Shield
Shield in New Mexico has 17 traditional climbing routes across 13 grades.
- 17 routes
- 5.6 – 5.12d
- Trad
Is Shield open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Sandia Ranger District. It doesn't name Shield, 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 · Source: USFS · Sandia Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Shield 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 area sits within designated wilderness. The climbing here is all trad, with 17 routes spread across a range of grades from 5.6 to 5.12d. The median grade is 5.10a, so the area suits climbers looking for a mix of moderate and more challenging traditional routes. Some of the named routes include Route 2 (5.6), Once In A Blue Moon (5.7+), and Cathedral of Western Fire (5.12d), the hardest of the bunch. Juan Tabo Canyon, another climbing area, lies about half a mile away. Pinnacle Valley and WatchTower are each within about a mile, and the Survey Trail, a cross-country ski route, is roughly 0.8 miles off.
Routes (17)
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)WatchTower
~2 min drive
WatchTower in New Mexico has 8 routes with alpine no fixed protection.
Photo: snowpeak, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)The TV Station
~2 min drive
6 bouldering routes in New Mexico with 6 distinct difficulty grades.
Photo: dconvertini, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Muralla Grande
~3 min drive
Muralla Grande in New Mexico has 13 trad climbing routes across 9 difficulty grades.
Photo: dconvertini, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Chimney Canyon
~3 min drive
Chimney Canyon in New Mexico has 16 climbing routes with 10 difficulty grades, featuring alpine no fixed and trad protection.
Photo: dconvertini, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Clandestine Wall
~3 min drive
Clandestine Wall in New Mexico has 11 climbing routes with 10 distinct difficulty grades.
Photo: Francis Storr, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Torreon
~3 min drive
Torreon is a New Mexico climbing crag with 7 trad routes.
Photo: Francis Storr, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)La Cueva Canyon, Upper
~4 min drive
La Cueva Canyon, Upper in New Mexico has 42 climbing routes in alpine no fixed, mixed, sport, and trad styles.
Photo: uıɐɾ ʞ ʇɐɯɐs, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Andy Boy Wall
~4 min drive
Andy Boy Wall in New Mexico has 5 routes with mixed and traditional climbing on sandstone.
Photo: Francis Storr, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Hole in the Wall
~4 min drive
Hole in the Wall in New Mexico has 20 routes across 15 grades with alpine no fixed protection.
Photo: Ktr101, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Bush Shark Area
~4 min drive
Bush Shark Area in New Mexico has 14 routes with 10 difficulty grades, offering mixed climbing.
