New Mexico · Rock climbing · Albuquerque

Gemstone West

Gemstone West in New Mexico has 10 traditional climbing routes across 8 difficulty grades.

10 routes

5.7 – 5.11

Trad

Is Gemstone West open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Sandia Ranger District. It doesn't name Gemstone West, 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, 12:50 pm MDT · Source: USFS · Sandia Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit Gemstone West

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, 6.2 mi away at 7,030 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Gemstone West 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 nearest town is Sandia Heights, about 2.3 miles away. The area sits among several other climbing spots. Gemstone East and Flake n' Bake are each about 0.1 mile away, and Lower La Cueva Domes (History Slabs) is about 0.2 mile off. For a walk, the La Cueva Trail is about 0.4 mile away. The climbing here is all trad, with 10 routes ranging from 5.7 to 5.11. The Gemstone route, at 5.8, was first climbed by Gary Hicks and Jim Fuge in 1974. Markingstone, the hardest route at 5.11, was first climbed by Mark Dalen and Paul Horak in 1976. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Sandia Park put May highs around 73°F and September highs around 77°F, with winter highs in the low 40s.