El Rito Traditional Area
El Rito Traditional Area in New Mexico has 19 mixed and trad routes.
- 19 routes
- 5.4 – 5.9
- Trad · Mixed
Is El Rito Traditional Area open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 2 alerts for Carson National Forest.
Current Prescribed Fire Activity and Plans
Agency alert covering Carson National Forest · USFS · Carson National Forest
Current Fire Restrictions and Related Prohibitions
Agency alert covering Carson National Forest · USFS · Carson National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Carson National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Best time to visit El Rito Traditional Area
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
41° / 18°
5 wet
Feb
46° / 21°
4 wet
Mar
54° / 26°
4 wet
Apr
63° / 32°
4 wet
May
72° / 40°
5 wet
Jun
81° / 47°
5 wet
Jul
84° / 54°
9 wet
Aug
82° / 53°
10 wet
Sep
76° / 46°
6 wet
Oct
65° / 36°
5 wet
Nov
51° / 25°
4 wet
Dec
41° / 19°
4 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at El Rito, NM, 4.8 mi away at 6,870 ft. The station sits about 1,300 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.
El Rito Traditional Area is a climbing area in the El Rito Ranger District of Carson National Forest in northern New Mexico. The Forest Service manages the land, and the area sits among several other climbing spots within a short drive, making it an easy addition to a day or a longer trip in the district. The climbing here is trad-heavy, with 18 traditional routes and one mixed climb among the 19 routes listed. The grade range runs from 5.4 to 5.9, with the hardest being Weapons of Mass Construction at 5.9. Cave Woman at 5.4 is the easiest of the named routes, and Shiitake at 5.7 and Refritos at 5.5 round out the selection. For timing, late spring and early fall are the most comfortable seasons. Typical averages from the nearby El Rito weather station show highs around 72°F in May and 76°F in September, while July and August bring more frequent wet days. El Norte is about 1.4 miles away and Walt's Wall (aka The Outsider Wall) about 1.5 miles, with Beer Block and Schoolhouse Slab each roughly 1.6 miles off. El Rito campground lies about 3.3 miles away for those planning an overnight stay.
Routes (19)
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
Photo: Kent G. Budge, CC0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Tres Piedras Bouldering
~36 min drive
Tres Piedras Bouldering in New Mexico has 8 bouldering routes on rock.
Walt's Wall (aka The Outsider Wall)
~3 min drive
Walt's Wall in New Mexico has 8 climbing routes across 6 grades, offering sport and trad options.
Gnar Wall and Route Canal
~3 min drive
7 sport routes on a single face in New Mexico.
Beer Block
~3 min drive
Beer Block in New Mexico has 14 sport climbing routes across 10 difficulty grades.
Schoolhouse Slab
~3 min drive
Schoolhouse Slab is a sport climbing crag in New Mexico with 5 routes.
Big Pine Wall
~3 min drive
Big Pine Wall is a New Mexico climbing crag with 9 sport routes across 5 grades.
Rad Wall
~3 min drive
Rad Wall in New Mexico has 14 sport climbing routes across 10 grades.
Pirate's Wall
~3 min drive
13 sport climbing routes at Pirate's Wall in New Mexico range from easy to hard.
Super Slab
~3 min drive
Super Slab in New Mexico has 5 sport climbing routes on 5 difficulty grades.
The Balcony
~3 min drive
Balcony is a sport climbing crag in New Mexico with 12 routes.
