Campground East
Campground
Campground · 3.3 mi from the trail
Arizona · Rock climbing · Gold Canyon · Near Superior
The Fortress
Photo: David Taylor from Coeur d Alene, United States, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- 12 routes
- 5.5 – 5.11b/c
- Trad · Sport · Bouldering
- Nov–Apr
- best months
Is Fortress, The open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 4 alerts for Tonto National Forest.
Canyon Lake Drawdown Public Safety Closure
Agency alert covering Tonto National Forest · Order 03-12-00-26-22 · USFS · Tonto National Forest
No Fire Restrictions
Agency alert covering Tonto National Forest · USFS · Tonto National Forest
Lower Salt River Seasonal Bald Eagle Closures
Agency alert covering Mesa Ranger District · Order 03-12-03-24-65 · USFS · Mesa Ranger District
Roosevelt Lake Seasonal Wildlife Closure
Agency alert covering Tonto National Forest · Order 12-16-5 · USFS · Tonto National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Tonto National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
The Fortress is a climbing area in Arizona's Superstition Wilderness, within the Mesa Ranger District of Tonto National Forest. The Forest Service manages the land, and the area sits among several other climbing spots, including The Cemetery and Myth Wall, each about 0.2 miles away. The climbing here is a mix of trad, sport and boulder routes, with 12 routes in total. Grades run from 5.5 up to 5.11b/c, and the hardest is Stardust, a mixed route. A Fistful of Pockets is a trad 5.10a, and Pocketful of Rainbows is a sport 5.10c/d. The area also has a few boulder problems, with one rated V7. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Apache Junction show March highs around 77°F and November highs around 76°F, while July averages about 105°F. That station sits roughly 1,300 feet lower than the fortress, so temperatures up high run cooler. Cave Trail #233 is about 0.4 miles away, and Peralta Trail #102 is about 0.8 miles away. Tortilla Campground is about 8.7 miles off, and Palo Verde, a lake fishing spot, is about 9.9 miles away.
Around this trail
Add any of these when you start a tripSleep close Eat after If it rains Trails End
Attraction
On your way back · 14 mi
Places © OpenStreetMap contributors
More in SuperiorBest time to go · Nov–Apr
Best time to visit The Fortress
Best months: November–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.
Jan
67° / 43°
4 wet
Feb
70° / 44°
4 wet
Mar
77° / 48°
4 wet
Apr
85° / 53°
2 wet
May
93° / 60°
2 wet
Jun
103° / 69°
1 wet
Jul
105° / 77°
4 wet
Aug
104° / 76°
6 wet
Sep
99° / 71°
4 wet
Oct
88° / 60°
3 wet
Nov
76° / 50°
3 wet
Dec
66° / 42°
4 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Apache Junction 5 Ne, AZ, 8.3 mi away at 2,070 ft. The station sits about 1,300 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Routes (12)
A Fistful of PocketsFA: Todd Swain, Chris Raypole, & Greg Bender '885.10aPocketful of RainbowsFA: Todd Swain & Greg Bender 02-19885.10c/dBon Bons in SpaceFA: Todd Swain & Peggy Buckey 02-19885.11aFor a Few Pockets MoreFA: Todd Swain, Chris Raypole, Greg Bender 19885.11aThe Linear AcceleratorFA: Todd Swain & Peggy Buckey 02-19885.11aStardustFA: TR: Chris Raypole '88, Lead: Todd Swain '885.11b/cSouth Side5.5Bay Tree BelayFA: Larry Treiber, Erik Powell, and Chuck Parker 19725.7BypassFA: Marshall Gud, 19865.7Freely Freaking5.7Wonder BoyV3-4Mother of InventionFA: Ben BoydV7
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