The Rainbow
One of seven routes at Switchback Boulder, toward the lower end of the grade range.
- V0+
- grade
- Bouldering Pads
- style
Is The Rainbow open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Sandia Ranger District. It doesn't name The Rainbow, 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.
Best time to visit The Rainbow
Best months: April–May 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
45° / 26°
5 wet · 3 snow
Feb
51° / 29°
5 wet · 3 snow
Mar
60° / 35°
5 wet · 2 snow
Apr
68° / 40°
4 wet · 1 snow
May
78° / 49°
5 wet
Jun
88° / 58°
5 wet
Jul
89° / 62°
11 wet
Aug
86° / 61°
11 wet
Sep
80° / 55°
8 wet
Oct
68° / 43°
6 wet
Nov
54° / 33°
5 wet · 2 snow
Dec
44° / 26°
5 wet · 3 snow
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Albuquerque Foothills Ne, NM, 3.8 mi away at 5,994 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
One of seven routes catalogued at Switchback Boulder, this climb sits at the lower end of the crag's V0–V2 range.
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
Photo: Francis Storr, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Carnuel Crag
~2 min drive
Carnuel Crag in New Mexico has 24 climbing routes with 11 difficulty grades, offering mixed, sport, and trad styles.
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Photo: maximalideal, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Foothills Bouldering
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Photo: Kevin Stroup, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Lower Domingo Baca Slabs (AKA: The Ribcage)
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Photo: BenFrantzDale, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Domingo Baca Canyon, Lower
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~1 min drive
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Photo: Kevin Stroup, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Sandia Mountains
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Warmup Boulders (AKA Brett & Jill boulders) South Side
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6 bouldering routes in New Mexico spanning 6 difficulty grades.
Brett and Jill boulders
~1 min drive
Brett and Jill boulders in New Mexico has 5 bouldering routes.
U-Mound
~1 min drive
U-Mound is a bouldering crag in New Mexico with 4 routes.
