Climbing suggestions for mid-February 2026 climbing on Mt. Lemmon

Hi everyone!

My girlfriend and I will be climbing around the Mt. Lemmon area in mid-February 2026 and would like some advice on which crags and routes would be good to climb given the time of year and our skill level.

Trad routes are preferable and would love to do some trad multi-pitch. Comfortable leading trad routes up to 5.8. 

On sport routes, we are comfortable up to 5.10c. Sport mult-pitch would be fun too.

As far as guidebooks, I see the book Squeezing the Lemmon III is out of print. Any way to borrow a copy of that? Are there any other good resources for getting information about climbing around Mt. Lemmon?

Thank you!

Tom

Bit variable in Feb, so you might have to play it by ear (& depends on your cold tolerance).

I am a cold weenie, but looking at my ticks for jan/Feb I sometimes make it to mid-mountain or a little higher (say Barnum Rock or Outcroppings) & sometimes that might be snow area.  Sometimes maybe windy point- sometimes that could be quite cold.

I would say from Bear Canyon down (see mp areas) is likely to be good & including la milagrosa canyon.

You won't find too much multipitch unless we have a warm one & you can get up higher.

You could borrow my squeezing the lemmon (dm me)

There are several fun moderate sunny two-pitch routes in the Windy Point area: Slippery When Wet, Rich and Dave's, Crab Corner (most just do the first pitch). It's often warm enough there in February.

Standard Route on Chimney Rock is a fun little roadside multipitch adventure.

Kor Wall in Sabino Canyon is an awesome sunny five-pitch 5.8 adventure route, but it's a bit spicy on the second pitch and some care is needed to adequately protect the second.

Guanica is a cool two-pitch sport-bolted 5.8 chimney low on the mountain--sport, but with a trad feel.

you have the best resource right in front of you. the guidebook is 10 years out of date.

use the search function. I put in: Mount Lemmon (Catalina highway), 5.0 to 5.8, 2.5 stars and up...... got 2 pages of results.

The highway subareas are numbered 1 thru 8. Ignore 6 7 and 8 for February.

Thank you to all of you for great info and beta. I'm looking forward to this adventure! If anyone would be up for climbing together in February please DM me or reach out on WhatsApp: +1(402)315-7079.