Arizona · Rock climbing · Tucson · Near Oracle

Pontatoc Canyon

5 routes
5.8 – 5.9
Bouldering · Trad · Sport
Feb–Apr, Nov
best months

Caution today

Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is good · USFS, OpenWeather · checked 11 h ago

Is Pontatoc Canyon open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Santa Catalina Ranger District. It doesn't name Pontatoc Canyon, so check the source for the area it covers.

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

Pontatoc Canyon is a climbing area in Arizona's Pusch Ridge Wilderness, within the Santa Catalina Ranger District of Coronado National Forest. The Forest Service manages the land, and the nearest town is Skyline Bel Aire Estates, about 1.6 miles away. The canyon holds five climbing routes, with two bouldering problems and two trad routes, plus one sport route. The trad routes, Shelter From the Storm (5.8) and KR Goes to Valhalla (5.8+), were first climbed in 1997 and 2010. The sport route Void of Form (5.9) was first climbed in 2017. The bouldering problems run from V4 to V6. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show March highs around 75°F and October highs around 87°F, while June and July average about 100°F. That station sits roughly 966 feet lower than the canyon, so temperatures here run cooler. The Garnet hike starts just 0.3 miles away, and the Pontatoc Trail is about half a mile off. Finger Rock Canyon, a climbing area about 1.2 miles away, and Pusch Ridge, about 2.7 miles away, are also close by.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Sabino Canyon Recreation Area Cactus Ramada 1

    Campground

    Campground · 5.0 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Vivace

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 2 mi

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors

More in Oracle
  • Best time to go · Feb–Apr, Nov

    Best time to visit Pontatoc Canyon

    Best months: February–April and 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

      67° / 31°

    2. Feb

      68° / 32°

    3. Mar

      75° / 36°

    4. Apr

      82° / 43°

    5. May

      91° / 51°

    6. Jun

      101° / 60°

    7. Jul

      100° / 71°

    8. Aug

      98° / 69°

    9. Sep

      96° / 62°

    10. Oct

      87° / 48°

    11. Nov

      76° / 38°

    12. Dec

      66° / 31°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Catalina Sp, AZ, 5.6 mi away at 2,707 ft. The station sits about 1,000 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 (5)

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