North Cliffband
North Cliffband in New Mexico has 23 climbing routes with mixed, sport, and trad styles.
- 23 routes
- 5.6 – 5.13a
- Sport · Mixed · Trad
Is North Cliffband open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Jemez Ranger District. It doesn't name North Cliffband, 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 North Cliffband
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, 11.1 mi away at 7,424 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
North Cliffband is a climbing area in the Jemez Ranger District of Santa Fe National Forest in northern New Mexico, managed by the Forest Service. It sits among a cluster of climbing areas, with The Dihedrals, South Cliffband and Cochiti Mesa all about 0.1 mile away, making it easy to pair with other crags in the same stretch. The area offers a range of sport and mixed routes, with 23 routes in total, from 5.6 up to 5.13a. Sport climbing is the dominant style, and the median grade is 5.11b. Several of the more notable routes include Laurel's Ledges at 5.6, Monkey Lust at 5.10a and Touch Monkey at 5.13a, the hardest of the lot. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to climb. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Los Alamos run to highs around 70°F in May and 74°F in September, while July and August bring the most wet days of the year.
Routes (23)
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