Little Horse Mesa
Little Horse Mesa in New Mexico has 48 climbing routes with mixed, sport, and trad styles.
- 48 routes
- 5.6 – 5.12c
- Trad · Mixed · Sport
Best time to visit Little Horse Mesa
Best months: May–September. 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
42° / 11°
5 wet
Feb
43° / 12°
5 wet
Mar
50° / 20°
7 wet
Apr
57° / 27°
7 wet
May
66° / 36°
8 wet
Jun
75° / 44°
9 wet
Jul
78° / 49°
11 wet
Aug
76° / 48°
11 wet
Sep
71° / 41°
7 wet
Oct
60° / 31°
5 wet
Nov
50° / 21°
5 wet
Dec
42° / 13°
5 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Lake Maloya, NM, 1.1 mi away at 7,400 ft. The station sits about 800 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.
Little Horse Mesa is a climbing area inside Sugarite Canyon State Park in New Mexico, managed by State Park and Recreation. It sits among the park's hiking trails, with Opportunity Trail about 0.2 miles away and Lake Maloya Trail roughly a mile off. The climbing here is a mix of trad and mixed routes, with sport climbing making up a small part of the total of 48 routes. The grade range runs from 5.6 up to 5.12c, with the median around 5.10a. Among the named routes are Pete's Downclimb at 5.6 and The A-Frame at 5.12c, first climbed by Pete Takeda. Motengator is a trad route at 5.8+, and Miami Vice is a 5.10b. Summer is the most comfortable time to visit. Typical averages from the nearby Lake Maloya weather station run to highs in the mid-70s and lows in the upper 40s, while winter highs sit around 42 degrees. That station sits about 800 feet lower than the mesa, so temperatures on the rock run cooler.
Routes (48)
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