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Old New Place


New Mexico : Los Alamos & White Rock : White Rock
Latitude: 35.8219  Longitude: -106.1849  Elevation: 6400 
Description
The Old New Place is an east-facing basalt wall about 60 feet in height that offers many great crack lines for gear-protected leading or top roping. There are now bolted anchors here as a result of trees traditionally used here as anchors dying. Additionally, blocks and crack near the cliff edge can be use to establish gear anchors.
The ONP doesn't see a lot of traffic but there are some wonderful crack lines to be climbed here.
Like all the areas in White Rock canyon, placement of new bolts is strongly discouraged as per a long-standing agreement of local climbers. The Los Alamos Mountaineers maintain a copy of the original agreement (1989) along with the amended agreement (2004) that allows for bolted anchors but still discourages new bolted lines.

Getting There
From NM4, turn south on Rover Blvd. Turn left on the first street on your left, Meadow Lane. Stay on Meadow Lane for 1.3 miles and park near 719 Meadow Lane. Please respect the homeowners and don't block mailboxes or driveways. A concrete public access trail heads down between 719 and 721 Meadow Lane. You'll know you're on the correct trail if two large, seemingly nasty, Golden Retriever dogs are barking at you. At the end of the concrete veer slightly left and continue straight towards the cliffs following a good climber's trail down off the top of the cliff. As you start to descend off the cliff top, the Old New Place will be visible as the large cliff face to your left. Descend about 30 feet on the climber's trail and head left along the base of the cliff.


Old New Place : Old New Place route guide. (I couldn't fit the route names/grades in anywhere so refer to the route descriptions here for corresponding number.)



(01) God Route (aka Mike's Route) 

5.11a/b

  
New Mexico : Los Alamos & White Rock : White Rock : Old New Place
FA: Mike Roybal, early 1970s
Type: Trad, TR
Consensus: 5.11a/b
Length: 1 pitch, 80 feet
Description
"God Route" is really just a series of interconnected boulder problems between good rests, but what it lacks in continuousness it makes up through unique movement.

Escape the cave moving from left to right, with a boulder problem first crux. Have faith that the TCU in the horizontal crack above the lip protects the heelhook/mantle move. You can place other cams below and left of the roof. (There is also a "direct start" moving left from the flakes to the right, which is much easier, 5.9?, though the guidebook lists it as height-dependent 5.11.. maybe there's a 3rd option?)

Place microcams and/or small nuts to protect the 2nd crux, an overhanging awkward lieback move or two to a thank-god flake. Fight the pump to get another cam in, and get another rest below a tough-looking offwidth.

The offwidth isn't as bad as it looks. A #4 camalot fits near the bottom of it, or with a bigger cam (#5) you can place it higher. Once you commit to putting your knee in the crack, you've got it.

Location
God Route begins in the back of the obvious cave behind the giant boulder at the left side of ONP.
It is climb #1 in the beta photo.

Protection
2 ea. TCUs or other tiny cams.
1 ea. cams of larger sizes up to a #2 camalot.
1 set nuts.
Either a #4 or #5 camalot or equivalent big cam is nice, but maybe not essential.

A double length runner around a column at the top makes for a good anchor. Supplement this with some of your own gear in cracks, or anchor off dying trees with lengths of static line.



(02) Momentum 

5.12-

  
New Mexico : Los Alamos & White Rock : White Rock : Old New Place
FA: 
Type: Trad, TR
Consensus: 5.12-
Length: 60 feet
Description
Excellent face route that starts 15 feet right of Mike's Route on loose blocks, then fires straight up the clean face above.

Location
Route #2 in the photo.

Protection
TR



(03) Direct Start 

5.11+

  
New Mexico : Los Alamos & White Rock : White Rock : Old New Place
FA: 
Type: TR
Consensus: 5.11+
Length: 60 feet
Description
Direct start to Bee Sting. Climb straight up the thin dihedral for 20 feet, then rejoin Bee Sting.

Location
Route #3 in the photo.

Protection
TR, from a 2-bolt anchor, shared with Bee Sting.



(04) Bee Sting 

5.9

  
New Mexico : Los Alamos & White Rock : White Rock : Old New Place
FA: 
Type: Trad, TR
Consensus: 5.9
Length: 1 pitch, 65 feet
Description
Follow the left leaning crack system just left of the high roof routes. Lieback at the start, to a hand crack section, which is protected with cams and can be jammed or liebacked. Then cruising up an offwidth section on a ramp that's easier than it looks. The crux is at the small triangular roof, which is bypassed on the left using face holds or a reach to jugs straight over it.
Protection is great the whole way, so this climb is one of the more popular leads at the ONP.

