Lorax & Ball Return

Lorax & Ball Return is a climbing area in the Santa Catalina Ranger District of Coronado National Forest in Arizona, managed by the Forest Service. The name is a cluster of climbing spots, and the surrounding area holds several other named climbing areas within about a tenth of a mile, including King, Knight and One Day Wall. This makes it a compact hub for climbers looking to link routes close together. The area's routes run from about 5.9 up to 5.10+, with sport climbing making up five of the eight routes and trad climbing the other three. Finger Fan and Rocky Road are both sport 5.9s, while The Bad End or the Worse End is a sport 5.10+. Hyrax, a trad 5.10, is another option. The typical averages from the nearby Mt Lemmon Willow Canyon weather station show the most comfortable climbing weather in late spring and early fall. May typically averages highs around 71°F and lows near 51°F, and September runs about 75°F by day and 59°F at night. That station sits about 1,300 feet lower than the climbing area, so expect cooler temperatures on the rock. Gordon Hirabayashi Campground and the Sycamore Reservoir trail are both about 1.5 miles away for an overnight stay or a mountain bike ride. Bug Springs, a mountain biking area, is about 0.9 miles away, and Molino Basin Group campground is about 2.2 miles off.