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best 5.13s in NM

Original Post
Off Route · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 240

The homepage only lists Goliath and Catdaddy as classic 13s. Since I have already fallen off those routes numerous times, I was wondering what are the favorite routes so that I can have more diversity in the routes from which I fall.

Shirtless Mike · · Denver, CO · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 5,839

Hey Eric,

For best 13's around ABQ:
Sinister Dane 13b (Socorro) I thought this one was really good, with alot of variety.
Ride the Lightening 13b (Socorro) Has broken since I did it, the hold I used is no longer there. I've heard that other people used different beta. May not be quite as classic as others.
Mastadont, Survival of the Fittest, Native Rituals 13a-b(Diablo). Depending on your style you may like one of these. Native rituals being the most techy to Mastandont being the most powerful. All are about the same quality.
Loose Cannon, Death Drives A Stick 13b (Dungeon) Both are really hard but quite fun. Better routes than Dragonslayer IMO.

Cochiti Eagle Canyon, Handsome Parish Lady looks pretty awesome and was unaffected by the fire.

Outside of ABQ: The Shady side of the Tunnel has many sweet 13's. Jerk Off 13a is one that I thought was really fun. There are many other 13- that might not be quite as classic. Doug, Rebecca, Guchi, Pipsqueak.

The best place for 13's in NM is Last Chance. Anything in the Solstice Cave or on Mad Cow wall is likely to be pretty good. For Jug hauling check out the Solstice Cave (It put's the buff on, Infernal Justice) For more technical clean limestone see Mad Cow (Bubbles, Black Plague).

I've never climbed any of the harder routes at the Taos Bat Cave, but some of those may be good.

Also John Kear's route at the TorC Bat Cave was great. Talk to him to see if it's open yet.

A while back I made a graph attempting to compare the crux difficulty vs the Endurance Aspect of NM 13's. Gives an idea of how different routes stack up in difficulty at least.

Comparision of NM Routes
In case it isn't clear, I've tried but haven't sent the routes listed in Red.

Shirtless Mike · · Denver, CO · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 5,839

Sinister Dane - While not the world's greatest rock I really enjoyed the variety of movement and cruxes. Has both overhanging jug hauling and super technical.
Jerk Off - Good Rock with some cool tufa like holds, and a sweet power endurance sprint to the anchors. From the time you get to the first bolt, until the anchors it is on, with only one marginal rest.
Goliath - While the climbing is only good to me, the position and length make this one a classic.

1Eric Rhicard · · Tucson · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 10,101

Nice Graph DTP.

Shirtless Mike · · Denver, CO · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 5,839

Didn't mean to kill this thread. Come on New Mexico what are your favorites?

ian watson · · Sandia park, NM · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 235

I think there are some at gilman tunnels in jemez, but I climb no where near that level so your on your own, but the area is cool. mountainproject.com/v/gilma…

Edit to add: Cough (spray) cough!

Shirtless Mike · · Denver, CO · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 5,839

In this day and age does climbing 5.13 even count as spray? Ondra's onsighting 14+ and kids are climbing 14 and V13. So while climbing 5.13 may be a great personal accomplishment it doesn't mean much in today's world of climbing.

J Q · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2012 · Points: 50

It's not spray, it's just offensive to the weak willed mediocrity that we are!

How about this:

Ride the lightening sucks ass.

Cochiti mesa sucks too.

Solstice Cave is awesome as long as it does not fall down and the weather is ok, which is possibly and never.

I love the climbing in NM!

Actually, I am just flabbergasted that you have climbed so many routes so quickly, good job my man! Why am I so weak?

The real question is why not ask you dircetly what climb is best caus... I can tell when you are full of crap in person, and your chart is . . . too confusing for the weak minded like myself.

Me . . . I say which ever 5.13 you can get your fat ass up.

Was Jerk Off really that good? I want to know.

That is all.

Shirtless Mike · · Denver, CO · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 5,839

I got a good laugh out of your Solstice Cave comment. I've been trying to get back down there this fall, but hurricane type winds are forecast for most of the time.

Jerk Off is good, but it's still only 3 stars. Climb it after someone else has already taken the time to brush it down. It's also only 35 ft tall with only 20 moves through the business. It's really similar in style to Mastadont, so if you liked that one, you may like it.

Paul Winkler · · San Mateo, CA · Joined Mar 2010 · Points: 265

I feel the need to warn everyone about DTP's star system. You can usually subtract a minimum of one star from his suggestion for the average climber. The thing about DTP is that he is SO PSYCHED on climbing that as long as the literal fear of death wasn't instilled in him via the climb he would give it at least one star.

Also, Gilman Tunnels is a shit hole.

LeeAB Brinckerhoff · · Austin, TX · Joined Aug 2008 · Points: 10,288
Sheldon Deeny wrote:Nobody has mentioned Sitting Bull Falls?
The 2, 5.13's at Sitting Bull are quite good. However if you are breaking into the grade, I personally feel that Custer's Last Stand is pretty hard for the grade, harder than any of the other routes mentioned so far for sure and the other, Kootenai Cruiser is 5.13+.

Though going down and trying to do all 3 of the 5.12+'s in a weekend would be good training for being able to send a 5.13 somewhere.

Brototype wrote: Also, Gilman Tunnels is a shit hole.
I would tend to disagree, at least in relation to Dough Boy, I thought the route was quite good actually 10-15 moves of V4 or V5 in a row.
LeeAB Brinckerhoff · · Austin, TX · Joined Aug 2008 · Points: 10,288

Eric, you could always just jump off of every route you get on before you reach the anchor if you are really just looking for diversity in the routes you fall off of...

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Arizona & New Mexico
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