes, head down the notch (AKA the death gulley) following old climbing ropes, through a chockstone cave. Be careful descending and ascending, there is loose rock and a helmet is a MUST.
Turn off the mine road at these GPS coordinates:
33.2975263, -111.0698535
Saddle about halfway up,
(33.2920422, -111.0757202)
GPS coordinates of your rough destination:
33.2861836, -111.0759559
If you're looking for the easiest climb to get out, it's Naiches Escape, a 1 pitch 5.8.
If you need to hike out, and you don't want to climb anything, you can follow the eastern face of the canyon, all the way up to the top of the rim.
FROM THE BOTTOM:
The dirt road is up to Apache leap is straight across from Surprise road in Superior. If you do not have high clearance or 4wd, park here, right off the highway. Don't attempt to go up at all from here. Drive up the dirt road towards the Leap for approx 1 mile. The road becomes impassable shortly after the large gate. Park in the clearing and continue to walk from here going right at switchback. When you get directly below the lowest tower, look for cairns and a dirt trail. If you've reached a large flat area at the end of the road, you've gone too far.
Follow the dirt trail and cairns up to the lower Apache towers. There are a few climbs on this tower, you can see the bolts of these from the dirt road. Follow up past the second tower where the trail splits. The trail right heads to Gaan and Black Hactsin first, and then Ussen and the Hall of Legends. The trail left goes past Knotty Tower, up to Net Positive Impact, and is quite a scramble.
Classic Climbing Routes at Hall of Legends, Mid-Leap
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