Upper Tier of The Grotto
Upper Tier of The Grotto in New Mexico has 6 climbing routes on 6 difficulty grades.
- 6 routes
- 5.10+ – 5.12d
- Sport · Trad
Best time to visit Upper Tier of The Grotto
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
44° / 20°
4 wet
Feb
50° / 23°
4 wet
Mar
59° / 28°
5 wet
Apr
66° / 34°
4 wet
May
76° / 43°
4 wet
Jun
87° / 52°
5 wet
Jul
88° / 58°
10 wet
Aug
86° / 56°
10 wet
Sep
80° / 49°
7 wet
Oct
68° / 38°
5 wet
Nov
54° / 27°
4 wet
Dec
44° / 20°
4 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Santa Fe Co Muni Ap, NM, 13.3 mi away at 6,344 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Upper Tier of The Grotto is a climbing area in the Santa Fe National Forest in New Mexico, managed by the Forest Service. It sits among a cluster of climbing spots, with The Grotto, Grotto Left (East Side) and Grotto Right (West Side) all about 0.1 mile away, and Runway (Lower Tier) at a similar distance. The area is known for its sport and trad routes, with six routes listed in total. Four are sport routes and two are trad, and the grades run from 5.10+ up to 5.12d. Among the routes are Guillotine Crack, a trad climb at 5.10+ first done by Ken Sims and Paul Drakos in 1989, and The Skyline Arete, a sport route at 5.11d. Mary Poppins, a sport route at 5.12+, is also listed. For timing, late spring and early fall tend to be the most comfortable. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Santa Fe show May highs around 76°F and October highs around 68°F, while July and August bring highs near 88°F and the most wet days of the year. The El Camino Real Historic Route Trail is about 0.4 mile away, and Soda Springs is about 1.5 miles off.
Routes (6)
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