Main Cliff
Main Cliff in New Mexico has 59 traditional climbing routes across 14 difficulty grades.
- 59 routes
- 5.9 – 5.13-
- Trad
Is Main Cliff open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Jemez Ranger District. It doesn't name Main Cliff, so check the source for the area it covers.
NFSR 313 Closed Due to Washout Near NM Highway 12
Agency closure covering Jemez Ranger District · USFS · Jemez Ranger District
Gilman Tunnels closed due to rockslide
Agency alert covering Jemez Ranger District · USFS · Jemez Ranger District
As of · Source: USFS · Jemez Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Best time to visit Main Cliff
Best months: April–June 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.
Jan
40° / 21°
6 wet
Feb
45° / 24°
6 wet
Mar
53° / 30°
7 wet
Apr
61° / 35°
6 wet
May
70° / 44°
6 wet
Jun
81° / 53°
7 wet
Jul
83° / 57°
13 wet
Aug
80° / 55°
14 wet
Sep
74° / 49°
9 wet
Oct
63° / 38°
6 wet
Nov
50° / 28°
5 wet
Dec
40° / 21°
6 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Los Alamos, NM, 6.8 mi away at 7,424 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Main Cliff is a climbing area in the Dome Wilderness, part of the Jemez Ranger District of the Santa Fe National Forest in New Mexico. The Forest Service manages the land, and the area sits within designated wilderness. The climbing here is all trad, with 59 routes spread across the cliff. The grades run from 5.9 up to 5.13-, with the median around 5.11-. Garden Party is a 5.9, and Witchcraft and Widgetry is the hardest at 5.13-. Several other routes fall in between, including Holloween at 5.10 and History Lesson at 5.11+. For timing, late spring and early fall are the most comfortable. Typical averages from the nearby Los Alamos weather station show May highs around 70°F and September highs around 74°F, while July and August bring the most wet days, about 13 and 14 a month. Other climbing areas lie close by, including Main Sector, Entrance Pinnacle Sector and Capulin Canyon, each about 0.3 miles away. The Capulin hike starts about 0.6 miles off.
Routes (59)
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
Main Sector
~0 min drive
Main Sector in New Mexico has 13 traditional climbing routes across 9 grades.
Entrance Pinnacle Sector
~1 min drive
Entrance Pinnacle Sector in New Mexico has 7 trad climbing routes.
Upper Wall
~1 min drive
Upper Wall in New Mexico has 55 climbing routes ranging across 15 difficulty grades, offering mixed and traditional styles.
Capulin Canyon
~1 min drive
Capulin Canyon in New Mexico has 9 climbing routes across 6 grades, offering sport and trad styles.
Capulet Side Canyon
~1 min drive
Capulet Side Canyon in New Mexico has 20 traditional climbing routes across 9 grades.
The Hinterlands
~1 min drive
Hinterlands, The is a climbing area in New Mexico with 13 routes.
Toy Store
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Toy Store in New Mexico has 8 trad climbing routes.
Hall of Giants
~1 min drive
Hall of Giants in New Mexico has 6 traditional climbing routes across 5 grades.
Eagle Canyon
~7 min drive
Eagle Canyon in New Mexico has 25 climbing routes ranging across 13 difficulty grades, offering sport and trad options.
Capulin Canyon and Cochiti Mesa Area Crags
~7 min drive
Capulin Canyon and Cochiti Mesa Area Crags in New Mexico has 6 routes across 5 grades, offering mixed and sport climbing.
