GATES PASS
Gates Pass is one of the most frequented bouldering areas in town, and for obvious reasons. It is only about a 20 minute drive from downtown, the approach is as short as just a few minutes, and the views are some of the best in town. I am left awestruck every time I drive Gates Pass - as you curve your car down from the top of the pass, you enter a vast and seemingly endless desert valley, towering saguaros and rugged peaks expanding in every direction. You can see all the way to Baboquivari and Kitt Peak, and in the foreground Old Tucson Studios - where many classics westerns were filmed (and more importantly, Three Amigos!). As you descend the pass and enter the desert basin, ahead on your left is a hillside scattered with big volcanic boulders. So close to town, yet you feel a whole world away.
Angie at the Upper Boulders
There are two main clusters at Gates - the Lower Boulders and the Upper Boulders (aka Broken Rubber Boulders and Son of Broken Rubber Boulders) - each made up of two large boulders and a couple of smaller ones. These two main cluster receive most of the traffic, which is a shame because if you are willing to venture away from these boulders, there are a handful of really good other boulders that see very little traffic. The rock here is typical Tucson Mt. volcanic rock - toothy crimps and jagged jugs ready to put the sting to your hands the same way the cholla-choked trails will put the sting in your shins. The lower boulders are quite tall, and feature mostly vertical crimp problems with low cruxes and juggy but airy topouts high above the desert floor. At the upper boulders you will find one boulder with a one vertical face - full of crimpy eliminates - and a slightly overhung backside with a real nice traverse; the other boulder is steeper, with problems on three sides of varying difficulty, but some real nice ones in the v3-v6 range.
From the Upper Boulders if you head either southeast or due west you will find plenty of other good boulders to climb on. If you feel real adventurous you can wander all the way out to the Gunfighter Boulder, which has some incredible looking tall lines on it, and some challenging overhangs. More so than any of the other boulders scattered around Gates, it is a shame that this boulder rarely gets touched, as it is one of the better boulders in Tucson. One of my goals for this winter was to spend a lot of time on these neglected boulders of Gates, get them cleaned up a little and documented. My priorities have changed with the development of Panther, but if anyone is interested that would be a great project to benefit the community, and you'd get a lot of great climbing in as well.
From the Upper Boulders if you head either southeast or due west you will find plenty of other good boulders to climb on. If you feel real adventurous you can wander all the way out to the Gunfighter Boulder, which has some incredible looking tall lines on it, and some challenging overhangs. More so than any of the other boulders scattered around Gates, it is a shame that this boulder rarely gets touched, as it is one of the better boulders in Tucson. One of my goals for this winter was to spend a lot of time on these neglected boulders of Gates, get them cleaned up a little and documented. My priorities have changed with the development of Panther, but if anyone is interested that would be a great project to benefit the community, and you'd get a lot of great climbing in as well.
GETTING THERE: Take Speedway Rd west from town, past a golf course and the International Wildlife Museum (aka the "dead animal zoo"). Somewhere along here the road becomes Gates Pass, and soon you will be in the Tucson Mountain Park. Once you descend the pass, you will pass one large parking lot and trailhead. Keep driving a bit further, and park in the next (smaller) parking pullout on the left hand side.
APPROACH: Follow the trail from the parking lot left to the Lower Boulders (5 minutes). From here, follow a faint trail uphill to the Upper Boulders (another 5 minutes). There are no trails to the scattered other boulders, so walk carefully to avoid trampling fragile vegetation.
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS: The drive to Gates is also a popular road biking route. Take extra care while driving through here, as the road is windy and there is no shoulder for the bikers.
An unfortunate amount of glass and trash at the base of Lower Boulders, so be careful. Pack a little out if you can.
If you hear multiple gunshots while here on a weekend, banditos are not after your crashpads. Sound carries incredibly well in this little valley, and the gunfighter shows at Old Tucson Studios can seem like they are taking place right next to you.
APPROACH: Follow the trail from the parking lot left to the Lower Boulders (5 minutes). From here, follow a faint trail uphill to the Upper Boulders (another 5 minutes). There are no trails to the scattered other boulders, so walk carefully to avoid trampling fragile vegetation.
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS: The drive to Gates is also a popular road biking route. Take extra care while driving through here, as the road is windy and there is no shoulder for the bikers.
An unfortunate amount of glass and trash at the base of Lower Boulders, so be careful. Pack a little out if you can.
If you hear multiple gunshots while here on a weekend, banditos are not after your crashpads. Sound carries incredibly well in this little valley, and the gunfighter shows at Old Tucson Studios can seem like they are taking place right next to you.
