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Styx
New Mexico
> Santa Fe Area
> Diablo Canyon
Access Issue: Access Issue for Areas in BLM Taos Field Office Lands
Details
Per the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Taos Field Office's ( blm.gov/office/taos-field-o…) 2012 Taos Resource Management Plan (RMP) ( bit.ly/2Kab3HO), "Installation of new rock climbing routes or hardware will require pre-approval by the BLM." The RMP is the document that guides all the BLM management in a given field office. Climbers are asked to respect this guidance and not install new bolts or fixed hardware on Taos Field Office BLM land without pre-approval from the BLM. NM CRAG ( nmcrag.org/) is currently working with the BLM Taos Field Office to establish specific guidance for new route development in the district and they hope to have a formal process in the near future.
A warm, south-facing basalt area just beyond the Solar Cave area that offers enjoyable, easier traditional routes up nice crack, columns and small dihedrals. The features resemble those of Devils Tower, Wyoming but on a *much* smaller and less steep scale.
All climbs here have two-bolt anchors.
Multiple lines exist on this face so get creative and have fun as the climbing never gets too hard.
Getting There
Park at the main Diablo Canyon parking area. Hike down the sandy wash towards the Rio Grande passing the Winter Wall and Solar Cave areas and look for anchor bolts on the right wall five feet off the ground. These low anchor bolts are used for cave rescues and are located between climbs Elysian Fields and Phlegethon's Ripple.
[Hide Comment] This is a good place for a beginning trad leader. Very accessible and good protection for most of the climbs. As usual for Diablo, watch for loose rock.
Jan 5, 2008
[Hide Comment] (Much like hell...) Styx bakes in the sun in the summer; but is shaded in the winter as the sun is too low in the sky and blocked by cliffs.
Denny Newell told me he and friends did some lines in this area in the early '90s, but he forgot which lines, exactly and I guess they didn't put any anchors in so I don't know if they were the same or not. [see below comment].
Jan 7, 2008
[Hide Comment] Newell et. al. placed none of the anchors in the area. Beverly named four of the routes with the guidebook because they needed a name.
Mar 6, 2009
[Hide Comment] I agree this is a good venue for a new trad leader. Most of the protection is extremely straightforward, especially if you have cams.
I also believe this is one of the best places at Diablo to bring beginners for some top roping. If you think it's worth dragging some gear down here, your top roping friends will have a blast.
For what it's worth I have never placed a cam larger than a #1 C4 here, so you don't need to bring a big rack. In fact a double set of cams from very small (purple TCU) to #1 C4 will suffice. You don't need to bring nuts (unless you want to of course). Likewise if you are more adept and motivated than I, you could probably get away with a rack of small to large nuts instead.
Due to potential (but somewhat rare) loose rock I always bring a helmet for kids, or adults who want it.
As George hinted at above, this area is best in spring and fall.
Apr 28, 2009
Access Issue: Access Issue for Areas in BLM Taos Field Office Lands
Details
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Bozeman, MT
The Dungeon, NM
Denny Newell told me he and friends did some lines in this area in the early '90s, but he forgot which lines, exactly and I guess they didn't put any anchors in so I don't know if they were the same or not. [see below comment]. Jan 7, 2008
Colorado Springs, or Santa Fe
Albuquerque, NM
I also believe this is one of the best places at Diablo to bring beginners for some top roping. If you think it's worth dragging some gear down here, your top roping friends will have a blast.
For what it's worth I have never placed a cam larger than a #1 C4 here, so you don't need to bring a big rack. In fact a double set of cams from very small (purple TCU) to #1 C4 will suffice. You don't need to bring nuts (unless you want to of course). Likewise if you are more adept and motivated than I, you could probably get away with a rack of small to large nuts instead.
Due to potential (but somewhat rare) loose rock I always bring a helmet for kids, or adults who want it.
As George hinted at above, this area is best in spring and fall. Apr 28, 2009