Arizona · Rock climbing · Scottsdale

Glass Dome

6 routes
5.6 – 5.11-
Trad · Sport
Oct–Apr
best months

Glass Dome is a climbing area in the Mcdowell Sonoran Preserve in Arizona, on county land. It sits among a cluster of other climbing spots, with Gardener's Wall and Crossroads Wall (AKA Parking Lot Wall) each about 0.2 miles away and Tom's Thumb about 0.3 miles off. The McDowell Mountains lie roughly 0.4 miles away. The climbing here is mostly trad, with one sport route, West End Girls, at 5.6. The rest run from 5.7 to 5.11-, with Thin Air at the top of the range. The first ascents of several of these routes date back to the early 1980s, including Smooth Sailing in 1982 and Destination Unknown in 1983. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from the nearby Pinnacle Peak weather station, which sits about 1,200 feet lower, show March highs around 72°F and October highs around 83°F, while July and August average in the upper 90s. For a change from the rock, the Lookout Trail and Feldspar Trail are both within a mile. Box Bar campground is about 9.5 miles away.

  • Best time to go · Oct–Apr

    Best time to visit Glass Dome

    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

      64° / 43°

    2. Feb

      66° / 45°

    3. Mar

      72° / 49°

    4. Apr

      79° / 54°

    5. May

      87° / 62°

    6. Jun

      96° / 71°

    7. Jul

      99° / 76°

    8. Aug

      98° / 75°

    9. Sep

      94° / 71°

    10. Oct

      83° / 61°

    11. Nov

      72° / 50°

    12. Dec

      63° / 42°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Pinnacle Peak, AZ, 4.5 mi away at 2,565 ft. The station sits about 1,200 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 (6)

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