New Mexico · Rock climbing · Albuquerque

Domingo Baca Canyon, Lower

Domingo Baca Canyon, Lower in New Mexico has 4 climbing routes.

Photo: BenFrantzDale, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

4 routes

5.2 – 5.9+

Trad · Sport

Is Domingo Baca Canyon, Lower open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Sandia Ranger District. It doesn't name Domingo Baca Canyon, Lower, so check the source for the area it covers (3 listed).

Area Closure for Recreation Residence Structures and Property at 91 Casa Loma Road
Agency closure covering Sandia Ranger District · Order 03-03-05-26-14 · USFS · Sandia Ranger District
Area Closure for Recreation Residence Structures and Property at 69 Casa Loma Road
Agency closure covering Sandia Ranger District · Order 03-03-05-26-13 · USFS · Sandia Ranger District
Area Closure for Sandia Crest “Switchback” Hazard Tree and Fuel Reduction Project
Agency closure covering Sandia Ranger District · Order 03-03-05-26-02 · USFS · Sandia Ranger District
Mountainair and Sandia Ranger Districts Stage 1 Fire Restriction Lifted
Agency alert covering Sandia Ranger District · Order 03-03-00-26-20 · USFS · Sandia Ranger District
Mountainair and Sandia Ranger Districts Stage 1 Fire Restriction Order 03-03-00-26-05
Agency alert covering Sandia Ranger District · Order 03-03-00-26-05 · USFS · Sandia Ranger District

As of Oct 25, 8:30 pm MDT · Source: USFS · Sandia Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit Domingo Baca Canyon, Lower

Best months: April–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.

Jan
44° / 19°
Feb
48° / 22°
Mar
55° / 26°
Apr
63° / 34°
May
73° / 41°
Jun
83° / 49°
Jul
83° / 53°
Aug
80° / 52°
Sep
77° / 46°
Oct
65° / 36°
Nov
54° / 24°
Dec
43° / 18°

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Sandia Park, NM, 5.4 mi away at 7,030 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Domingo Baca Canyon, Lower is a climbing area in the Sandia Mountain Wilderness, part of the Sandia Ranger District of Cibola National Forest in New Mexico. The Forest Service manages the land, and the area sits within designated wilderness. The climbing here is a mix of trad and sport routes, with four routes listed in total. The easiest are Cake Walk and Crab Walk, both rated 5.2, and the hardest is Diagonal at 5.9+. Southeast Ridge is 5.7+. For timing, late spring and early fall are the most comfortable. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Sandia Park run from highs around 73°F in May to about 77°F in September, with lows in the 40s. That station sits about 460 feet below the canyon, so temperatures up high run a little cooler. The Domingo Baca hike starts just 0.4 miles away, and the Lower Domingo Baca Slabs (AKA: The Ribcage) are 0.6 miles off. The Sandia Mountains and TWA Canyon climbing areas are each about a mile away.