Nestled in the Sandia foothills is a rock-climbering treasure.
Frank Dehnisch climbs up a boulder as the sun sinks into the horizon at the U-Mound climbing area near Copper Avenue and Tramway Boulevard. U-Mound offers a variety of bouldering problems for climbers of all skill levels. "I like it here because of its proximity to the city and the diversity of the climbs," Dehnisch said. "And it also has a pretty view."
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With his spotter's hands reaching out to protect him, climber Mike Kulikowski tries a difficult bouldering move at U-Mound. "It's cool here because everything is constantly changing," Kulikowski said. "It's like life, the way it's always changing."
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With crash pads secured on their backs, Claude Smith, 23, (left) and Coulter follow the path back to their cars parked at the end of Copper Avenue after an afternoon of climbing. "Bouldering is a good way to hang out with friends, get outside and go place you normally wouldn't go otherwise," Smith said.
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Sam Coulter, 20, reaches for a crimp hold on a granite boulder at U-Mound, a climbing haven in the Sandia foothills. "It's nice to get outdoors and into the mountains and away from the hustle and bustle of the city," Coulter said.
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