Razor's Edge (II 5.6) The Hand, Superstition Mountains, Arizona

FIVE CLASSICS NEAR RAZOR’S EDGE, IN THE SUPERSTITION MOUNTAINS, ARIZONA

The Tower (5.8 R)
Ascending the formation of the same name, The Tower is a spicy two-pitcher with scant protection. The first pitch follows a steep face and a trough to a bolted anchor. The second pitch takes a less-than-solid arête to a gully (or, to an alternative face climb on better rock, to the left), and finally to the exposed pinnacle. Suggested gear: two ropes for the rap and assorted Friends and nuts.

The Prong (5.6)
Farther south still, The Prong runs the highest of three spires in the Prong Complex. Some Class 3 and 4 scrambling brings you to a ledge on the north face. A wide crack (the 5.6 part) brings you to another scramble, this time for the summit. Suggested gear: medium to large Friends, and nuts.

The Snake (5.5)
On the huge formation known as The Iceberg, The Snake winds its way up the south face via a chimney to a ridgeline belay, where ends P1. From there, Class 4 climbing brings you to the summit. Suggested gear: medium to large friends, and nuts, and two ropes for the rap.

Grandfather Hobgoblin (III 5.9)
A proud, four-pitch climb up the side of the Hobgoblin Spires, Grandfather Hobgoblin ascends a 5.6 corner to a crack and ledge system for the first pitch. P2 talks a ramp to a notch, from where P3 begins, following a short crack to the crux 5.9 climbing. Three raps get you down. Suggested gear: a wide range of Friends and nuts, and two ropes for descent.

Spider Walk (III 5.6)
Crawling the north face of the North Buttress formation, the four-pitch Spider Walk begins with some Class 4 scrambling to a face climb and a headwall to a trough and the belay station. Pitch 2 follows a runout face to a prow to a ledge by a chimney, where stats pitch 3. Follow the chimney to P4, the “spider walk” pitch, which tackles a chossy traverse to “The Eye,” the final belay station, from where a scramble to the summit is accessible. A 5.7 variation skips the traverse and leads directly to the summit. Suggested gear: Medium to large Friends, nuts, runners, and two 60m (or longer) ropes.

For more on these and other Superstition Mountains routes, check out Rock Climbing Arizona, by Stewart M. Green.