Release
- 5.7
- grade
- Trad Gear
- style
- Nov–Apr
- best months
Is Release open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 5 alerts for Mesa Ranger District.
Temp. Public Health and Safety Closure Granite Reef and Phon D Sutton Recreation Sites Area Closure
Agency alert covering Mesa Ranger District · Order 03-12-03-26-30 · USFS · Mesa Ranger District
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 · Mesa Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
One of only a few routes catalogued at Saguaro Lake, located in the Apache Lake sector. First ascent by Jim Kraus, Rick LeGrand.
Local outfitters
- Focus Climbing Center23 mi away
- Phoenix Rock Gym25 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
- Nearby · Lower Canyon · Upper Canyon · Greevers' Needle
Best time to go · Nov–Apr
Best time to visit Release
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
69° / 39°
5 wet
Feb
72° / 41°
5 wet
Mar
78° / 46°
4 wet
Apr
85° / 50°
2 wet
May
93° / 59°
1 wet
Jun
103° / 68°
1 wet
Jul
105° / 76°
3 wet
Aug
104° / 76°
5 wet
Sep
100° / 69°
4 wet
Oct
90° / 56°
2 wet
Nov
78° / 45°
3 wet
Dec
68° / 38°
4 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Stewart Mtn Dam, AZ, 1 mi away at 1,422 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Photo of the crag
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
Photo: davidpinter, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Lower Canyon
Next door
Lower Canyon in Arizona has 3 climbing routes with bouldering pads and sport.
Photo: davidpinter, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Upper Canyon
~3 min drive
Upper Canyon in Arizona has 3 bouldering routes with pads.
Photo: Z Glyph, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Greevers' Needle
~11 min drive
Greevers' Needle in Arizona has 17 climbing routes across 11 difficulty grades, offering bouldering, sport, and trad.
Photo: Sean Foster, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Northwest Pinnacles
~14 min drive
7 climbing routes in Arizona, difficulty grades 3, trad style
Photo: Sean Foster, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)The Iceberg
~14 min drive
Iceberg, The is a climbing area in Arizona with 6 routes.
Photo: Sean Foster, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Los Bandito Towers
~14 min drive
Los Bandito Towers in Arizona has 6 traditional climbing routes on rock faces.
Photo: The3dStudioDotCom, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Suction Gully
~14 min drive
Suction Gully in Arizona has 7 traditional climbing routes across 5 difficulty grades.
Photo: neepster, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)The Motherlode
~14 min drive
Motherlode, The in Arizona has 11 trad climbing routes across 7 difficulty grades.
Photo: The3dStudioDotCom, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Siphon Draw
~15 min drive
Siphon Draw in Arizona has 7 trad climbing routes across 6 difficulty grades.
Photo: Chris English, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Gun Gallery
~19 min drive
32 climbing routes in Arizona, 12 difficulty grades, bouldering pads.
