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!
Aviary Ort Overhangs is the right-facing, right-cu...
Description
The guidebook "Sandia Rock" lists this one as "One of the best of its grade in the Sandias". I will have to go from the guidebook, and the comments of Monomaniac on this one. I will add more from personal experience later. Unfortunately, buddies and I were unable to finish this one. We started it on a beautiful fall day in October, setting out in tee shirts and shorts. Well, the route is north facing and in the cold all day. After freezing our butts off on the first pitch, we bailed, vowing to return another day. The route is beautiful, however, and I will give the last two pitches description from the guidebook (as I have not done them!)
Follow the approach directions to the base of an obvious crack system within a huge right-facing dihedral. Rope and rack there.
Pitch 1: Follow the dihedral (some loose rock, but hey, this is the Sandias!) up and through a slightly awkward slot (5.9) (I found that a #5 or #6 Camalot would fit great here, though I did not have one. Would take one next time though to protect this section better. Monomaniac suggested that a #4 Camelot fits as well) After moving through the slot, traverse right on face holds to a solid stainless steel two bolt anchor.
Pitch 2: Follow a nice-looking, right-arching dihedral. When you get to the point where the dihedral converts to roof, traverse right on poor gear, and clip a pin down at your feet. Move past the roof at your right (5.9). The book notes this section as "exciting for the 5.9 leader". Continue, dealing with the rope drag, to a ledge with another 2-bolt anchor. Note that it is “possible to get a 0 TCU and a 6 or 7 stopper above the fixed pin. This may be a wise alternative if you're concerned at all for the welfare of your second. Clipping the fixed pin would put the second in a precarious spot.” (Monomaniac)
Pitch 3: Cruise up a straight-in corner through some vegetation, working right over questionable, loose rock to the summit of The Thumb.
Note, as stated below by Monomaniac, that it “would be possible to rap after the 2nd pitch (with two 50m or longer ropes), and if you did, you wouldn't miss anything. However, the last pitch is really easy, the rock is solid and the gear is good, so there's no need to avoid it. If I were to do the route again, I would rather top out and hike down then carry a second rope all the way to the base of the Thumb.”
Protection
Pro: I took a double set up to #2, with one #3 and #4 Camalot. Would also recommend either a #5 or #6 (entirely optional and the below comment made me laugh my ass off. I guess I thought it would be than, but perhaps not) for the off-width slot on the first pitch (unsure of the others.)
(Noted by Monomaniac) “Props to whomever suckered me into lugging my #5 camalot all the way down to the Thumb. I used a #4 Camalot, but the big daddy wasn't necessary.”
I've heard people say that its best to rap after teh 2nd pitch. Any comments on this? Do you need two 50m ropes to rap from the top of the second pitch? Can it be rapped with one 60m rope? Or is the top-out not too bad?
Finally did this one on Sunday. To answer my own question, it would be possible to rap after the 2nd pitch (with two 50m or longer ropes), and if you did, you wouldn't miss anything. However, the last pitch is really easy, the rock is solid and the gear is good, so there's no need to avoid it. If I were to do the route again, I would rather top out and hike down then carry a second rope all the way to the base of the Thumb.
A few notes: The P1 and P2 belay anchors have been replaced with bomber SS bolts.
At the crux of P2 (the traverse right under the roof), its possible to get a 0 TCU and a 6 or 7 stopper above the fixed pin. This may be a wise alternative if you're concerned at all for the welfare of your second. Clipping the fixed pin would put the second in a precarious spot. To put it another way, if I were climbing with my brother, I would clip the pin. In this case, I was climbing with my girlfriend, and since I wanted her to continue being my girlfriend, and continue climbing with me, I chose not to clip the pin.
When I see "5.9 Slot" on a topo, my 'cojones' generally start to retract into my chest cavity, with thoughts of the Steck-Salathe, the Harding Slot, Hollow Flake, etc. However, there's virtually no Chimney/OW climbing on this route. There's a 5 foot section of OW below the P1 belay, but its really mellow for "5.9OW". Mostly this section is ascended via good crimps.
Props to whomever suckered me into lugging my #5 camalot all the way down to the Thumb. I used a #4 Camalot, but the big daddy wasn't necessary.
I thought this was really good, but not as good as Emerald City, which is IMHO, the best 5.9 in the Sandias.
By Jason Halladay From: Los Alamos, NM Jul 2, 2007 rating: 5.10-
A very enjoyable and sustained route that stays shaded and cool even in mid summer because the dihedral is so large. The #4 BD cam was nice for the slot section and again early in the second pitch. I found the move right around the roof on the second pitch to be very strenuous and delicate. Did I miss something somewhere? Felt a bit tough for the 5.9 rating.
Great climb, second pitch was one of the best I have done in the Sandia's so far.
The 5.9 slot was by far the crux for me. I first tried to face climb around it, then chimney it, and finally like a true sport climber just laid it back. There is a nice stance below the slot to downclimb to and figure out your options. The #4 camalot protected it fine, however if you want above your head pro, take something larger.
I skipped the pin as well on the second pitch, and placed small pro from a good stance under the roof, a small C3, and a small nut. Coming around the roof didn't feel bad at all, easy 5.9 or so, but slightly powerful on good holds.
I disliked the third pitch, but I think I went the wrong way increasing the amount of shrubbery I had to deal with.
The Thumb
RSS Feed
