Note: when showing ALL, new contributions are displayed in the order of Routes, Areas, Photos, and Comments
Latest Routes |
| Name |
Rating |
Type |
Location |
Submitted By |
Date |
North Summit Direct | 5.8 | Trad, Alpine, 4 pitches, 450 feet, Grade II | NM : Sandia Mountains : ... : The Thumb | Chris Wenker | Sep 28, 2009 |
El Dueño (FA) | 5.7+ | Trad, Alpine, 4 pitches, 350 feet, Grade II | NM : Sandia Mountains : ... : El Paisano | John Kear | Sep 24, 2009 |
The Cha Cha | 5.10d | Trad, TR, Alpine, 1 pitch, 30 feet | NM : Sandia Mountains : ... : Donald Duck | Bryan T | Sep 21, 2009 |
West Ridge | 5.7 | Trad, Alpine, 3 pitches, 450 feet | NM : Sandia Mountains : ... : Frog | Chris Wenker | Sep 14, 2009 |
Latest Photos |
| Photo |
Caption |
Location |
By |
Date |
| North Summit Direct (5.8), The Thumb, Sandia Mountains, NM. | NM : Sandia Mountains : ... : North Summit Direct (5.8) | Chris Wenker | Sep 28, 2009 |
| topo of Edge of Chaos | NM : Sandia Mountains : ... : Edge of Chaos (5.11a) | John Kear | Sep 14, 2009 |
| West Ridge (5.7), The Frog, Sandia Mountains, NM. Foreshortened view from the base; climb starts in crack on lower right. | NM : Sandia Mountains : ... : West Ridge (5.7) | Chris Wenker | Sep 14, 2009 |
| West Ridge (5.7), The Frog, Sandia Mountains, NM. Photo taken from near the Lunch Ledge on Yataghan. | NM : Sandia Mountains : ... : West Ridge (5.7) | Chris Wenker | Sep 14, 2009 |
| Ribbit? | NM : Sandia Mountains : ... : Frog | Chris Wenker | Sep 14, 2009 |
Latest Comments | | |
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Location: NM : Albuquerque Area Climbing : Sandia Mountains : La Cueva Canyon, Upper : The Thumb : Northwest Ridge (5.5)
By: Reed Cundiff When: Oct 25, 2009 | view comment >> | Comments: This was pretty much the standard rock climb for the New Mexico Mountain Club in the 1950's. The route then avoided the first two or three pitches on the ridge by going to the left and then up a grubby/bushy chimney.I remember Charles "Bill" Williams leading a 8 or 9 man/woman rope up this climb around 1956. The club was hurting for leaders back then. It sure took all day.
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Location: NM : Albuquerque Area Climbing : Sandia Mountains : La Cueva Canyon, Upper : Estrellita : Estrellita (5.8)
By: Bryan T When: Oct 17, 2009 | view comment >> | Comments: Used a #4 Camalot at the bottom as a directional (options for other stuff). And a #3 somewhere. Could use a #3 at the top for the anchor as well. We sewed this up, used several cams in the .75-2 range. Super fun moving from the Dihedral to the second face/crack.
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Location: NM : Albuquerque Area Climbing : Sandia Mountains : La Cueva Canyon, Upper : Hole in the Wall : Mouth of a Sailor (5.8+)
By: Bill Lawry When: Oct 13, 2009 | view comment >> | Comments: Thank you R.A.! It is an enjoyable climb.
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Location: NM : Albuquerque Area Climbing : Sandia Mountains : La Cueva Canyon, Upper : Hole in the Wall : Mouth of a Sailor (5.8+)
By: Timothy Henley When: Oct 13, 2009 | view comment >> | Comments: As of 10/13 this has been replaced by a reputable authority!!
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Location: NM : Albuquerque Area Climbing : Sandia Mountains : La Cueva Canyon, Upper : The Thumb : Photo
By: mattb19 When: Oct 7, 2009 | view comment >> | Comments: That is a great looking picture.
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Location: NM : Albuquerque Area Climbing : Sandia Mountains : La Cueva Canyon, Upper : Hole in the Wall : Mouth of a Sailor (5.8+)
By: Timothy Henley When: Oct 5, 2009 | view comment >> | Comments: Was out on sailor slab yesterday (10/4) and the right anchor at the top has come loose. I pulled it out and left it up there. At any rate, it needs replacing.
