Arizona · Rock climbing · Sells

East Face

East FacePhoto: Ken Bosma, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
7 routes
5.4 – 5.11c
Trad · Aid
Mar–Jul, Sep–Nov
best months

East Face is a climbing area on Bureau of Indian Affairs land in Arizona, about 5 miles from the community of Chutum Vaya. The East Face and the West Face/Southwest Arete sit right next to each other, with the West Face/Southwest Arete about a tenth of a mile away, so the two areas pair naturally for a day on the rock. The climbing here is traditional, with seven routes spread across the face. Six are trad routes, and one is an aid route called The Fellowship. The YDS grades range from 5.4 on the Forbes Route (East Approach) up to 5.11c on Moonscapes. The Forbes Route was first climbed in 1898 by Dr. Robert Humphrey Forbes and Sr. Lorenzo Montoya, and The Fellowship was an aid first ascent in 1982 by Steiger and Fig. Spring and fall are the most comfortable seasons to go. Typical averages from the Kitt Peak weather station, about 13 miles away, show May highs near 71°F with lows around 49°F, and October highs near 68°F with lows around 49°F. Summer brings more rain, with July and August seeing about 11 to 13 wet days a month. The station sits roughly 800 feet lower than the climbing, so temperatures up on the face run cooler.

  • Best time to go · Mar–Jul, Sep–Nov

    Best time to visit East Face

    Best months: March–July and September–November. 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

      51° / 34°

      4 wet

    2. Feb

      51° / 34°

      4 wet

    3. Mar

      56° / 37°

      4 wet

    4. Apr

      63° / 41°

      2 wet

    5. May

      71° / 49°

      1 wet

    6. Jun

      80° / 59°

      3 wet

    7. Jul

      80° / 61°

      11 wet

    8. Aug

      79° / 60°

      13 wet

    9. Sep

      75° / 57°

      8 wet

    10. Oct

      68° / 49°

      3 wet

    11. Nov

      58° / 40°

      3 wet

    12. Dec

      50° / 34°

      4 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Kitt Peak, AZ, 13 mi away at 6,790 ft. The station sits about 800 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Routes (7)

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