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Elevation: 4,628 ft 1,411 m
GPS: 33.28612, -111.07589
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Shared By: Ian Gunn on Dec 18, 2023 · Updates
Admins: Zach Levy, Sierra Blair, Greg Opland, Brian Boyd, JJ Schlick, Kemper Brightman, Luke Bertelsen
Warning Access Issue: Must Register! Private Property-The Pond, Atlantis and Mine Area DetailsDrop down

Description Suggest change

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 Suggest change

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.

 

32 Total Climbs

Route Finder - Best Climbs for YOU!

Location: Hall of Legends, Mid-Leap Change
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Classic Climbing Routes at Hall of Legends, Mid-Leap

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 32
Net Positive Impact
Sport 4 pitches
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 8
Victorio
Sport 3 pitches
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 8
Goyahkla
Sport 2 pitches
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 7
Chiracahua
Sport
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 8
Mescalero
Sport
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
 16
Knotty Tower
Sport
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
 7
Coloradas
Sport 2 pitches
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
 9
Lozen
Sport 2 pitches
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
 14
Mangas
Sport 4 pitches
5.10b/c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
 19
Ussen
Sport 6 pitches
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
 7
Apache Wolf
Sport 3 pitches
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
 5
Naiche
Sport
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
 5
Gaan
Sport
5.11a/b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
 4
White Hactcin
Sport
5.11c/d 7a 24 VIII 25 E4 6a
 4
Child of Water
Sport 3 pitches
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Net Positive Impact
 32
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Sport 4 pitches
Victorio
 8
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Sport 3 pitches
Goyahkla
 8
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Sport 2 pitches
Chiracahua
 7
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Sport
Mescalero
 8
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Sport
Knotty Tower
 16
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a Sport
Coloradas
 7
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b Sport 2 pitches
Lozen
 9
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b Sport 2 pitches
Mangas
 14
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b Sport 4 pitches
Ussen
 19
5.10b/c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Sport 6 pitches
Apache Wolf
 7
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Sport 3 pitches
Naiche
 5
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b Sport
Gaan
 5
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Sport
White Hactcin
 4
5.11a/b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c Sport
Child of Water
 4
5.11c/d 7a 24 VIII 25 E4 6a Sport 3 pitches
More Classic Climbs in Hall of Legends, Mid-Leap »

Sun & Shade Suggest change

Routes Mostly Face: Southwest · West · Northwest
Sunny Roughly 10am to 5pm during high season
6am
8pm

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