There is a direct start in the 5.11 range beginning 10' left of the normal start in a shallow dihedral.

The route's name is not in the guidebook and was provided courtesy of Scott B.

Location
This climb is route 4 in the photo and Jemez Rock.

Just left of the high roof identify a left leaning hand crack.

Protection
Rack: 1 set nuts, 1 set cams to 3" (3-4" useful but not mandatory).
2-bolt anchor, reachable from the top, was installed to prevent further damage to trees.



(05) High Roof Left 

5.9+

  
New Mexico : Los Alamos & White Rock : White Rock : Old New Place
FA: ??
Type: Trad, TR
Consensus: 5.9+
Length: 1 pitch, 60 feet
Description
A reachy start, under the obvious roof, shared with the next climb to the right is probably the crux for those who aren't really tall. Continue up liebacking finger cracks with enough positive ledges every 10' to keep things from getting too tough, to about 10' below the roof, traverse left, and more fun finger crack then hand crack sections with featured face leads your way to the top.

This is my favorite of the 5.9/5.10s at this cliff, with high quality interesting well-protected climbing the whole way.

If you know the original name post it up.

Location
When approaching the cliff base as described in the intro to ONP, walk along the base of the cliff for about 50 feet. Look for an obvious roof. The direct start to the route starts directly below the roof. The route is listed as route number 5 on the Old New Place route topo photo.

The line shown in Jemez Rock incorrectly marked to the right of where you want to be, at the beginning.

Protection
1 set nuts, 1 set cams to 2".
2-bolt anchor, reachable from the top, was installed to prevent further damage to trees.



(06) High Roof Right 

5.10b

  
New Mexico : Los Alamos & White Rock : White Rock : Old New Place
FA: Unknown
Type: Trad, TR
Consensus: 5.10a/b
Length: 1 pitch, 60 feet
Description
A reachy start (could be crux for shorter climbers) directly under the obvious roof on very positive ledges and flakes takes you up to below the roof. Then, move right to the edge/arete (crux) on small ledges to blind holds around the edge to pass the roof. Easier climbing above takes one to the top.

Location
When approaching the cliff base as described in the intro to ONP, walk along the base of the cliff for about 50 feet. Look for an obvious roof. The direct start to the route starts directly below the roof. The route is listed as route number 6 on the Old New Place route topo photo.

Protection
Small to medium nuts and cams down low. Small nuts are nice to protect the moves right around the roof and then a bigger cam (#2 BD) or two above to the top. Bolt anchor at top to preserve the trees.



(07) Unknown 

5.10a

  
New Mexico : Los Alamos & White Rock : White Rock : Old New Place
FA: ?
Type: Trad, TR
Consensus: 5.10a
Length: 1 pitch, 70 feet
Description
Start on blocks just to the left of Tetherball and climb a short slab and make a tricky step right. Above, follow the crack angling to the left (where Tetherball goes right up an overhanging face), past a section with thin feet to easier climbing above.
The anchor is very close to that for the Route 6- the climb that passes the high roof to the right, and both climbs can be done from the same anchor.

Location
This climb is route 7 in Jason's ONP photo
It begins just to the left of Tetherball and the start of this climb is an easier way to climb Tetherball if spit off by the start of that route.

Protection
Standard choice of cams (including small ones) and nuts.
2-bolt anchor, reachable from the top, was installed to prevent further damage to trees.



(08) Tetherball 

5.10c

  
New Mexico : Los Alamos & White Rock : White Rock : Old New Place
FA: ?
Type: Trad, TR
Consensus: 5.10c
Length: 1 pitch, 65 feet
Description
A boulder problem start (crux) involves mantling up with a seam in the corner, where repeated toproping falls likely led to the routes name. This is hard to protect on lead, but low enough that it isn't a big deal to hop down. Above, an easier section with positive holds and move right onto the second crux: an overhanging face with jugs. A reachy medium nut placement provides great pro here, but might be hard to reach if shorter than 5'10". Mantle onto the platform. Finish by stemming with pro in cracks to the back.

Location
Located 20' right of the high roof, start atop some blocks.

Protection
Standard rack 1 set nuts, 1 set cams to 3". Micro nuts potentially protect the seam boulder problem start.
2-bolt anchor, reachable from the top, was installed to prevent further damage to trees.



(09) Jet Stream 

5.13a X

  
New Mexico : Los Alamos & White Rock : White Rock : Old New Place
FA: Rick Smith, 2000?
Type: Trad, TR
Consensus: 5.13a
Length: 1 pitch, 60 feet
Description
This was the "last great problem" at the ONP until I figured out a sequence and then Rick beat me to the FA by about 3 minutes (to be fair, I got first shot at it and fell off, then managed it after he did it). Pretty much a 10 foot boulder problem with easier terrain above and below, but still a fun problem to throw yourself at on TR.

