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Bear Mountain Picnic Massacre (Original 5.8)
5.8 YDS 5b French 16 Ewbanks VI- UIAA 15 ZA HVS 4c British
Avg: 3.1 from 45
votes
Routes in The Legs
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Bear Mountain Picnic Massacre (Original 5.8) T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c |
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Full Repertoire, The T 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b |
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No Questa About It T 5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a |
| Type: | Trad, 310 ft (94 m), 3 pitches |
| FA: | Jay Foley, Paul Judges, Donna Longo and Joaquin Kline |
| Page Views: | 9,341 total · 45/month |
| Shared By: | Mike Howard on Nov 1, 2007 · Updates |
| Admins: | Mike Howard, Jason Halladay, Mike Hoskins, Anna Brown |
Access Issue: Seasonal Raptor Nesting
Details
Raptor awareness is especially important during nesting season from mid-February to late May but needs to be considered through the end of August. Please report disturbed and/or nesting raptors to the Carson National Forest the appropriate district office (see below) and share relevant information here on MP. Human-raptor encounters can have negative impacts for the birds and climbers in the area. The Cason NF wants to maintain climbing access while protecting raptor reproduction and relies on climbers to recreate responsibly and share information in order to avoid the need for formal raptor closures.
Questa Ranger District
(575) 586-0520
Camino Real (Comales Canyon) Ranger District
(575) 587-2255
Tres Piedras Ranger District
(575) 758-8678
El Rito Ranger District
(575) 581-4554
Description
Pitch 1 (5.7) - Climb starts at cairned slab. The belay stance is in an alcove on a narrow ledge. Rope-up below small tree and stay on slab left of gully to large tree with slings (1st belay) or pass this small tree, climb 10' more to a two-bolt anchor (no rings/chain, just two bolts/hangers.)
Pitch 2 (5.7 or 5.10) - From here you can continue left on 5.7 slab to a gear anchor (#2 camalot and a bigger nut work great) on a sloping, nice ledge at the base of wall (pass 2nd tree with slings - this tree is 61 meters from the starting ledge). The other choice (preferred) climbs up right from the first belay to a bolted 5.10 slab.
Pitch 3 (5.8) - The 3rd pitch is stellar. Bring adequate runners for slinging chicken heads. Three choices on the finish. The standard goes direct into the short steep cleft with a finger to hand sized cam protecting the final 5.8 moves. Other finishes go left on 5.7 unprotectable slab with wild exposure or right into the loose gully (5.5) to the flat top with a big tree with slings on it. One of the best 5.8 trad pitches anywhere.
"The top pitch of the Five Eight Variant was pure magic, dramatis, steep and yet with superb holds" Sir Chris Bonnington.
Pitch 4 (5.8) - The original BMPM route ended at a bolted belay/rappel anchor at the top of pitch 3. But do yourself a favor and climb one more 40m pitch to the summit of the Questa Flatiron. Instead of stopping at the belay/rappel anchors at the top of pitch 3, continue up to the large tree with slings on it. From the big tree with slings, climb up a short slab with a finger crack to reach the ridge. Climb left along the ridge staying on the ridge proper or just to the left. Clip a single bolt protecting an airy, thin move to a huge, round hueco. Cruise great chicken heads to the summit. From the summit, do a 40' rap off a bolted anchor down into the gully behind the summit and walk back down to your packs at the base. See the "Descent" section below.
Location
Trailhead: N36°47.8597 W105° 32.8762
Descent
Double-rope descent
Per Chris Wenker:
A 2-bolt anchor with chains at the top of P3 allows for a 2-rope rap (145' according to Foley) to the slung tree on P2. This slung tree may occasionally need tat removal/replacement, and has a screw-link and a locking biner. Another 2-rope rap from here (minimum 165' according to Foley) takes you to the base of the climb. 60m ropes will set you down exactly where you started, with no rope to spare.
Single rope descent (with one more pitch of great climbing)
Per Jason Halladay:
A great way to finish this route (and avoid the double-rope rappels descent) is to climb one more pitch of 5.8 to finish on the summit of the Questa Flatiron via the last bit of the Questa Flatiron Original Route.
To do this, move the belay from the top of the BMPM route to the tree with slings on the top of the Legs. Then climb fun cracks and the wild arête to the top of the Questa Flatiron. A short 40' rappel off the summit and into the gully on the backside of the flatiron affords you a nice, swift walk off in gullies to the west and then south back to the approach trail. With this descent, there's no need to climb with two ropes.
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