| South Rock |
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| | Some rocks in this area are on private property. Property owner requests signed waiver. MORE INFO >>>
The remainder are on US Forest Service land. A map detailing the public areas can be obtained from the ranger station en route to the rocks from the village of Tres Piedras.
According to Jan Studebaker: "The property line runs from approximately the current east corner by the access gate in a straight line over the top of South Rock to the top middle of the Chicken Heads/Mosaic Wall mount, and from there west down the mount slope to the meadow just south of the Alley climbs. Some of the most popular routes are completely on private property. There are survey markers on the top of South rock (the mysterious aluminum stake stuck in the rock) and on top of the Mosaic rock (most of the time buried in water in a pot hole.)"
A new online Tres Piedras Route Guide from LA Mountaineers has been updated with the latest access information, and should be read by all Tres Piedras climbers. Group climb leaders, and Climbing Directors (future or past) should take particular note. From the guide:
Access Notes: Tres Piedras climbers should sign the waiver found on this page because the popular South Rock is mostly on private land, as is some of the access to the area. The landowner, requests a waiver, NO fires, no chalk and "please close any gates".
In order to nurture greater landowner acceptance of climbers, participants of group climbs are requested to organize quick clean up activities before leaving the area; this should include the climbing area as well as the access roads (trip leaders could supply plastic grocery bags). Small parties should practice "leave no trace" principles.
On August 19, 2009 the landowner stated: "Yes I still own the property, and yes I'd still like to have waivers on hand - even or perhaps especially from your organization. Only once in awhile do I have problems with climbers, mostly not picking up after themselves. My biggest gripe is that despite repeated requests, the climbers don't remove protection (edit: colored webbing, shiny hardware) from the climbing routes, which is both lazy and unattractive. Your organization could do me a big favor by doing a group climb and removing the crap that others have left on the various routes so that it is both a pristine part of the landscape, and so that each climber must figure out his own route without relying on the handiwork of others."
This information is a public crowdsourcing effort between the Access Fund,
and Mountain Project.
You should confirm closures, restrictions, and/or related dates.
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Keeping climbing areas open and conserving the climbing environment
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The south face of South Rock.
Description Several quality routes of "moderate" difficulty (5.8 to 5.11-) ascend this prominent formation.
Getting There South Rock is the first rock encountered walking north from the parking area.
Descent You can rappel down either the north or the south side rappels with a single 60m rope (~28m rappel for either way).
A nasty walkoff/downclimb exists on the east end of the rock (don't do it).
The ClassicsMountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for South Rock:
Featured Route For South Rock
Zig Zag Man 5.9 NM : Taos Area : ... : South Rock
An exciting lead for my first time at Tres Piedras! Though it felt a little run-out for my standards—perhaps not so bad for Tres Piedras standards. Not to mention I was just getting used to this type of climbing after not being on it for some time. Rope up at the base of a right facing dihedral that arches up and right. This is a bomber crack with readily available protection. Follow the crack up and right until it connects with another crack that goes straight up and over a roof. Once gaining ... [more] Browse More Classics in NM
By Bill Lawry
From: New Mexico
Aug 15, 2011
| Can use the easy-to-find anchors at the top of Surface Tension to rap off the NW end of South Rock into a slot / gully with a HUGE chockstone. A 70 meter rope can get you just downhill of the chockstone. The description of Surface Tension reports that a 60 meter will just make it being careful first to find the center of the rope - watch your ends! - probably lands you uphill of the HUGE chockstone after which it appears you can tunnel around the chockstone if that's the direction you are heading. |
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