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Los Alamos Canyon Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Areas in Los Alamos Canyon

Entrance Tower 1 / 2 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 3

Hospital Crag 0 / 3 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 3

Los Alamos Canyon Ice Climbing 7 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 7 / 0 / 1 / 0 / 8

Pipeline Cliff 0 / 2 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 2

Reservoir Boulders 0 / 0 / 0 / 3 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 3

Reservoir Wall 0 / 13 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 13

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Elevation:	7,213 ft
GPS:	35.87989, -106.32409 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	19,091 total · 97/month
Shared By:	George Perkins on Jan 29, 2008
Admins:	Jason Halladay, Mike Hoskins, Anna Brown Page Updates (admin only)

See Weather Forecast

Access Issue: April 2024 - The Road to the Los Alamos Reservoir is Closed on Weekdays until June 2024 Details

The Los Alamos Canyon Reservoir and the road leading to it will be closed starting Monday, April 22, 2024, through mid-June 2024 for watershed mitigation work on the damaged stream channel.

The reservoir and road will be closed to hiking on weekdays until the work is complete, however they will open for foot traffic on weekends. Hikers should park at the Los Alamos County Ice Rink as parking is not allowed near the reservoir road.

The repair project is a collaboration among the Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities (DPU), Keystone Restorative Ecology and Natural Channel Design. Large equipment and dump trucks will be used to move materials along the roadway for use in the stream channel. The materials will be placed to slow down the velocity of runoff water without scouring away natural sediment.

DPU Deputy Utility Manager Clay Moseley said the project will ensure stabilization of the canyon’s watershed and public access to the reservoir for recreational purposes, as well as prevent the road from becoming a liability during particularly wet seasons.

The road and reservoir will open again for recreation daily after the project is complete in June.

ladailypost.com/watershed-w…

Description

A selection of climbs can be found in Los Alamos Canyon, just south of the town of Los Alamos. The short bolted climbs are on rhyolite/tuff that varies in quality from poor to good, and some are missing their hangers (some have them). Perhaps the most popular climbing in this canyon are the ice climbs on the south side of the canyon. The Jemez Rock guidebook has descriptions for the rock climbs, not the ice climbs.

Note: The formations in Los Alamos Canyon area near the road are on DOE/LANL property. (The Shangri La cliff up the road toward the reservoir is on National Forest.) Local climbers haven't heard of any issues at the seldom-visited sport climbs or on the ice climbs between the bridge and the ice rink-- these areas are open to the public-- but really these areas just don't get visited often, so there might be issues. Do not go under the Omega Bridge, or cross over fences or past signs that say warnings like "US Government/Area Closed to Public". Climbers have been asked to leave when climbing at the Hospital Crag. Probably best to be fairly discrete anyway.

Getting There

From the town of Los Alamos, head toward the bridge to LANL property. Just before the bridge, take a right on West Rd. to drop into the Canyon; chances are you'll be parking in the pulloff just before the ice rink or at the hairpin turn, depending on what you're trying to climb.