Location
The route climbs the blank-looking dihedral/seam just right of route #9 in the photo. The business occurs at about 20 feet, after which things ease off to about 5.10ish. If you're having trouble finding it, look for the overhanging, extremely improbably looking right-facing shallow dihedral.

Protection
There is essentially none for the crux, I have to believe that a fall would be fatal on lead.
2-bolt anchor, reachable from the top, was installed to prevent further damage to trees.



(10) Unknown 

5.10a

  
New Mexico : Los Alamos & White Rock : White Rock : Old New Place
FA: ?
Type: Trad, TR
Consensus: 5.10a
Length: 1 pitch, 70 feet
Description
Climb blocks to a finger crack on a right-leaning ramp, place good pro and mantle onto a pedestal (1st crux). Follow an easy handcrack up to the obvious left-leaning flake. Undercling/lieback out left on this flake to the top- the 2nd crux (A popular toprope variation is to climb the crimpy face and avoid using the flake).

A Direct Start variation (#11 in the photo) reaches the pedestal/prow from the right side- it's also .10a with pro that's better than it looks from the ground.

Location
This climb is in the middle of the ONP, and is route 10 in Jason's ONP photo
The big left trending undercling flake up high is obvious.

Protection
Cams from finger size to fist.
2-bolt anchor, reachable from the top, was installed to prevent further damage to trees.



(11) Direct Start 

5.10-

  
New Mexico : Los Alamos & White Rock : White Rock : Old New Place
FA: 
Type: TR
Consensus: 5.10-
Length: 60 feet
Description
Climb the arete/cracks right of route #10.

Location
Route #11 in the photo.

Protection
TR from a 2-bolt anchor, reachable from the top, was installed to prevent further damage to trees.



(12) Total Abstinence 

5.12-

  
New Mexico : Los Alamos & White Rock : White Rock : Old New Place
FA: 
Type: TR
Consensus: 5.12-
Length: 60 feet
Description
Climb the shallow dihedral 5 feet left of Sin-Wave with technical stemming. Up, slightly left, then back right and over a bulge (crux), then left and up an easier thin crack to the top.

Escaping leftwards out of the dihedral and up is a bit easier.

Location
Route #12 in the photo.

Protection
TR



(13) Sinewave (aka S Crack) 

5.11b/c

  
New Mexico : Los Alamos & White Rock : White Rock : Old New Place
FA: Mike Roybal, early 1970s
Type: Trad, TR
Consensus: 5.11c/d
Length: 60 feet
Description
Sinewave: One of the most intriguing routes to be found at the Old New Place or in White Rock, for that matter. A challenging and sequency boulder problem off the deck, begin climbing the sinusoidal crack, which will test your skills and strength as you work to keep from barndooring off. The crack is more of a seam for the first 15 feet, although there are places where small RPs would provide protection; bold leaders solid at the grade will love this route. After the initial crux the grade eases for the next 15 feet with large ledges providing good rests and more opportunities to place gear. The route splits into two cracks after this: the left crack, which is assumed to be off-route, goes at a grade of 5.8 to 5.9 rattly fingers to hands with lots of face holds; the right takes you up an excellent overhanging thin fingers to tips crack which, if not for a large sinker pocket midway up on the left, would be significantly more difficult. Ten more feet of climbing in the crack and on small crimps gets you to the top of this classic route.

Historical Note: It’s reported that the late Derek Hersey freesoloed Sinewave back in the day. Think about that next time you jump on this route!

Location
Route 13 on the Old New Place Topo. Easily identifiable by its namesake, Sinewave begins 15 feet to the left of Rattlesnake Crack

Protection
Nuts: 1 set including micros
Cams: 1 each up to #1 Camalot with doubles in the .3 to .5 range. Micro TCUs or C3s may come in handy too.
2-bolt anchor, reachable from the top, was installed to prevent further damage to trees.



(14) Rattlesnake Crack (aka Sidewinder) 

5.11

  
New Mexico : Los Alamos & White Rock : White Rock : Old New Place
FA: ?
Type: Trad, TR
Consensus: 5.11
Length: 1 pitch, 70 feet
Description
Rattlesnake Crack is a local 5.11 trad classic.
The crux is protected by small gear, which makes it a little scary, but the gear is solid. Difficulty has been variably rated from 5.11a to 5.11c in different sources.

