Siphon Draw

Siphon Draw is a climbing area in the Superstition Wilderness, part of the Mesa Ranger District of Tonto National Forest in Arizona. The Forest Service manages the land, and the area sits within designated wilderness. The climbing here is traditional, with seven routes spread across the spires and faces of the draw. The grades run from 5.1 to 5.8, with the Middle Maid or Spire at 5.5 and Lost and Found at 5.8 as the hardest. Bill Forrest first climbed the Eastern Maid or Spire and the Western Maid or Spire in the late 1960's. 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 climb to about 105°F. That station sits roughly 800 feet lower than the draw, so temperatures up high run cooler. Forrest Spires and Suction Gully are climbing areas just a few hundred yards away, and the Siphon Draw Trail starts about 0.3 miles off. Tortilla Campground, about 7 miles away, is the closest place to camp.