Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more. Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.
Elevation: 6,069 ft
GPS: 35.08351, -106.48107
Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views: 119,586 total · 541/month
Shared By: Dave Wachter on Jan 24, 2006 · Updates
Admins: Jason Halladay, Mike Hoskins, Anna Brown

Description Suggest change

Surprisingly good granite bouldering in the foothills of the Sandia Mountains, right at the edge of town. Also Albuquerque's best approximation of an "after work crag," at least from late fall to early spring (when it's warmer, Big Block takes that dubious honor). So, when the days get longer, and the latest dusting of snow melts off, get out and shred your fingers at U-Mound! The granite here can be quite rough, but once you know where the more finger-friendly problems are, and have an idea exactly how to grab specific holds, you can manage to keep from wearing through your pads and still get a good crimp-pump.

Resources Suggest change

- "The Official Online Guide to U-Mound Bouldering": cs.unm.edu/~moret/u-mound.html
It's in a convenient, printable html format, but if you're going to print this out and use it at the boulders, I'd recommend annotating it with info from this site.

Getting There

Suggest change
Go east on I-40 from basically anywhere in town. Get off at Tramway (last exit before you head up the canyon) and go north until you reach Copper (second light). Turn right on Copper (east toward the mountains), and drive until you arrive at the end of the road, there is a parking area here. Hike north on a trail for ~ 200 yards, keeping the houses to your left and the U-mound (big rocky-topped hill) to your right. Cross a berm with a concrete drainage ditch to your left, and the boulders come into view straight ahead.
See photos for details.

72 Total Climbs

Route Finder - Best Climbs for YOU!

Location: U-Mound Change
Type:  to 
Quality:
Pitches:
Sort by:   then:
 

Classic Climbing Routes at U-Mound

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
V0+ 4+
 30
Slab left
Boulder
V1 5
 28
Layback arete
Boulder
V1 5
 43
Dead Cat
Boulder
V2 5+
 38
Jelly Bean hand traverse
Boulder
V2 5+
 28
Highball slab problem
Boulder
V2+ 5+
 27
Wounded Knee
Boulder
V3 6A
 23
Balancing boulder problem
Boulder
V3 6A
 54
Knob Problem
Boulder
V4 6B
 20
Driftwood or Petrified Wood
Boulder
V4 6B
 6
The OW
Boulder
V4-5 6B+
 18
The Manatee
Boulder
V5 6C
 20
The Egg Shell
Boulder
V6 7A
 29
Corridor Problem
Boulder
V6 7A
 16
Whale Belly
Boulder
V7- 7A+
 24
Arete to Crack
Boulder
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Slab left Warmup Boulders (AKA…
 30
V0+ 4+ Boulder
Layback arete Warmup Boulders (AKA…
 28
V1 5 Boulder
Dead Cat Lower Mound (western…
 43
V1 5 Boulder
Jelly Bean hand traverse Upper Mound (main upp…
 38
V2 5+ Boulder
Highball slab problem Upper Mound (main upp…
 28
V2 5+ Boulder
Wounded Knee Backside of Upper Mou…
 27
V2+ 5+ Boulder
Balancing boulder problem Lower Mound (western…
 23
V3 6A Boulder
Knob Problem Upper Mound (main upp…
 54
V3 6A Boulder
Driftwood or Petrified Wood Backside of Upper Mou…
 20
V4 6B Boulder
The OW Upper Mound - the cor…
 6
V4 6B Boulder
The Manatee Upper Mound (main upp…
 18
V4-5 6B+ Boulder
The Egg Shell Lower Mound (western…
 20
V5 6C Boulder
Corridor Problem Upper Mound - the cor…
 29
V6 7A Boulder
Whale Belly Upper Mound - the cor…
 16
V6 7A Boulder
Arete to Crack Upper Mound (main upp…
 24
V7- 7A+ Boulder
More Classic Climbs in U-Mound »

Weather Averages

High
 
Low
 
Precip
 
Days w Precip
 
Prime Climbing Season
J F M A M J J A S O N D
J F M A M J J A S O N D

Photos

loading