Nevada · Rock climbing · Las Vegas

Cloud Tower

Cloud Tower in Nevada has 13 traditional climbing routes across 9 grades.

Cloud TowerPhoto: Jarek Tuszyński, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
13 routes
5.8 – 5.12c
Trad

Best time to visit Cloud Tower

Best months: February–May and October–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

    53° / 32°

    4 wet

  2. Feb

    56° / 35°

    5 wet

  3. Mar

    64° / 41°

    4 wet

  4. Apr

    70° / 47°

    2 wet

  5. May

    80° / 56°

    1 wet

  6. Jun

    90° / 66°

    1 wet

  7. Jul

    95° / 73°

    2 wet

  8. Aug

    94° / 72°

    2 wet

  9. Sep

    87° / 62°

    2 wet

  10. Oct

    75° / 50°

    2 wet

  11. Nov

    62° / 38°

    2 wet

  12. Dec

    52° / 31°

    3 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Red Rock Canyon - Spg Mt Rch S, NV, 3.4 mi away at 3,780 ft. The station sits about 1,400 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.

Cloud Tower is a climbing area in Nevada's Rainbow Mountain Wilderness, on Bureau of Land Management land within the Red Rock/Sloan Field Office. It sits among a cluster of climbing and hiking destinations, with Ginger Buttress about 0.1 mile away and Juniper Canyon and Jackrabbit Buttress each about 0.2 mile off. The area draws climbers with its collection of traditional routes, 13 in all, ranging from 5.8 to 5.12c on the YDS scale. Among them are Tiger Crack at 5.12c, The Clod Tower at 5.10c and Spare Rib at 5.8. Most of the routes were first ascended in the 1970s and 1980s. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show April highs around 70°F and October highs around 75°F, with summer highs climbing into the mid-90s and winter lows near freezing. The station sits roughly 1,400 feet lower than the tower, so temperatures up high run cooler. Red Rock Canyon Campground is about 6 miles away.

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