Upper Wall
Near Jemez Springs
- 55 routes
- 5.8 – 5.12a
- Trad · Mixed
Is Upper Wall open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Jemez Ranger District. It doesn't name Upper Wall, 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 Upper Wall
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, 7 mi away at 7,424 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Upper Wall is a climbing area in the Dome Wilderness, part of the Jemez Ranger District of the Santa Fe 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 55 routes spread across the area. The grades run from 5.8 up to 5.12+, with the median around 5.11-. Among the named routes are Fix at 5.8, Isengard at 5.12+, and Asterix and Oblelix at 5.11. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Los Alamos show May highs around 70°F and October highs around 63°F, while July and August bring the most wet days, about 13 to 14 a month. Capulin Canyon and The Hinterlands are both within a quarter mile, and Capulet Side Canyon is about 0.2 miles away. For a hike, the Capulin trail lies roughly 0.9 miles off.
Routes (55)
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
The Hinterlands
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Main Sector
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Capulin Canyon and Cochiti Mesa Area Crags
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