Head up to the undercling flake (1 height dependent move). Place pro underneath the flake (small nuts or smallest cams; slider nuts/Lowe Balls reportedly are best) and traverse left. A finger jam in a pocket at the corner allows one to place a very small cam or bomber brass nut to protect the next move, which is the crux smear with undercling hands, then tenuous gaston/lieback moves on the arete. (Some locals believe these crux smear moves have become more polished by traffic and more difficult over the years.) Once the crack in the back opens wide enough to accomodate fingers, you're through the crux with a sharp flake to de-pump. From here, most of the rest of the climb is no harder than 5.10. First, a steep section passed by liebacking up a finger/thin hand crack. The next section has good feet with thin hand crack and a couple places large enough to accomodate a hand jam and rest, while you're in an airy position. For the final section of the climb, the crack thins and nearly disappears but has enough spots for nuts for pro, and the rock takes on the pocketed character of White Rock basalt. Here, you'll find small footholds, one- or two-finger pockets, or just lean your shoulder into the corner while working your feet up.

One local recently stated that he was skeptical that anyone had led this climb in recent years, but the truth is more climbers have been stepping up recently, as the pro is all there.

A direct start in a seam 10' left of the undercling is reportedly 5.12.

Location
You can identify this route from above by looking for the big flat rock at its base.
From below, the clean face with the left-trending undercling traverse is apparent. It's also the next climb to the right of Sine Wave , an obvious S-shaped crack.

Protection
Nuts: 1 set, including micros
Cams: 1 ea. from tiny to #1 camalot, with doubles of #0.75 camalot and #0.5 camalot recommended.

2-bolt anchor, reachable from the top, was installed to prevent further damage to trees.

It's not a great route for toproping, because falls at the crux leave the climber dangling and unable to reestablish on the rock.



(14) Rattlesnake Crack (aka Sidewinder) : J.O. topping out on Rattlesnake Crack.



(15) Gulf Stream 

5.12

  
New Mexico : Los Alamos & White Rock : White Rock : Old New Place
FA: 
Type: Trad, TR
Consensus: 5.12
Length: 55 feet
Description
Climb the start of Rattlesnake crack, then move up and right up a shallow fingercrack. Smaller fingers make this route a bit easier.

Location
Route #15 in the photo, start as for Rattlesnake.

Protection
Finger sized gear.
2-bolt anchor, reachable from the top, was installed to prevent further damage to trees.



(16) Unknown 

5.11a/b

  
New Mexico : Los Alamos & White Rock : White Rock : Old New Place
FA: ?
Type: Trad, TR
Consensus: 5.11a/b
Length: 1 pitch, 70 feet
Description
Climb a height-dependent reachy start in a seam with large-RP for pro to prevent groundfall to a rest (5.9). Step left below a small triangular roof.
Turn this with tiny cams or small nuts in a seam (5.11- crux), reach for painful fingers in the portions of the crack that are wide enough for fingers, and climb through the crux with nubs for feet. Steep featured climbing in the shallow open book lies above and is generally 5.10, with more small nuts & small cams for pro.

Location
This climb is route 16 in the ONP topo/photo

It starts about 15' right of Rattlesnake Crack in a seam shared with Route 17 then busts left of that route.

Protection
Cams from micro to handsize, especially #00 and #0 TCUs or equivalent tiny cams. 1 set nuts, including RPs.
2-bolt anchor, reachable from the top, was installed to prevent further damage to trees.



(17) Unknown 

5.9

  
New Mexico : Los Alamos & White Rock : White Rock : Old New Place
FA: ?
Type: Trad, TR
Consensus: 5.9
Length: 1 pitch, 70 feet
Description
A height-dependent crux (5.9) with moves from a seam down low is best protected with a large RP nut. Falling here would land you on nasty blocks from 8-10' up, if the gear's no good. This leads to a good hold on a sketchy but solid flake. From here, up the easier pair of hand cracks (5.8, fun) on the right to the top.

Location
10' right of Rattlesnake Crack is a thin crack, 15' left of the prominent arete.

Route 17 in the ONP photo

Protection
1 set cams, 1 set nuts to 3". A large RP is useful at the crux about 10' up.

2-bolt anchor, reachable from the top, was installed to prevent further damage to trees.



(18) 4-Star Arete 

5.11

  
New Mexico : Los Alamos & White Rock : White Rock : Old New Place
FA: 
Type: TR
Consensus: 5.11b/c
Length: 55 feet
Description
Climb the obvious arete and then finish up the cracks to the left as for route #17. The face to the left of the arete is a contrived but fun 12a.

Location
Route #18 in the photo.

Protection
TR from a 2-bolt anchor, reachable from the top, installed to prevent further damage to trees.



