Arizona · Rock climbing · Scottsdale

The Colony

13 routes
5.7+ – 5.11c/d
Trad · Sport
Oct–Apr
best months

Is Colony, The open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 5 alerts for Mesa Ranger District.

As of · Source: USFS · Mesa Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

The Colony is a climbing area in the Mesa Ranger District of Tonto National Forest in Arizona, managed by the Forest Service. It sits within a cluster of climbing and hiking destinations, with Boulder Mountain and the Ballantine hike both about 2.4 miles away. The area offers a mix of trad and sport routes, with 13 in total. The YDS grades run from 5.7 up to 5.11c/d, and the routes include both established classics and ones with first ascents by climbers like Ryan Myers. Examples are Tickler at 5.7 and La Fisura at 5.11c/d, along with the sport route Where are all the Jugs at? at 5.10b. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show March highs around 73°F and November highs around 71°F, while June and July average in the low to mid 100s. Close by are the Ballantine hike and Boulder Mountain, and the Pine Creek Loop hike is about 3 miles out. For an overnight base, Bartlett Flat campground is roughly 9.4 miles away.

  • Best time to go · Oct–Apr

    Best time to visit The Colony

    Best months: October–April. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      61° / 32°

      4 wet

    2. Feb

      66° / 36°

      5 wet

    3. Mar

      73° / 41°

      5 wet

    4. Apr

      81° / 47°

      2 wet

    5. May

      90° / 55°

      1 wet

    6. Jun

      100° / 63°

      1 wet

    7. Jul

      103° / 72°

      5 wet

    8. Aug

      101° / 71°

      7 wet

    9. Sep

      96° / 64°

      4 wet

    10. Oct

      85° / 51°

      3 wet

    11. Nov

      71° / 40°

      3 wet

    12. Dec

      60° / 32°

      4 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Punkin Ctr, AZ, 10.4 mi away at 2,325 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Routes (13)

Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive

Boulder MountainPhoto: Alan Levine from Mortlach, Canada, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Boulder Mountain

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El Oso RodeoPhoto: Alan Levine from Mortlach, Canada, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

El Oso Rodeo

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Sycamore Wall

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Gun GalleryPhoto: Chris English, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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Saguaro Lake

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Lost Whiskey Wall

~29 min drive

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Lower CanyonPhoto: davidpinter, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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~29 min drive

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Sven TowersPhoto: HTBFTBO, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Sven Towers

~34 min drive

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