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Location
Approximately 1 mile east of Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Sandias Mountains
Useful Phone Numbers
Sandia ranger station - (505) 281-3304
Turquoise Trail campground- (505) 281-2005
Getting There
From Dallas, take I-35 north to US Highway 380, just north of Denton. Turn west and follow 380 to Decatur. At Decatur, turn north on US Highway 287. Follow 287 northwest to Amarillo, where it intersects I-40. Take I-40 west to the junction with New Mexico State Highway 14, approximately 10.5 miles east of Albuquerque (exit 175). Turn right (north), and follow this road 4 miles to the Turquoise Trail campground.
From the Albuquerque airport, take Yale Blvd. north to Gibson Blvd. Turn left (west) and follow Gibson to I-25. Take I-25 north to the intersection with I-40. Turn east on I-40 and follow this approximately 10.5 miles to the junction with State Highway 14 (exit 175). Turn north on 14 and follow this road 4 miles to the Turquoise Trail campground.
The Turquoise Trail campground is between Cedarcrest and San Antonito. There is a large white sign on the left side of State Highway 14 just north of the Cedarcrest post office. Turn left onto the gravel road near the sign and follow it around to the left approximately 1/4 mile to the campground.
To get to the Sandia crest parking lot from the Turquoise Trail campground, turn north on State Highway 14 and follow this approximately 3 miles to State Road 536. Turn left (west) on 536 and follow this to the Sandia crest parking lot. Directions Map.
Club Trips
At least once a year, usually over either the Memorial Day or Labor Day weekend (see trip schedule).
Types of Climbing
Primarily lead climbing in the 5.7 to 5.10 range, but also a decent selection of aid lines (A1-A3) for those blessed by the gear fairy. The Sandia Mountains are one of the closest areas to Dallas that offer alpine style climbing, with some routes demanding as much as a 20 hour car-to-car commitment. The Sandias do not offer much in the way of toproping opportunities. Topropable routes are scarce, the approaches are daunting, and setting the anchors and getting to the bases of the climbs can be a major undertaking.
Two significant factors to consider when planning a trip to the Sandias are the altitude and the approaches to the climbs.
The altitude along Sandia Crest is over 10,000 feet (Sandia Crest, 10,678ft) - this means that it is usually chilly and the air is thin. The temperature on the crest can easily be 20 degrees colder than it is in Albuquerque with summer temperatures rarely exceeding 78 degrees. The other altitude related concern for lowlanders, such as ourselves, is the potential for altitude sickness. Headaches, dizziness, nausea, and lethargy are all signs that a person is not acclimatizing well and should be taken back down to a lower elevation as soon as possible.
The approaches to the climbs in the Sandias should not be taken lightly, and must be factored in when planning a day's climb. Many of the approaches take as much as 1 to 2 hours, which can add a total of 2 to 4 hours to your car-to-car time.
Rock
The rock in the Sandias is primarily a coarse granite aggregate made up of mica, feldspar, and quartz. This granite base is capped at the crest by a thin band of limestone and shale layers; however, virtually all the climbs in the Sandias are on the granite below the cap. Rock quality can be from extremely poor to excellent, but loose rock is a fact of life in alpine environments so a helmet should be considered a necessity.
Climbing Season
Generally, the best months for climbing at the higher elevations in the Sandia Mountains are April through October. Theoretically, one could climb in the Sandias all year long, but mid-winter temperatures as low as -32 Fahrenheit have been recorded on the crest. During the summer months, storms can develop quickly and wind can create serious threats on exposed ridges. July and August are usually the rainiest months, but shelter is not easily accessible so rain gear should be carried in the other months as well.
NOTE: The Shield formation is closed to access for most of the climbing season to protect Peregrine falcon nesting sites. It usually opens up in late August. Check with the ranger station for closure status before planning a climb on the Shield.
Accommodations
The Turquoise Trail campground in San Antonito, New Mexico provides tent sites and cabins. The tent sites are available with electrical hook-ups and water. No reservations are necessary, and getting a site never seems to be a problem.
Bathrooms are good, clean, include electrical outlets for razors and hair dryers, and have hot water and showers. There is also a small laundry with washers and dryers in the campground.
Alternatives to camping at the Turquoise Trail campground are any one of the many hotels, motels, and bed and breakfasts in and around Albuquerque. (There is even a youth hostel in Albuquerque if you'd prefer a more "continental" ambiance.)
Expenses
Turquoise Trail tent sites cost $10.50 per tent per night. There are no other
day use or climbing fees in the Sandias.
Guidebooks
Sandia Rock is a Guidebook published by Sharp End Publishing. You
may order it here. This was
recommended by a member
Hiker's and Climber's Guide to the Sandias, third edition, by Mike Hill, copyright 1993, University of New Mexico Press. This is a good book that even comes with it's own topo of the crest area. This guide can be purchased at most gear shops in the area, although sometimes nobody seems to have it in stock. Don't wait till the last minute to try to find it. Check around ahead of time.
Rock Climbing New Mexico & Texas, first edition, by Dennis R. Jackson, copyright 1996, Falcon Press Publishing. This book provides information on climbs in the Sandias and 21 other areas in Texas and New Mexico. This guide is a good companion book to the Hiker's and Climber's Guide, but because the climbing areas in the Sandias are so large and confusing, the RCNM&T descriptions do not usually provide enough detail to be relied upon as your sole source.
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