(19) Unknown 

5.10c/d

  
New Mexico : Los Alamos & White Rock : White Rock : Old New Place
FA: ?
Type: Trad, TR
Consensus: 5.10c/d
Length: 1 pitch, 75 feet
Description
Yet another high quality crack at the ONP without a name.

Follow the lightning-bolt shaped finger crack on a slightly overhanging clean face for the first 20', placing great pro as you go. When you reach the end of the crack, make wild moves to the arete to your left (crux), culminating with a funky mantle.

To finish, most will continue up 5.8/5.9 finger and hand cracks with good horizontal ledges to the left (shared with Climb 17), but it may be possible to step right of the arete and follow another seam (as shown in guidebook and in beta photo).

Location
This climb is near the right side of the ONP. Find the obvious zigzaging finger crack, on a clean face just to the right of an obvious arete.
It is climb #19 in the beta photo

Protection
Cams up to a #2 camalot, with doubles at finger crack sizes (#0.3 camalot and #0.4 camalot) highly recommended. Don't need TCUs or other cams smaller than 'fingers' for this one. Nuts are helpful.
2-bolt anchor, reachable from the top, was installed to prevent further damage to trees.



(20) Unknown 

5.9 PG13

  
New Mexico : Los Alamos & White Rock : White Rock : Old New Place
FA: ?
Type: Trad, TR
Consensus: 5.9
Length: 1 pitch, 60 feet
Description
Start in a corner just right of Climb #19, the lightning bolt shaped finger crack. Move up the corner that takes almost no pro and make a few face moves to the right. Brass nuts provide at least psychological protection. An awkward mantle move above this is also "protected" with RPs and other tiny nuts in placements that are difficult to visually inspect from the stance they're placed from, and this small gear is all that is between you and a 20' ground fall followed by a tumble down into the Sununu Place. [The second time I led this I placed a small cam in the lightning bolt crack out left from a high stem, then made the traverse right a little higher. I trusted this piece better than the tiny nuts the first time around, but the climbing just as hard.]
Beyond the mantle, step into a right-facing corner that overhangs above you with a weird-shaped offwidth crack in the back. This is followed by another strange mantle onto a horizontal crack, and then a hand crack through a wild roof with excellent pro.

This is a fun climb that is overlooked in my opinion, with a few sections with unusual movement. The start is scary as far as the pro goes when you're leading, and thus is not recommended for sketchy 5.9 leaders.

Location
Near the right end of the ONP; this is the crack through the roof just left of Berserker. Just right of the lightning bolt finger crack.

Protection
Brassies and micro-cams up to a #3 camalot.
2-bolt anchor, reachable from the top, was installed to prevent further damage to trees.



(21) Berserker 

5.11

  
New Mexico : Los Alamos & White Rock : White Rock : Old New Place
FA: ?
Type: Trad, TR
Consensus: 5.11b/c
Length: 1 pitch, 60 feet
Description
Berserker is a burly roof crack at White Rock, and there aren't too many like this, so it's worth checking out.. if that's your sort of thing.

Lieback the excellent thin-hands crack in the left-facing corner to a stance below a menacing roof. This is one of the best liebacking corners in White Rock. The roof is offwidth, confusing, strenuous, and harder than it looks (but easier than it's rated- 5.11c/d?.. no way!), and protects well with a #4 camalot. After the roof, the climbing is much easier to the top.

Location
Berserker starts with the obvious left-facing lieback crack to a roof crack near the right end of the ONP.

Protection
Cams from #0.75 camalot to #4 camalot.
2-bolt anchor, reachable from the top, was installed to prevent further damage to trees.



(22) Unknown (ONP Right End) 

5.9

  
New Mexico : Los Alamos & White Rock : White Rock : Old New Place
FA: ?
Type: Trad, TR
Consensus: 5.9
Length: 1 pitch, 50 feet
Description
Right of the Berserker roof is another moderate at the ONP.. Choose the easiest way to the top, climbing broken terrain through 2 small roofs with big rest stances between the cruxes. A few variations are possible, most should be about 5.9. There is some loose rock in this section of cliff but it isn't heinous.

The guidebook mentions there are a few mediocre climbs in this area (right of Berserker) but does not describe them.

One climb in this broken area at the right end of ONP is Half Nelson, a 5.10d put up in 12/1997 by Theo Takeda, Luke Laeser, Carlo Torres, and Scott Fitzgibbon, which scales a short double overhang. I think this is even farther to the right but I haven't tried it yet.

Location
At the right end of ONP (past Berserker).

Protection
Standard rack- save some gear to build an anchor.