Start at the very toe of the buttress.   

P1.  Ascend mossy slabs to a large ledge with a (dead) tree, 4th class, 50'.   

P2.  Step up and left from this tree, and climb a small overhang and continue upwards and left on the large slab.  You'll need to keep a close eye out for pro on this slab, or else be cool with running it out.  Belay at the large ledge at the top of the slab, 5.6 unobvious pro, 60'.  The first 2 pitches can be linked with a 50m rope, if you keep the rope to the LEFT of the tree so it doesn't drag.   

P3.  Move up and right off the belay with a large hueco for a hold.  Continue up the steeper wall above (clipping the fixed ring piton, and adding your own gear if you like), negotiate an airy mantle move (crux), and move up and slightly left then head up to the next good ledge to belay, 5.7, 60'.  If you look carefully, you might see the tiny rusty memorial to Ian D(?) on this ledge.   

P4.  A really short pitch is needed to get to easiest descent; step right around the next cliffband above you to reach the ridge top and easy terrain, 5.1.  

Walk-Off Descent: Navigate the ridge until you find a place on the N side that looks safe enough to downclimb.  If you keep going, the gullies get easier, but the time required is longer.  A longer but even easier descent would be the broad S side of the hill. 

Rappel Descent: There are bolted belays at the top of p2, p3, and p4, and it is possible to rap the route with 1 60m rope (with the final rappel coming up 8' short of the ground).

Thanksgiving Rock Right (Ian D. Memorial Route)

Thanksgiving Rock Left

Ken Ewing Memorial Railroad

Mr. Manatee

Way Before After You Get Home

Interpretation of Creation

Yunctured By A Pucca

Sandbagger Boulder

Slightly overhanging face.  Similar in nature to El Rito sport in that it can have negative angle without being difficult due to great, sharp finger pockets and good foot placements.  

  Second ascent and bolts provided by Kei Davis.

P1: Go up a left-trending gully system to a loose block, then move up and leftward under a small roof.  Continue up the shallow dihedral above to a large ledge, (or, the featured face just to the left of the dihedral).  From this ledge, either (a): continue straight up the next 20' of climbing still in the same pitch, and then belay in a grassy area with some dead trees below the steep 5.8 face with the old bolts and pins.  Alternatively, from the large ledge, (b): traverse right and go up a 3rd/4th class  gully to the same stance below the 5.8 face, 100'.    

P2: Step first up and right, then move back left, to the 30' vertical face which has 2 fixed pins for pro and 3 hangerless 1/4" bolts (bring hangers or use wired stoppers on these). You can supplement the ancient pins with gear.  Belay at a large block.  This puts you at the top of the buttress.   

  Scramble down a 3rd class slot to the left, or rappel the main face.

This could probably be done in a single pitch if you are able to manage the rope drag.  Since there is a reasonable belay spot to do it in two that's how I've done it.

P1. The start is a low angle scramble up to a roof. Squeeze to the right out from under the roof. Build an anchor near the tree to the right.

 P2. Traverse back to the left near the roof exit.  Continue up and left to a low angle ledge and eventually go up straight up to the top.

 A rappel with a 70m rope left plenty of rope to spare.  A single 60m would likely work well too.

Notes:  The belay stance is surrounded by poison ivy in the summer and fall.

This climb starts on the bottom side of a bouldery and exposed large boulder. Crank good overhanging rock past four bolts. The crux is getting over the bulge past the third bolt. Careful clipping the third bolt, it is a little reachy.

A nice bouldery shorty out of a cave and then up three bolts out an overhang at the top. The crux is at the third bolt. A nice warm up.

A short burly and exposed route that is continuous at the grade. Start on a ledge and go left over the exposure and up to clip the first bolt and let the fun begin. Power through three more bolts of thin and balancy powerful climbing. Pull through crux at the fourth bolt and then up to a three bolt anchor. There is a harder variation to the rightside of the boltline up some thin tip edgy liebacking and thin face climbing that goes at probably 11d

Crux is at the bottom pulling through the overhang to a slab and easier climbing above. A crack to the right can be used to get to the first clip, or a stick clip. dirctly below the first bolt is a way harder variation(12a).

This is the obvious first hill filled with numerous rock outcroppings that is visible from most parts of the north community in Los Alamos. The hill rises about 700 feet from town to the summit where Upper Clifty sits. This area is very uncrowded on a regular basis due to the nature of the surroundings. The Cerro Grande Fire raged through this entire canyon in the year 2000 and scorched the flora and fauna that was once present. It is now a rehabilitating wasteland filled with dead trees and lots of harsh terrain. It still gives you secluded sport and trad climbs with a slight alpine feel. There are also numerous established boulder problems on the entire hillside that amazingly did not get torched. It is definitely a quick getaway for Los Alamos locals, and provides a good all around workout to climb here. Most of the rock is suprisingly solid but can be a little crumbly in spots. It is a form of Rhyolite that makes up all the croppings in upper Rendia and Guaje Canyons. Some formations got cooked pretty good and are less bombproof. You can chase the shade or the sun most of the day. Midday can be pretty hot in the summer nowadays. Afternoons are the best for shade depending on which routes you are on.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Clifty