New Mexico · Rock climbing · White Rock

Below The Old New Place

35-route climbing crag in New Mexico with sport and trad options.

Below The Old New PlacePhoto: BFS Man from Webster, TX, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
35 routes
5.8 – 5.12b
Sport · Trad

Best time to visit Below The Old New Place

Best months: April–May and September–October. 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

    44° / 20°

    4 wet

  2. Feb

    50° / 23°

    4 wet

  3. Mar

    59° / 28°

    5 wet

  4. Apr

    66° / 34°

    4 wet

  5. May

    76° / 43°

    4 wet

  6. Jun

    87° / 52°

    5 wet

  7. Jul

    88° / 58°

    10 wet

  8. Aug

    86° / 56°

    10 wet

  9. Sep

    80° / 49°

    7 wet

  10. Oct

    68° / 38°

    5 wet

  11. Nov

    54° / 27°

    4 wet

  12. Dec

    44° / 20°

    4 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Santa Fe Co Muni Ap, NM, 15 mi away at 6,344 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Below The Old New Place is a climbing area in New Mexico, about a mile from the town of White Rock. It sits right next to the Old New Place climbing area, with The Pit, Gallows Edge and Main Wall all within a tenth of a mile. The cluster makes it easy to string together several routes in one visit. The climbing here is a mix of sport and trad, with 21 sport routes and 14 trad routes among the 35 listed. The YDS grades run from 5.8 up to 5.12, with the median around 5.11b/c. Sport climbers will find Scandinavian Airlines at 5.10d and Little Shop Of Horrors at 5.12a, while trad climbers can try Ralph's Revenge at 5.9+. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show May highs around 76°F and October highs around 68°F, while July and August bring highs near 88°F and the most wet days of the year.

Routes (35)

P.M.S.FA: Mike Schillaci, Cam Burns, Brian Riepe, 9/895.10aPolyester TerrorFA: Ralph Menikoff5.10aRalph's DilemmaFA: Ralph Menikoff5.10aRight Twin Crack (aka Lost Nerve)FA: TRed by LA Mountaineers in the 70s5.10dRoute 255.10dRoute 325.10dScandinavian AirlinesFA: Mike Schillaci, 7/895.10dGot a Nightstick, Got a Gun, Got Time on My HandsFA: Burns, Fehlau5.11Oscar de La ChollaFA: Matt Lisenby5.11Wailing BansheesFA: FA (toprope): Ralph Menikoff, Chris Foster, Norbert Ensslin-- late 1970s. Bolted, then led by: Tom MacFarlane, Brian Riepe-- May 19895.11Instant DogmaFA: Tom Quigley5.11aManic Crack (aka Left Twin Crack)FA: TRed by LA Mountaineers in the 70s5.11aFlesh-Eating GnatsFA: Peter Gram, Brian Riepe, Tom MacFarlane, Chris Pollard, 5/895.11b/c[Redacted]FA: Cam Burns5.11cPathogenic CystsFA: Nathaniel Walker and Walt Wehner, 11/18/975.11cRoute 275.11dManic NirvanaFA: Bob D'Antonio5.12Atom Ant (aka Nuclear Ant Farm)FA: Peter Gram and Tom McFarlane, 7/875.12aFat Boys Don't FlyFA: Bob D'Antonio & Mike McGil5.12aInflight MovieFA: Burns, Fehlau, 19895.12aLittle Shop Of HorrorsFA: Bob D'Antonio5.12aMonsterpiece TheatreFA: Peter Gram, 7/895.12aRalph's Leisure SuitFA: Cam Burns, Jean Delataillade, 19905.12aSardonic SmileFA: Brian Riepe, 8/895.12aStrong Urge to FlyFA: Bob D'Antonio and Mike McGill5.12aColor of My PotionFA: Mike McGill & Bob D'Antonio5.12bRoute 31FA: Cam Burns5.12bRoute 15.8Route 265.8Putterman CracksFA: Norbert Ensslin et al. maybe, maybe named by Cam Burns5.8+Greg ShredderFA: Greg Mechels, John Osbourne, Scott Beguin5.9Route 225.9Route 245.9L DopaFA: Cam Burns 19905.9-Ralph's RevengeFA: Ralph Menikoff5.9+

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