Wyoming · Rock climbing · Laramie

Land of the Rising Moon

14-route climbing area in Wyoming with bouldering pads and trad climbing.

Land of the Rising MoonPhoto: pgzdbxte93, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
14 routes
5.6 – 5.12c
Trad · Bouldering

Is Land of the Rising Moon open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 3 alerts for Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest.

As of · Source: USFS · Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit Land of the Rising Moon

Best months: May–September. 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.

  1. Jan

    33° / 12°

    7 wet

  2. Feb

    35° / 15°

    7 wet

  3. Mar

    44° / 21°

    8 wet

  4. Apr

    51° / 28°

    11 wet

  5. May

    60° / 36°

    12 wet

  6. Jun

    73° / 46°

    10 wet

  7. Jul

    81° / 52°

    11 wet

  8. Aug

    79° / 49°

    10 wet

  9. Sep

    72° / 43°

    8 wet

  10. Oct

    56° / 31°

    8 wet

  11. Nov

    43° / 23°

    7 wet

  12. Dec

    34° / 14°

    7 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Laramie 4se, WY, 11.5 mi away at 7,390 ft. The station sits about 1,100 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Land of the Rising Moon is a climbing area in Wyoming's Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest, within the Laramie Ranger District. The Forest Service manages the land. Summer is the most comfortable time to climb here. Typical July highs reach about 81°F with lows near 52°F, according to averages from a nearby weather station at Laramie, which sits roughly 1,100 feet lower than the area. June and August run close behind, with highs in the low to mid 70s. The area holds 14 routes, most of them trad. Boulderers can try two routes with grades in the V6 to V8-9 range. The hardest is Cross of Iron at 5.12c, and Turtle Rock Summit Route is 5.9. Drain Pipe starts at 5.6. Crystal Freeway and Hassler's Hatbox are both within a third of a mile, and the Vedauwoo Glen hike is about 0.4 miles away. For an overnight, Vedauwoo Campground is about 0.6 miles off.

Routes (14)

MoontideFA: Vladimir Farkas (led), Mike Yokell, Mike Parker, Skip Hamilton, and Jeb Schenck, 1972. Steve Matous, Scott Heywood?5.10aMake A Dead Man CumFA: Mark Jenkins, Justin Bowen, fall 20215.10cMoonrise Variation (Moontide?)FA: Vladimir Farkas (lead), Mike Yokell, Mike Parker, Skip Hamilton, and Jeb Schenck, 1972. Steve Matous, Scott Heywood?5.10dBlade RunnerFA: Paul Piana, Barbara Devine, Kevin Bein, 19825.11bMaster of SportFA: Paul Piana5.12Cross of IronFA: Scott Blunk, '885.12cDrain Pipe5.6Chitty ChimneyFA: Kyle Chitty, Zach Orenczak & Rachael Lynn, 20075.7Straight and NarrowFA: John Garson, Jeb Schenck, 19715.8+Colorado Cable Cutter5.9Turtle Rock Summit Route5.9Drainpipe Left ExitFA: Pete Takeda and Andy Donson5.9+DigitalFA: Brett Hoffman, 2017V6AnalogFA: Josh HelkeV8-9

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