Welcome to the New Mexico section of Mountain Project!
The contributions that are made to this site are greatly appreciated; this site is made up of an awesome community of users that make the site what it is.
Although there is very little information regarding “rules” for submitting climbing areas and routes to this site, the New Mexico Administers all agree that the following guidelines may be helpful to truly make this site go “Beyond the Guidebook”.
1) Don’t be a jerk (this one states the obvious). 2) Route and area submissions should truly be helpful to those out climbing. Before posting, you should have some first hand experience actually climbing the route. This always results in a much more useful description. 3) Please, please, please… Don’t copy route descriptions directly out of guidebooks, online publications, etc. This is plagiarism! Remember, BEYOND the guidebook! 4) Please use the spell check and make an effort to use correct grammar.
Again, the Mountainproject community truly appreciates the efforts taken to make good route descriptions. If you feel that a route or area description is not up to standard, a brief email to one of the area admins for suggestions on improvement will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you for taking the time to make the New Mexico section of Mountain Project quality! We look forward to seeing you out there!
Description
Tostadas con Questa is likely the easiest of the climbs on the main portion of Questa Dome. Still it is not to be taken lightly, with a runout crux over 1/4" bolts and some other tricky sections, like every climb at Questa. Some people don't like this climb too much considering that other alternative climbs at Questa are especially good.
Pitch 1: Follow easy cracks right of the big right-leaning right facing corner on the east end of the main face. (5.6) Belay in the corner below the first stepped roof.
Pitch 2: This pitch follows clean slabs to the right of the main dihedral. Climb up to the roof, undercling and traverse right. Climb up to the 2nd roof, undercling and traverse right and head up to a 2 bolt chain anchor (visible from below) below a steep slab. Excellent climbing with unique moves on this pitch (5.9+). These 1st 2 pitches can be combined with a 60m rope if you pay attention to avoid rope drag.
Pitch 3: Climb clean slab straight up (potential to fall onto belay), passing 2 old 1/4" bolts to a diagonaling seam (crux, 5.10b PG13; I think the bolts are good, but if you don't you'll think it's R). It's a little spacey between the bolts. When you reach the seam, small wired stoppers provide pro. Follow this seam up and right and over a bulge until it opens to a hand crack, which has a tricky 5.10- section with another 1/4" bolt (which you can supplement with gear). Reach a stance belay with some webbing and rap rings. A variation of these last two pitches stays in the right-leaning crack and bypasses the previous belay station- this variation looks bushy.
Pitch 4: Continue up the right angling crack to a big alcove below the obvious roof. Short pitch (5.8). You can continue a little higher and find a more awkward belay if you want to.
Pitch 5: Follow cracks out to the right, bypassing the big roof, until the cracks appear to end in an overhanging slot. Step left on a ledge about 15' below this slot, pull through on steep chickenheads and plates (5.9, PG13). Belay soon up ahead. Easy 5th class on big knobs to the top.
Walk off the east side. If you're thinking of downclimbing, keep walking uphill and north to get to the faint trail.
Location
Tostadas begins just right of the obvious right facing corner near the right side of Questa Dome. It follows slabs and cracks that angle to the right from this feature.
Protection
Cams up to #4 camalot, with doubles from fingers to thin hands sizes, plus nuts. Long runners and/or double ropes highly recommended to minimize rope drag. Most bolts on this climb are 1/4" originals; if those scare you- bring a hand drill and upgrade them!
Questa Dome
RSS Feed
