The Thumb
The Thumb in New Mexico has 10 routes across 9 grades, offering sport and trad climbing.
Photo: Francis Storr, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)- 10 routes
- 5.6 – 5.11d
- Trad · Sport
Is Thumb, The open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Sandia Ranger District. It doesn't name Thumb, The, 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.
The Thumb is a climbing area in New Mexico's Sandia Mountain Wilderness, part of the Sandia Ranger District of Cibola National Forest. The Forest Service manages the land, and the area sits within designated wilderness, so expect a remote, backcountry setting. The Thumb draws climbers with a cluster of routes that range from easy trad climbs to a hard sport route. Ten routes are listed, nine of them trad and one sport. Grades run from 5.6 to 5.11d, with the hardest being the sport route Thundercracker. Northwest Ridge is the easiest at 5.6, and North Summit Direct is a trad route at 5.8 with a 1960 first ascent by Reed Cundiff and David Hammack. Several other climbing areas lie just steps away, including Hole in the Wall and Andy Boy Wall, each about 0.1 mile off, and La Cueva Canyon, Upper. For time on foot, the Crest House Spur Trail and Kiwanis Cabin Trail are both about 0.4 mile away.
Routes (10)
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
Photo: Francis Storr, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Hole in the Wall
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Hole in the Wall in New Mexico has 20 routes across 15 grades with alpine no fixed protection.
Photo: uıɐɾ ʞ ʇɐɯɐs, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Andy Boy Wall
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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)La Cueva Canyon, Upper
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La Cueva Canyon, Upper in New Mexico has 42 climbing routes in alpine no fixed, mixed, sport, and trad styles.
Photo: Francis Storr, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Torreon
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Photo: dconvertini, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Clandestine Wall
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Photo: Ktr101, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)TWA Canyon
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Photo: dconvertini, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Chimney Canyon
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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)Muralla Grande
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Muralla Grande in New Mexico has 13 trad climbing routes across 9 difficulty grades.
