South Cliffband
South Cliffband in New Mexico has 15 mixed routes with grades from 5.10a to 5.12c.
- 15 routes
- 5.9+ – 5.12c/d
- Sport · Mixed · Trad
Is South Cliffband open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Jemez Ranger District. It doesn't name South 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 South 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.
South Cliffband is a climbing area in the Jemez Ranger District of the Santa Fe National Forest in New Mexico, managed by the Forest Service. It sits among a cluster of other climbing areas, including North Cliffband, The Dihedrals and Cochiti Mesa, all within about a tenth of a mile. The Capulin Canyon and Cochiti Mesa Area Crags are also close by. The area has 15 routes, mostly sport climbing with a few trad and mixed options. The YDS grades run from 5.9+ up to 5.12c/d, with the median around 5.11b/c. Shadowdancer is the hardest route at 5.12c/d, and Crackerjack is the only trad route at 5.9+. 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 to 14 a month. St. Peter's Dome is a hike about 0.8 miles away, and Turkey Spring is about 1.6 miles off. Tetilla Peak campground lies roughly 7 miles away.
Routes (15)
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