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Location: NM : Albuquerque Area Climbing : Sandia Mountains : La Cueva Canyon, Upper : Yataghan : Southeast Face (5.7)
By: Reed Cundiff When: Oct 2, 2009 | view comment >> | Comments: Chris
As I wrote earlier, we went way to the right to avoid what may have been 5.9 (we just called it "harder than we chose to do again") and then traversed left around a bulge. I put in a self-drilling threaded expansion bolt(it expanded as you screwed in the bolt) and that is what the bolt missing a hanger looks like. I don't think we did that summit pitch off Luncheon Ledge until the third try since it was getting dark the first and second attempts. We always hiked up the La Luz Trail. Thank... more >>
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Location: NM : Albuquerque Area Climbing : Sandia Mountains : La Cueva Canyon, Upper : The Thumb : North Summit Direct (5.8)
By: John Kear When: Sep 30, 2009 | view comment >> | Comments: There is definitely a lot of room for interpretations and personal taste when giving star ratings. I think many things have to be taken into account.
1. History (so even though something like the SW Ridge of the Needle isn't the highest rock quality the history, adventure, length and prominent of the line bump it up a star or two)
2. Length and or continuous nature.
3. Rock quality
4. Esthetics and quality of the climbing
So, for something like the NW ridge of the thumb... It gets a star for ... more >>
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Location: NM : Albuquerque Area Climbing : Sandia Mountains : La Cueva Canyon, Upper : Yataghan : ... : Photo
By: Chris Wenker When: Sep 30, 2009 | view comment >> | Comments: Thanks for the comments Reed. The overall line as illustrated on this topo is pretty faithful to the way both Kline (1970) and Hill (1993) have the "Southeast Face" route described (although the last pitch on on Kline's photo is apparently misplotted). Your FA route truly sounds like it was off to the left, and may never have touched the current route.
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Location: NM : Albuquerque Area Climbing : Sandia Mountains : La Cueva Canyon, Upper : Yataghan : Southeast Face (5.7)
By: Chris Wenker When: Sep 30, 2009 | view comment >> | Comments: Thanks for the comments Reed; it's great to hear from one of the original artists.
The overall route as described here is pretty faithful to the way both Kline (1970) and Hill (1993) have it written up in their guidebooks. But it is very interesting to learn that the actual FA took a different line. The way you describe it sounds like it's somewhere between Hill's "East Face Variation" and "Blood on the Blade," or a combination of the two. Thanks for confirming that you went up fro... more >>
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Location: NM : Albuquerque Area Climbing : Sandia Mountains : La Cueva Canyon, Upper : The Thumb : North Summit Direct (5.8)
By: Daniel Trugman When: Sep 29, 2009 | view comment >> | Comments: Out of curiosity, John, what constitutes 4 stars in your book? Your description of a 3 star route sounds like my criteria for a 4 star route. Though I do make exceptions to this and give points for the adventure and experience of it (i.e SW Ridge of the Needle). I'm always interested in different criteria for quality ratings, and obviously there is no right answer.
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Location: NM : Albuquerque Area Climbing : Sandia Mountains : La Cueva Canyon, Upper : The Thumb : North Summit Direct (5.8)
By: Chris Wenker When: Sep 29, 2009 | view comment >> | Comments: John Kear wrote: "Three stars means a great route (ie unbelievable climbing, perfect stone, very esthetic)."
....and that's why you gave the Northwest Ridge three stars?
(just kidding).
I was thinking this line is 2.5 out of 4, so I rounded up. Yeah, it just depends on how you use the stars, I guess. You've seen the El Rito Trad star discussion, I'm sure.
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Location: NM : Albuquerque Area Climbing : Sandia Mountains : La Cueva Canyon, Upper : Chaos Crag
By: John Kear When: Sep 29, 2009 | view comment >> | Comments: Reed, any idea where your route on Chaos Crag went. I would love to resurrect a good multi-pitch 5.6-5.7.
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Location: NM : Albuquerque Area Climbing : Sandia Mountains : La Cueva Canyon, Upper : The Thumb : North Summit Direct (5.8)
By: John Kear When: Sep 29, 2009 | view comment >> | Comments: Wow, there seems to be a little discrepancy on the star ratings. Three stars means a great route (ie unbelievable climbing, perfect stone, very esthetic). I have a warm place in my heart for north summit direct, i've climbed it three times, but it is not three stars, IMO one at best.
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Location: NM : Albuquerque Area Climbing : Sandia Mountains : La Cueva Canyon, Upper : Chaos Crag : Edge of Chaos (5.11a)
By: mattb19 When: Sep 29, 2009 | view comment >> | Comments: I just wanted to add a little something to help people find the route. When you get to the base of the wall you will look up and see a big clean wall. Keep walking north dropping down a little and then hiking back uphill over large downed trees (stay up against the wall). As soon as you bushwhack through a few thorn bushes and the wall starts to look like its a bunch of broken up ledges you have found the route. We traversed in from the left side of a ledge. The last two pitches were money and t... more >>
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