bouldering in tucson

hey -

i just moved here and have a photocopy of the old tucson bouldering guide. where do folks gather to boulder around here after work? i have been to gates pass, but am looking for other areas with easy access, drive time, etc...

thanks

I don't boulder but I'm pretty sure there's some stuff on Mt Lemmon at Hairpin turn (MP 0.5, very close to the eastside) and at Windy Point (down from the Practice Wall?)

Matt -- Would love to see the old bouldering guide. Do you know if they have a photocopy at Summit Hut?

About actual bouldering, I've pulled on some stuff up Pontatoc Trail (same trailhead as Finger Rock Trail). It's maybe a half hour walk from the trailhead. It's more a matter of my seeing something interesting to practice on rather than working established problems.

Checked out Hairpin Turn briefly after work once, but the light was fading and didn't spend much time. I was on a face that seemed to pretty chossey and no helmet. Need to get back there.

Up at Windy Point, I climbed with a guy from New Jersey who found a nice little problem at some boulders at the foot of Practice Wall, toward the south end. Be glad to show you some time.

Mark Twenhafel

Mark,
There is some good bouldering in Aqua Caliente Canyon. Pretend your going to La Milegrosa but take the right hand canyon. 1st good problems are about 10 minutes up on the left. Bring a pad. Then just keep walking and bouldering your way up canyon. There is a killer 50 foot lowball traverse on the right side of the canyon when it makes the sharp turn south a few minutes past the 200' chossy wall on the left side of the canyon. There are huge boulders in the wash were the canyon makes this sharp turn. The landing on the traverse has a smooth flat ledge the entire length.
There is also some good bouldering in the wash below Tanque Verde falls.
Take the lower trail down and hike either direction in the wash to find the problems.

Do any of you know who chiseled grooves in the matterhorn boulder? The defacing interferes with a number of decent problems(closer to v10 than v5-esp barefoot), and some of us still like to fool around up there. Don't do it anymore.

Mark Twenhafel wrote:Matt -- I've pulled on some stuff up Pontatoc Trail (same trailhead as Finger Rock Trail). It's maybe a half hour walk from the trailhead. It's more a matter of my seeing something interesting to practice on rather than working established problems. Mark Twenhafel

Many years ago I bouldered a rock 1.1 miles in(slightly befor the trail heads uphill, about a 20 min run). There is thin stuff all over that, plus a longer problem on the uphill side. On my way out there I once saw about 5 medium sized gila monsters spread out along the trail-amazing.

George

@Jimbo: Thanks for the info. A little farther than I'd want to travel for after-work bouldering, but worth it for a daytrip.

@george22: Thanks. I didn't know that Gila monsters were in the Catalinas. It seems too close to the city--I thought that they were only in the deep desert. I keep wanting to spend the night up there, but work is killing me these days. Also, um, can you say where the matterhorn boulder is?

@rickd: Is Death Wall up the Finger Rock Trail? There's stuff all over there that is chossy but climbable. Does anyone know why that stuff hasn't been developed? My guess is due to the approach. I keep looking at the face between Pima Canyon and Finger Rock Canyon. ('Course, it's closed for Bighorn lambing until June.)

Mark

The only place I've ever seen them was in the Catalina's foothills-once outside rancho sin vacas(on the way to campbell cliffs), and above. They are so slow, and so shy, they present no danger, unless you are an imp of the perverse and want to try to touch the inside of one of their mouths.

Matterhorn is directly across from the parking lot for Lizard rock-no chiselling!

Talking about Lizard Rock, I've always looked at that thing thinking "there's gotta be some climbing on that thing, why isn't in the guidebook?"...Duh!

Anyway, some nice views from on top of it.. Rincon Peak, Mt. Wrightson, and Mt. Graham..all from the same spot..

Christen,
Lizard Rock is in the Lemmon Guide, page 207. All the best routes are 5.11 or harder however.

Yeah I took a walk out there on Saturday and checked out the routes..That R/X rated slab towards the end is scary-looking, a couple of bolts then 30 feet of runout. Wasn't surprised too see "SG" on the FA data, haha...

Saw some tracks in the snow that looked like a small mountain lion or bobcat.