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McDowell Mountains Rock Climbing
| Elevation: | 3,068 ft | 935 m |
| GPS: |
33.68664, -111.80888 Google Map · Climbing Area Map |
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| Page Views: | 425,508 total · 1,736/month | |
| Shared By: | Greg Opland on Jan 19, 2006 · Updates | |
| Admins: | Greg Opland, Brian Boyd, JJ Schlick, Kemper Brightman, Luke Bertelsen |
Access Issue: Access:
Details
Please be aware of, and abide by the closure when it is in effect!
For more information, please visit scottsdaleaz.gov/preserve
Description
The McDowell Mountains feature most of the main granite climbing crags in the northeast metro Phoenix area. Several fine formations of rough grained desert granite are found in the area featuring routes of all difficulties. The climbing is traditional in nature, both gear and bolted routes, and climbers should expect to place their own protection on a lot of the routes here.
Once threatened by house and golf course development, the city of Scottsdale (with the help of it's citizens, who kept voting in tax $$ support to acquire the land!) managed to turn the whole place into the McDowell-Sonoran Preserve, starting in the mid 90's and continuing to this day. The Preserve today sits at almost 22,000 acres with the eventual plan to encompass some 36,000+ acres!
Getting There
The McDowells are located in northeast Scottsdale, just to the east/southeast of Pinnacle Peak. The area is accessed via the Tom's Thumb Trailhead (est. fall 2012) on the north side of the range. There are a couple of ways to get to the TTT as follows:
1) From the intersection of Happy Valley Road and Alma School Road (near Pinnacle Peak and just southwest of Troon Mountain), continue east on Happy Valley Road. Stay with it as it curves around to the north, then turns into the north bound 118th Street. Make a right on Ranch Gate Road (look for signs to the trailhead) and go east to 128th Street. Make another right and go south until you basically run into the trailhead entrance.
2) You can also come in from Rio Verde Drive by turning south onto 128th Street and taking it (initially dirt, then paved) to the trailhead entrance.
Note: You CAN do the approach to some of the crags from the Gateway Visitor's Center
off Thompson Peak Parkway, but this is a long (~6 miles to Tom's Thumb), uphill,
rocky approach and NOT recommended.
Classic Climbing Routes at McDowell Mountains
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Photos
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