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| Elevation: | 6,947 ft | 2,117 m |
| GPS: |
36.40589, -105.574 Google Map · Climbing Area Map |
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| Page Views: | 981,884 total · 4,481/month | |
| Shared By: | Jay Foley on Oct 4, 2006 | |
| Admins: | Mike Howard, Jason Halladay, Mike Hoskins, Anna Brown |
Town of Taos and Surrounding Area
Taosenos enjoy a diverse topography spanning from the basalt crags of the Rio Grande Gorge (John Dunn Bridge Area, Dead Cholla Wall, Miner's Crag, Utopian Vistas, Vista Verde Crag, Wild and Scenic, from about 5500 to 7000 ft) to the pristine granite of Tres Piedras or Questa Dome, the metamorphic rocks of Comales Canyon (up to 10,000 ft.) and the cobble conglomerate of El Rito all within a reasonable drive from one of the oldest continually inhabited communities in the U.S. Bring your sense of adventure and independence (as well as your rack, rod, boat, bike and skis/board) and get lost in the expanse. Gradual development and expansion of local crags has added a variety of new sport and trad pitches in the area surrounding Taos.
The geology of the Rio Grande Box is largely volcanic. Olivine tholeiite basalt forms the three main layers of the Servilleta Basalt. The middle basalt unit is separated from the upper and lower tiers by layers of sediment forming the benches. These horizontal basalt layers of dark-gray, pahoehoe (ropey), vesicular (air pocketed) lava compose the main climbing walls in the gorge (Vista Verde, Utopian Vistas, Dead Cholla, John Dunn area, Horse Thief, etc.). The rock we climb in the upper Box area of the Wild and Scenic is more dense, can be red to light brown and was not from the lateral Servilleta flow. These remnants of volcanic plugs are more appropriately termed dacite, and it may contain crystal inclusions known as phenocrysts. The middle box or La Junta section has several examples of swirled volcanic rock from old low relief dacite volcanos. Miners' crag is a nice example. The wall across from Miners' is also a remnant.
Season: Year-round. Hit the sunny, sheltered Rio Grande Gorge on winter mornings (most cliffs face east) or on afternoons in the warmer months. In high summer, find cooler temps at Tres Piedras, Questa Dome, El Rito, and Comales Canyon
Disclaimer: As Lew Wallace once said: "Every calculation based on experience elsewhere, fails in New Mexico", and that may be doubly true for Taos. (Therefore climbing is dangerous, BETA is just that, use your own judgment, blah, blah ...). Oh, and if you are wondering, "Taos" rhymes with "house".
Photo: Jay Foley working "Letting Go" in the Bat Cave. Photo by Bob D'Antonio
Local Climbing Resources
Guide Service - Mountain Skills climbingschoolusa.com/index…
Shops- Mudd N Flood 134 Bent Street Taos, NM 87571 (505)751-9100
Guidebook: Taos Rock: Climbs and Boulders of Northern New Mexico. Author:Jay Foley Publisher: Sharp End Publishing, 2005
and/or Rock Climbing New Mexico (Regional Rock Climbing Series) by Dennis Jackson
http://www.taosvacationguide.com/
http://www.taospueblo.com/
Cycling Resources
Guidebook;dq=Taos+mountain+Biking&printsec=frontcover&source=in&hl=en&ei=bA8TSre9PJzytAOosbHkDQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=11
South Boundry Trail;trail_name=South%20Boundary%20Trail%20Mountain%20Bike%20Trail
Hospital/Medical Care
Holy Cross Hospital
Holy Cross Hospital
1397 Weimer Road
Taos, New Mexico 87571
Phone: 575-758-8883
South of Town. Turn East on Canon Bypass (look for Chevron at corner of Paseo Del Pueblo and Canon Bypass). About 1/2 mile to 2nd round-about for Weimer Road turn Right (South) to Hospital (Approx 1 mile)
Taos Search and Rescue
High Angle Unit: contact 911 and ask for State Police to dispatch TSAR (Directo: Richard McCracken of the Direct Northwest Face on Half Dome, 5.10 A3+ VI 5.13c/d. FA 1963 with Royal Robbins. 1963 Robbins Route, Mount Proboscis, Logan Mountains, NWT, Canada with Jim McCarthy, Layton Kor and Royal Robbins. 1964 North Face Mount Hooker, Wind River Range, Wyoming, USA. With Royal Robbins and Charlie Raymond)
Eats: The World Cup Cafe, on the Taos Plaza, has the best espresso in town. In Arroyo Seco, the Taos Cow is the place for java, lunchables, and ice cream. For muy delicioso New Mexican fare, Orlando’s, in north Taos, serves some of the state’s best chile (say, “Go Christmas,” when ordering, for half-green and half-red). Willing to spend a little more? Check out The Love Apple, built in an old, chapel just east of Taos and serving fresh, locally grown, mouthwatering meals (try the quesadilla with egg). Doc Martin's in the Taos Inn is a must for breakfast or dinner. Ask Bob D'antonio for his recommendations for a meal or climb, he manages the place.
Camping: Most crags have camping on National Forest and BLM land. Particularly primo are the improved Orilla Verde Recreation Area campgrounds, right along the Rio Grande —$7 per night, blm.gov/nm, (575) 751-4899. Hot showers and check with the camp host if you can use the hottub. blm.gov/nm/st/en/prog/recre…
Lodging: Why rough it when you can stay in a lux adobe? Donna Longo, Jay Foley’s wife, rents two vacation homes in Arroyo Seco: Casa Seco and Casita Seco, both on an acre of pasture overlooking the Taos Valley. Prices vary according to season and number of people — climbtaos.com/rental.html, (575) 776-2222. Or enjoy the mountain air below El Salto peak at walkingrainguesthouse.com. The iconic Abominable Snowmansion, in Arroyo Seco, offers private and dormitory-style rooms, teepees, and camping — snowmansion.com, (575) 776-8298.
Rest-Day Activities: World-class fly fishing on the Cimarron and Rio Grande, as well as kayaking and rafting on class 2 to 5 rapids; marinate in mineral water at Ojo Caliente hot springs, about an hour southeast Taos; unwind with massage or yoga (Foley recommends amaniyoga.com, [575] 776-8075); hike or bike the myriad mountain trails; ski Taos Ski Valley; go fly fishing thesolitaryangler.com, or visit Taos Pueblo, home to about 150 Taos Indians. First built more than 1,000 years ago, this World Heritage Site is the oldest continuously inhabited community in the United States — taospueblo.com, (575) 758-1028.
Getting to Taos
From Arizona: I-40 WEST to Albuquerque; I-25 to Santa Fe; Hwy. 285 to Hwy. 68 to Taos.
From Denver: I-25 to Colorado Springs to Walsenburg; Hwy. 160 to Fort Garland; Hwy. 159 and Hwy. 522 to Taos.
From Texas: I-40 EAST to Albuquerque; I-25 to Santa Fe; Hwy. 285 to Hwy. 68 to Taos.
Driving Distances / Approximate Times to Taos
Albuquerque 135 mi. / 2:15
Amarillo 302 mi / 5:00
Dallas 682 mi / 11:00
Denver 300 mi / 5:00
Durango 208 mi / 3:30
Phoenix 568 mi / 8:30
Santa Fe 72 mi / 1:15
Ernest Blumensheim, founder of the Taos Society of Artists documented his own love of the topography
Classic Climbing Routes at Taos Area
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