Arizona · Rock climbing · Mount Lemmon · Near Oracle

Rupley Towers

Rupley TowersPhoto: 666isMONEY ☮ ♥ & ☠, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
20 routes
5.6 – 5.12a
Trad · Sport · Mixed
Mar–Nov
best months

Is Rupley Towers open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Santa Catalina Ranger District. It doesn't name Rupley Towers, 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.

Rupley Towers is a climbing area in the Santa Catalina Ranger District of Coronado National Forest in Arizona, managed by the Forest Service. It sits among a cluster of other climbing spots, with Big Pine Towers - West Face, Tri-Level Spire and New Wave Wall all about 0.1 mile away. The area has 20 routes, with trad climbing making up the bulk of them. The grades run from 5.6 to 5.12a, and the styles include trad, sport and mixed. Among the named routes are R-1, a trad climb first ascended by John and Ila Rupley in the 1960s, and Pocket of Resistance, a sport route at 5.12a. For timing, the most comfortable months are typically May and September, when typical averages from a nearby weather station at Mt Lemmon Willow Canyon run from highs around 71°F to 75°F. That station sits about 640 feet lower than the towers, so temperatures at the climbing area run a little cooler.

Around this trail

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

    South Rim Campgrounds

    Campground

    Campground · 1.6 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Butler Hall

    Fast food

    On your way back · 3 mi
  • If it rains

    Wildlife Viewing Area

    Viewpoint

    On your way back · 16 mi

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors

More in Oracle
  • Best time to go · Mar–Nov

    Best time to visit Rupley Towers

    Best months: March–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

      50° / 34°

    2. Feb

      50° / 33°

    3. Mar

      55° / 37°

    4. Apr

      62° / 43°

    5. May

      71° / 51°

    6. Jun

      80° / 60°

    7. Jul

      80° / 63°

    8. Aug

      79° / 62°

    9. Sep

      75° / 59°

    10. Oct

      68° / 49°

    11. Nov

      59° / 40°

    12. Dec

      49° / 33°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Mt Lemmon Willow Canyon, AZ, 1.6 mi away at 7,027 ft. The station sits about 600 ft higher than this place, so expect it a little warmer here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Routes (20)

Asleep at the WheelFA: Peter Noebels, John Steiger, 19815.10Bop Til You DropFA: P1: John Hayes, Bob Kerry (1987), P2: EFR, Cyrena Goodrich (1988)5.10Out on BailFA: Mike Argueso, Tony Lusk, and Yantz Cox5.10-Border PatrolFA: Eric Fazio-Rhicard, Jeff Mayhew5.10aTeam ToadsFA: Doug Lantz, Diane Vetter, Eric Fazio-Rhicard 19915.10aJabba the ButtFA: Ben Burnham 19995.10bTanger BoxFA: Ed Olsen, Tony Lusk, 19905.10dTrauma CenterFA: EFR, BKy5.11-Moving over StoneFA: Mike Strassman, Scott Ayers ('90)5.11aPocket of ResistanceFA: Chris Henze, Cyrena Goodrich, Eric Fazio-Rhicard - 19895.12aObe Wan KanobeeFA: Ben Burnham5.6R-2 D-2FA: Jay Ladin, Mike Strassman 19835.7Millennium FalconFA: Scott Ayers5.7+R-3FA: John and Ila Rupley, 1960's5.8R-1FA: John and Ila Rupley, 1960's5.8+R-5FA: Rupley (1960s)5.8+ET Arete5.9R-4FA: Rupley, 1960's5.9ChewrockaFA: Ben Burnham 19995.9-LitigationFA: BKy, JHs 875.9-

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