PRINT: Rock Climb Bush Shark Spire, Sandia Mountains

Bush Shark Spire

5.9, Trad, 200 ft (61 m), 2 pitches, Grade II,

Avg: 3.2 from 84 votes
FA: Wayne Taylor, Eric Keto, 78
New Mexico > Albuquerque Area > Sandia Mountains > Echo Canyon > Bush Shark Area

Description

Like the Candle in Chimney Canyon, this route leads to one of the few spire summits in the Sandias. An interesting route with a good hand crack on P1, the second pitch contains the routes crux which occurs right off the belay. The climb ends at a bolted anchor just short of the spires summit. A short section of class 3 scrambling can be done to top out on the summit.

P1: (90') Starts at the spire's west face, underneath a large roof. Follow a good hand crack broken up with intermittent ledges. The pitch ends at a bolted belay on a small but good ledge.

P2: (70') Head straight up negotiating a small bulge (crux). Follow a broken dihedral to the bolted belay.

Descent: Rap the route [straightforward with 2 ropes or a 70m rope; a single 60m rope will also work but is not ideal]

Protection

Standard rack: double Camalots 0.5-2", some slings.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Mark leads P2. The 3.5 cam placement above the chockstone was super solid for protecting the awkward crux.

A couple moves past the crux of pitch 2.

Looking up pitch two

Following P1

Amelia starting up pitch one

Robin nearing the end of Bush Shark's p1! The p2; corner/chimney system of Big-T (5.10c) can be seen in the background.

Pitch one of Bush Shark Spire

Bush Shark Spire from across the canyon with anchors/route indicated

Pitch 1 is really great!

On top of Bush Shark Spire

Mark at the top of the first pitch

P1: follows the hand crack in center of photo.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Ryan Smyth
Albuquerque, NM

5.9

First time leading a 5.9 trad. What a blast. Once you reach the crack, it is on. only got to do the first pitch because thunder and rain scared us off. Lots of jamming and some good liebacking. I wouldn't recommend trying to rappel from the first belay station. unless you have a 70m rope or are willing to do some downclimbing hah. heh. Aug 5, 2008

LeeAB Brinckerhoff
Austin, TX

5.9

Ryan, you are correct, the rappel needs a 70m rope to reach the ground. Don't worry, the first pitch is the better of the two and a half, you should go back though to tag the summit. Next time if your out and getting threated with weather you could TR feeding frenzy and if the S**T hit the fan just lower and pull the rope and get out. Aug 6, 2008

Matt Zeigler
Phoenix, AZ

A #3 protects the p2 crux quite well. May 5, 2018

Orlando

Another rap option with a 60-m might be to rap the Bush Shark anchor into the gully, then descent the 3rd class gully carefully to a 2BA on the wall to climbers right, maybe 30 feet or so before the gully turns vertical.There is an old pin with rap rings lower down the gully but the 2BA would be a superior alternate. It looks pretty new, not sure if it was placed as a rap anchor or a belay station or both.
Full disclosure: we were in the gully for other reasons and did not actually complete the described descent, BUT, based on how much rope we had at the 2BA, a rap down the gully to the ground should work with a 60-m, but buyer beware. Maybe someone can chime in definitively if they have made this rap. Oct 8, 2018

George Perkins
The Dungeon, NM

5.9

Orlando, that last (newish) bolted rap station in the Bush Shark gully is part the rap-route approach to "Ghost Rider", but it is not a belay station on that route. It worked for us with a single 70m rope, not sure about a 60m. I'm *pretty sure* (and I believe Marc also told us) that a 70m rope was needed for the full "Ghost Rider" rap-in approach, but I don't remember lengths of individual rappels.

For those climbing Bush Shark, I would recommend continuing to the top by either Garden Party, or traverse over to Ghost Rider's last pitch. Unless you have a reason to go back to the base. They are both decently good pitches, and way more fun than hiking out Echo Canyon. Oct 8, 2018

Julian Callin
Albuquerque, NM

Confirmed that a 60m reaches with plenty to spare using 2 raps off the back of Bush Shark Spire into the gully and using the 2 bolt anchor for the rap approach to Ghost Rider. The first rap will be nearly 60m and the bolts are on skiier's left out on a small ledge on the side of the gully. Second rap is straight to the ground through a large bush.

We chose to rap the gully because Garden Party looks disgusting currently-- probably needs a proper cleaning, I don't see how it will get traffic in its current state. Jun 13, 2021

Hunter Corliss
Albuquerque, NM

Awesome route! Consider bringing doubles in hand size (#0.75-3) and a #4 for the first pitch. We didn't have a 4 but thought it could be nice. Was surprised nobody mentioned bringing a small nut or micro cam for the moves off the pitch 2 belay! A BD 0.2 was just barely too big but a 0.1 would've plugged perfectly in really solid rock in the seam directly over the bolts. That plus a second piece just below it (a tiny nut) would make you feel really cozy as you started pulling those awkward moves off the belay and would prevent a leader fall on the anchor. Just my 2 cents though Sep 15, 2022

Mitchell McAuslan
Spokane, WA

5.9

Pitch 1 is really fun. Great jams and good gear. Pitch 2 is so so.. the gear is tougher and the rock quality and climbing is not as good. I protected the crux with a BD 0.1 and a small nut, not the best for the crux moves but right above it you can get bomber gear. Easy raps with a 70m rope. Aug 30, 2024

Nakhla Dogg
Altered, State of New Mexico

P2 is best if ya go straight up from the chains. Protects well with a couple small nuts in the vertical crack. Then move right. Burp! Jun 9, 2025

Michael Russo
Albuquerque, NM

5.8

Pitch 1 is one of the best moderate single pitches I have done in the Sandias. Great gear, fun jams, quality rock, and nice position. Jul 13, 2025

Anna Brown
Albuquerque, NM

I dropped an offset brassie nut off the pitch 2 belay and couldn’t find it at the base with two of us looking for a good chunk of time. I’d appreciate getting it back if it shakes out from the trees. Jul 14, 2025