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All of the following destinations are within an hour of Flagstaff (except
Jack’s), are accessible by passenger car, and are suitable for day trips
from Phoenix, (add a 2-2.5 hour drive one way). Guidebooks are available at
Flagstaff retailers and at most Phoenix retailers listed below. Be aware that
July and August can bring rain and severe lightning storms in the afternoons;
this is Arizona’s "monsoon season." Flagstaff is near
Arizona’s highest peak, and the mountain creates its own weather.
Jack’s Canyon –
somewhat remote, but many limestone sport climbs
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30 min SW of Winslow, 3 hours NE of Phoenix,
1.5 hours E of Flagstaff
10 minute hike from parking
Limestone, many pockets
Well-protected sport climbing, single-pitch
5.6-5.13, ratings tend to be soft
6200’ elevation
Dry, but year-round shade and sun, occasional
spring flooding
Jack’s Canyon Sport Climbing , by
Burton and Steagall |
Oak Creek Overlook
– good top-roping, moderate crack climbing
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20 min S of Flagstaff on US Hwy 89A
5 minute hike from parking
Basalt cracks
Trad leading only, no bolts, single-pitch
5.6-5.11
6000’ elevation
SE-facing walls get sun year-round
A Cheaper Way to Fly , by Tim Toula |
Paradise Forks –
world-class basalt cracks, good hard crack climbing
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45 min W of Flagstaff, I-40 to Forest Service
dirt roads
5 minute hike from parking
Basalt cracks
Trad leading only, no bolts, single-pitch
5.8-5.13, ratings tend to be hard
7000’ elevation
Cold in winter, but year-round sun and shade
Paradise Forks , by David Bloom; A
Cheaper Way to Fly, by Tim Toula |
The Pit – excellent
limestone sport climbing
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15 min SE of Flagstaff off Lake Mary Road
10 minute hike from parking
Limestone
Sport climbing, single-pitch
5.8-5.12
6000’ elevation
S-facing walls get sun year-round
Sport Climbing at the Pit , by John
McMullen (pocket map) |
Sedona – sandstone
multi-pitch; for experienced back country climbers only
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In and around Sedona, 45 minutes SW of
Flagstaff
Various
Sandstone (always allow 2-3 days for
sandstone to dry after a rain)
Trad leading only, a few fixed anchors at
belay stations
5.8-5.11
4500’ elevation
Spring and fall
A Better Way to Die , Tim Toula |
All of the following destinations are within an hour of Phoenix and are
accessible by passenger car. The guidebook Phoenix Rock II is available
at Phoenix retailers listed below and includes a number of smaller areas (not
listed here), many of which involve back country techniques. Many areas have
small $2 pocket guides. Be aware that July and August can bring rain and severe
lightning storms in the afternoons; this is Arizona’s "monsoon
season."
Camelback Mountain
– an accessible urban climbing area in Phoenix, but not the best
climbing
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Near Tatum and McDonald in Phoenix
10 minute hike from parking
Conglomerate sandstones embedded with granite
boulders and rocks
Some bolted, some trad, single-pitch and
multi-pitch
5.0-5.11, ratings tend to be average
1500’ elevation
Fall, winter, spring, early morning summer
Phoenix Rock II , by Greg Opland |
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45 min NE of Phoenix, in N Scottsdale
10-30 minute hike from parking
Granite – friction, cracks, edges
Some bolted, some trad, mostly single-pitch
5.0-5.12, ratings tend to be average
2000’ elevation
Fall, winter, spring, early morning summer
Phoenix Rock II , by Greg Opland |
Queen Creek– home of
the Phoenix Bouldering Contest, with many bolted sport climbs
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1 hour W of Phoenix, 1.5 hours N of Tucson
5-20 minute hike from parking
Rhyolite, many pockets and edges
Sport climbing, single-pitch
5.6-5.12, ratings tend to be average
4500’ elevation
Year-round, occasional spring and summer rain
Rock Jock’s Guide to Queen Creek
Canyon , by Marty Karabin |
All of the following destinations are within an hour of Prescott, are
accessible by passenger car except Promised Land, and are suitable for day
trips from Phoenix (add a 1.5-2 hour drive one way). Guidebooks are available
at Prescott retailers listed below. Be aware that July and August can bring
rain and severe lightning storms in the afternoons; this is Arizona’s
"monsoon season."
Granite Mountain –
once listed as one of America’s ten best crags; check for raptor
closures
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20 min NW of Prescott
30-45 minute hike from parking on 2-mile
trail
Granite – friction, cracks, edges,
excellent quality
Mostly trad, some bolted, mostly multi-pitch
5.0-5.12, ratings tend to be stiff
6000’ elevation
Cliffs face south, so year round climbing is
possible
Out of print; check with the local Prescott
climbing stores |
Promised Land – small
but exquisite sport-climbing area
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30 min N of Prescott
15 minute hike from parking; 4-wheel drive or
high clearance required
Quartzite, many pockets and edges
Sport climbing, single-pitch
5.7-5.12, ratings tend to be average
4500’ elevation
Year-round, offers both sun and shade
Pocket guide available at Prescott retailers |
Thumb Butte – climbing
on Prescott’s signature landmark, on not-so-good rock
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Prescott
20 minute hike from parking using the
improved hiker’s trail
Volcanic rock, jugholds, incuts, pockets;
rock is not the best
Trad climbing, single-pitch
5.2-5.12, ratings tend to be average
5500’ elevation
Year-round, offers both sun and shade
Thumb Butte, by Rusty Baillie |
Watson Dells –
sport-climbing at a Prescott City Park, with a view of Watson Lake
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5 min N of Prescott
15 minute hike from parking
Granite – friction and discontinuous
cracks
Sport climbing, single-pitch
5.6-5.12, ratings tend to be average
5000’ elevation
Year-round, offers both sun and shade
Check with Prescott retailers |
All of the following destinations are within an hour of Tucson, are
accessible by passenger car, and are suitable for day trips from Phoenix (add a
2-2.5 hour drive one way). Guidebooks are available at Tucson retailers and at
most Phoenix retailers listed below. Mt. Lemmon has many easily accessible
climbing areas of all types. Be aware that July and August can bring rain and
severe lightning storms in the afternoons; this is Arizona’s "monsoon
season." Tucson is more likely to experience these monsoons than areas
farther north.
Cochise Stronghold
– more rock than you can climb in your lifetime; world-class granite; back
country conditions
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1 hour SE of Tucson
10 minute to 2 hour hike from parking;
approaches can be tricky
Granite – fun chickenheads, friction,
cracks, edges
Mostly trad, mostly multi-pitch, but there is
an excellent sport-bolted area on the west side
5.0-5.12, ratings tend to be stiff, with many
runouts
4500’ elevation at parking; approaches
may ascend 100-2000’ to get to the climb
Best in spring and fall
Backcountry Rockclimbing in Southern
Arizona , by Bob Kerry |
Mt. Lemmon – more rock
than you can climb in your second lifetime; world-class granite and
gneiss
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30 minutes up the Catalina highway on
Tucson’s N side
5 minute – 3 hour hike from parking;
approaches can be tricky
Granite, gneiss – fun chickenheads,
friction, cracks, edges
All types – bolted, trad, single-pitch,
multi-pitch; includes great top-roping areas
5.0-5.12, ratings tend to be stiff, with many
runouts on multi-pitches
2000-9000’ elevation
Year-round, depending on elevation
Squeezing the Lemmon, and Squeezing the Lemmon II both by Eric
Fazio-Rhicard; Backcountry Rockclimbing in Southern Arizona, by Bob
Kerry |
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