Icebox Canyon
Icebox Canyon in Nevada has 16 traditional climbing routes across 11 grades.
Photo: Jarek Tuszyński, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- 16 routes
- 5.5 – 5.12c
- Trad
Best time to visit Icebox Canyon
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.
Jan
53° / 32°
4 wet
Feb
56° / 35°
5 wet
Mar
64° / 41°
4 wet
Apr
70° / 47°
2 wet
May
80° / 56°
1 wet
Jun
90° / 66°
1 wet
Jul
95° / 73°
2 wet
Aug
94° / 72°
2 wet
Sep
87° / 62°
2 wet
Oct
75° / 50°
2 wet
Nov
62° / 38°
2 wet
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, 5.5 mi away at 3,780 ft. The station sits about 1,600 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.
Icebox Canyon is a climbing area in the Rainbow Mountain Wilderness of Nevada, within the Red Rock/Sloan Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management. The surrounding wilderness and the BLM's management make it a designated climbing destination, and its name ties it to the canyon setting. The area is best suited to traditional climbers, with 16 routes listed, all trad. Grades range from 5.5 to 5.12c, with the median around 5.8. Some of the named routes are Northeast Arete at 5.5, Creature Feature at 5.8, and Buffalo Soldiers at 5.12c. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show May highs around 80°F and October highs around 75°F, while July averages reach about 95°F. That station sits about 1,550 feet below the canyon, so temperatures at the climbing area run cooler. Several climbing areas sit within a few hundred yards, including Refrigerator Wall and the Smears for Fears Area. The Ice Box Canyon hike is about 0.8 miles away, and Red Rock Canyon Campground is about 6 miles away for an overnight stay.
Routes (16)
Bridge Mountain(1)
Buffalo Wall(2)
Creature Feature Area(3)
Hidden Wall(1)
NE Buttress of Bridge Mountain(2)
Tango Towers(2)
Tiki Cliff(2)
Upper Sunnyside Crag(3)
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
Photo: cifraser1, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Refrigerator Wall
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Refrigerator Wall in Nevada has 12 climbing routes with 11 difficulty grades, offering sport and trad options.
Photo: cifraser1, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Ice Box Canyon Bouldering
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Photo: cifraser1, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Sunnyside Crags
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Sunnyside Crags in Nevada has 22 routes with 13 difficulty grades, offering mixed and trad climbing.
Photo: cifraser1, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Smears for Fears Area
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Photo: cifraser1, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Frigid Air Buttress
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Photo: Jarek Tuszyński, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Cauldron Wall
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Cauldron Wall in Nevada has 6 trad routes spanning 6 difficulty grades.
Photo: cifraser1, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Necromancer Wall
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Photo: stevelyon, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Willow Springs South
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Willow Springs South in Nevada has 27 climbing routes across 13 grades, offering sport and trad options.
Photo: a200/a77Wells, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Hidden Falls Wall
~2 min drive
Hidden Falls Wall in Nevada has 9 climbing routes across 8 grades, offering sport and trad options.
Photo: a200/a77Wells, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Lost Creek Lower Tier
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Lost Creek Lower Tier in Nevada has 7 trad climbing routes across 7 difficulty grades.
