Community Top Roping Sessions

HOME

 SEARCH CALENDAR VIDEOS TOP ROPING
SCHOOL ROOM BOARD ROOM WHITE ROCK CRAGS
GREAT LINKS BECOME A MEMBER DISCLAIMER
SWAP MEET LAM HISTORY INDEX NACLASSICS
TRIP ARCHIVE DOWNLOADS CLIMBING NEWS & FORUM
.

Scheduled Community Top Roping Sessions


All route guides or links to route guides on this site reside here.

LAM Climbing School students are requested to refrain from attending scheduled top roping sessions until after graduation, for safety reasons.

Weekday (schedule below):  People start showing up at the scheduled top roping location about 5:00 pm this time of year.  Civil Twilight End is 8:34 pm on May 17th in White Rock.  Scheduled by Jan Studebaker.

Weekend:  Visit the Los Alamos Social Climbers primarily for weekend information.  You can just find out where to go or join in the discussion and help decide.  Contact Mark Mathis if you have any questions or would like to be added directly to the "Los Alamos Social Climbers" email list.  This Forum is not directly associated with LAM, however, many of it's members are also LAM members.

Climbing Gyms: Climbing gyms are often available in the event of bad weather and/or evenings, and are an excellent way to stay in shape during the winter.  Many leaders get their first leading experience at gyms.  The routes are generally well protected, and the falls seldom result in injuries.  Click here for local gym information.


Notes:  Bring a rope and an anchor set if you have one.  We share and share alike.  Please examine all anchors; your own and those of fellow climbers!  This is particularly important at the beginning of the season!  Please don't be too shy to ask fellow climbers to look over your anchor if in doubt.  Also, be very careful not to knock rocks off of the top!

Disclaimer:  Top roping locations are presented as a favor to the climbing community as a whole, and as such, are not activities of the Los Alamos Mountaineers Club, even though many LAM club members are climbers and take part in the listed climbs.  Please feel welcome to participate! 

All participants, regardless of affiliation, are welcome and must assume responsibility for themselves, and the safety of the others at the crags.  Helmet usage is optional, recommended, and seldom observed.  Experienced climbers are usually available to help in the selection of appropriate climbs, to check anchors and to help with belay technique (feel free to ask for help, if in doubt).  You are encouraged to check other's anchors, and report questionable sets to whomever is responsible, or to any other climber/s at the session.  There is no sponsor, and all equipment must be provided by the participants.  Climbing can be dangerous to your health!


Tuesday, May 13, The New New Place

The "New New Place" is a 60 foot, southeast facing, basalt cliff with approximately 20 traditional routes and topropes.  Many excellent and classic lines, mostly cracks, are found here.  Many are best toproped.  This is a good crag at which to escape the crowds at the Overlook or the Playground.  Bolting is not permitted in this area.

To get to the "New New Place," park at the cul-de-sac at the east end of Kimberly.  Walk straight out, but veer left (east).  The main climbing area is a short walk from the cul-de-sac. The descent is a down climb at the south end of the main climbing area.  Click here for a street map.

Thursday, May 15, The "Y"

The "Y" is a 45 foot basalt canyon with about 35 traditional and toprope routes.  The "Y" is a popular toproping area for locals.  It is not on the canyon rim as are the other climbs on this page.  Due to the narrow canyon, it's not climbable in the winter.  There are routes on both sides of the canyon - the north side (which faces south) has most of them.  Bolting is not permitted here!  Click here for a guide.

The "Y" is just east of the intersection of NM 502 and NM 4.  The unobvious parking area is just past the first guard rail on the south side of NM 502.  Park along the road (beside the fence), and walk between the guard rail and the fence to the cliff's edge.  The descent is at the west end of the cliffs.  Click here for a street map.
 

Important Safety Reminders

 .

A top rope anchor must be absolutely bombproof! If you have any doubt what-so-ever, add another piece of protection.  There is no excuse for a poor top rope anchor.  The entire line from the rope to the anchor points must be entirely redundant, equalized, and without a chance for significant extension should an anchor fail.  At a minimum, a top rope anchor must have: TWO independent strands of rope or THREE independent pieces of webbing (NO self-equalizing V slings,) TWO bomber anchor points like trees, or a minimum of THREE good and equalized pieces of gear in SOLID rock.

Note: Many of us habitually use the Pinon trees in the area for anchors; please keep in mind that many of these trees are now dead and likely unsafe for anchors.

Tuesday, May 20, The Big Enchilada

The Big Enchilada is a 60 foot, southwest facing, basalt cliff with numerous traditional and toprope routes.  Routes are somewhat chossy and many are infrequently climbed.  The Big Enchilada also features 2 bolted sport routes.  This cliff is in a good location and is fairly tall, but the rock is fairly broken.  However, many good routes can be found, while avoiding the crowds.  Many trad leaders practice here.  Bolting is permitted here, but is discouraged, due to the lack of good sport climbing potential.  Click here for a route guide.

To get to the Big Enchilada from NM state road 4, turn southeast on Monterey South.  Follow this for .7 miles until you come to Potrillo road.  Turn right on Potrillo and continue for .8 miles until you come to Estante road.  Take another right and follow the road back until you come to a pullout on the right side of the road (.3 miles), just past a fire hydrant (this hydrant is on the right side of the road as you approach, don't be fooled by an earlier hydrant on the left).  Park here.  Follow the obvious trail south until it splits, and follow the left branch.  Follow this trail to its end (a cliff edge).  You have arrived!  The hike is about 0.75 miles.  Top rope sets are available to the right and left of the trail end.  Watch for loose rocks on the climbs; particularly near the top.  The descent gully is slightly left of the trail end.  As you come down the gully, two bolted climbs will be on your left, and the main Big Enchilada area is around the corner to the right.  Click here for a street map.

NOTE: Be very careful to keep adequate distance from the FIRE HYDRANT, mail boxes, driveways, and the edge of the road, when parking. You must keep your tires off the road when you park. If you don't obey these rules, you may get a ticket. The local property owners demand legal enforcement. We are developing a bad reputation with them, which could haunt us for years to come.

Thursday, May 22, The Old New Place

The "Old New Place" is a 60 foot, southeast facing, basalt cliff with approximately 20 traditional routes and topropes.  Many excellent and classic lines, mostly cracks, are found here.  Many are best toproped.  This is a good crag at which to escape the crowds at the Overlook or the Playground.  The descent is on an unobvious rock trail at the south end of the climbing area (at a low spot along the cliff edge).  Bolting is not permitted here!  Click here for a route guide.

To get to the "Old New Place" from NM state road 4, turn south on Rover Blvd.  After about 200 yards, take a left on Meadow Lane.  Park near 719 Meadow Lane, being careful not to block mailboxes or driveways (several residents have complained in the past).  Take the public access trail between 719 and 721 Meadow Lane.  The "Old New Place" is almost straight out, but veer left (north) slightly. It is a very short walk to the high spot on the cliff edge.  The descent is via an unobvious rock trail at the south end of the crag, at a low spot along the cliff edge.  Click here for a street map.