PRINT: Rock Climb Bear Mountain Picnic Massacre (Original 5.8), Taos Area

Bear Mountain Picnic Massacre (Original 5.8)

5.8, Trad, 310 ft (94 m), 3 pitches,

Avg: 3.1 from 45 votes
FA: Jay Foley, Paul Judges, Donna Longo and Joaquin Kline
New Mexico > Taos Area > Questa Dome > Legs

Access Issue: Seasonal Raptor Nesting Details

This climbing area is shared with raptors that nest on the cliffs. Help us maintain access and please avoid climbing near active nests/ledges that raptors are using. If a raptor is disturbed during nesting season it may exhibit aggressive defensive behaviors like vocalizing or dive-bombing. If you witness this behavior, retreat from your climb immediately and find a location on a different formation or a different part of the wall far enough away from the raptors that they are no longer noticeably agitated. If they remain agitated, then please leave the area immediately.
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

An excellent description is already published in Jay's Book.
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

Approach as for Questa Dome but turn left and work way uphill about 50 ft. prior to finally reaching stream. Walk between boulders on faint climber trail to base of Legs (of El Oso).

Trailhead: N36°47.8597 W105° 32.8762

Protection

Standard rack, few extra runners for slingin' necks.

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.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Sir Chris Bonington,third pitch,BMPM. FoleyPhoto

Wes on P2

Ben heading up the Flatiron Finish. Amazing extra pitch to the route!

Climbers on the "money pitch" of BMPM. July 2013.

Bear Mountain Picnic Massacre (Original 5.8), The Legs, Questa Dome, NM. Sorry I couldn't frame in the beginning of Pitch 1.

Heading up the Excellent but optional 5.10 second pitch variation which I highly recommended.

The last pitch of Bear Mountain Picnic Massacre. Elephant Ears!

Tip-toeing up the steep, featured edge of pitch 3. August 2018.

The optional but highly recommended fourth pitch from the top of BMPM to the summit of the Questa Flatiron climbs the wildly exposed ridge/arete to great chickenheads. August 2018.

Belay at the top of pitch 2 standing on the nice ledge. Pitch 3 starts to the right of the photo and follows the face on the right of the arete shown in photo

Top of pitch 2 on the nice ledge looking down on pitch 2. You can see the large tree with tat that can be rapped or used as another belay station. You can also see our blue bags at the base near th…

The hand crack just before the second belay

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Bowe Ellis
Taos, NM

5.7

Peronally I think the crux is the move around the bulge on pitch 1, which is 5.7 with so-so pro. The final pitch is steep, the pro is pretty much all slinging of chickenheads, and there's the amazing airy step-around to get onto the headwall... but the climbing is so bloody easy. I give the final pitch a 5.7 with a + for airiness. Without a doubt the last pitch makes the climb. Jun 17, 2008

Chris Wenker
Santa Fe

5.8-

The descriptions here and in Foley are just vague enough to keep the routefinding spicy (which is, of course, the nature of backcountry climbing). But, I did waste a fair amount of time puzzling out the bottom pitches, which are brushy and sort of convoluted. If you want a few more tidbits of beta for the 5.8 route, read on. If you don't, then don't read on.

The cairned climbers' trail takes you to a ledge at the base of a slab, with a rock fin behind you; the fin pinches into the slab farther to the left. P1 starts on this ledge, in the crack system immediately left of the 2" diameter tree at about eye level. Foley and MP.com suggest P1 is a 'slab', but this is not strictly slab (i.e., friction) climbing (which caused me some confusion in identifying the start of P1). You actually follow the vertical cracks and fissures up and left of the tiny tree for a while before getting to the bulge. Above the corner system, you pass a 6" diameter bent tree (maybe this used to have slings on it?) and then another little sapling, and just past that is a decent stance for a semi-hanging belay on gear (or, if I understand Foley correctly, he says you can try to make it to the slung rappel tree up higher? but that seems like it would be a real rope-stretcher even with 60m).

On P2, get to the big slung rappel-station tree and continue up, not 45' right as directed by Foley. ~30' up, and then ~30' right will take you to the expansive sloping belay ledge at the left edge of the arete. Gear anchor here.

P3 is straightforward once you find the base of the arete. Beware, if you wander left near the top, it gets thin and runout (scary fun!).

Descent: A 2-bolt anchor at the top of P3 sports a bunch of tat slings and cord (and a screw-link that I backed up with a locking biner). Plan for possibly having to replace some sling. A 2-rope rap (145' according to Foley) takes you to the slung tree on P2. This slung tree may also 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. 60 m ropes will set you down exactly where you started, with no rope to spare. Oct 4, 2008

Minesh Bacrania

5.7+

The excellent final pitch does make the climb. More chickenheads than you can shake a sling at!

I'd say that the crux involved protecting and getting into the final finger/hand crack.

I think it could be done in two pitches (i.e. same way as the rappel). It would probably be a good test of your rope management skills, though. May 9, 2009

Jay Foley

As described in Taos Rock the second pitch climbs the Quality 5.10 bolted slab to the thin hand crack below the ledge.This makes for a much better outing. If you climb 5.10 there is no reason to turn this climb into the lesser quality 5.7 described above. Feb 6, 2010

Daniel Trugman
Reno, NV

Thanks for the info, Jay. Are the bolts relatively new or of the old 1/4 inch variety? Feb 7, 2010

Jay Foley

Q of B is The area classic, and of course a better route. However, if your looking for a shorter/easier 5.10 this route is MUCH more appealing if you climb the 5.10 on the second pitch.It gives up some great friction moves, an exiting mantle and a short crack as well! Really no reason to avoid this pitch if you are climbing at the grade. And yes, the bolts are fine. you may want to Bring a 48" runner to sling the plate after the 3rd and final bolt on this pitch. Have Fun! Feb 8, 2010

Paul Drakos

I agree with Jay's recommendation that you climb the 5.10 var. on the second pitch. It is great 5.10 thin face climbing, well-protected with 3/8" bolts, with a nice finish up the finger/thin-hands crack to the belay ledge. I'm not sure about the long runner - once you latch onto the plate above the last bolt, you are probably not coming off. Overall an excellent route when you want a shorter day than on Questa Dome. Spectacular setting. Sep 30, 2010

Jason Halladay
Los Alamos, NM

5.7

A great way to finish this route (and avoid the PITA double-rope rappels) is to climb one more pitch of 5.8 to finish on Questa Flatiron Original Route. To do this, move the belay from the top of the route to the tree with slings on the top of the Legs. Then climb fun cracks and the wild arete to the top of the Questa Flatiron. A short 45' rappel off the summit and into the gully affords you a nice, swift walk off. No need to climb with two ropes on BMPM. Oct 9, 2013

Greg Gaskin
Fresno, CA

Just climbed this yesterday. Third pitch is a gem: easy climbing, big holds, great exposure. There is a nice 2-bolt anchor above the tree at the end of the first pitch. Rappelling down from the slung tree, we were able to reach the ledge described by Chris at the beginning of the first pitch with 2 (stretchy) 60m ropes with about 10ft to spare. Apr 25, 2014

Kenan

5.8

I wanted to second Jason Halladay's recommendation to finish on Questa Flatiron for another stellar pitch of 5.8 climbing and a single rope rappel to a walk-off descent. This final pitch up the Questa Flatiron has amazing exposure and really tops off the experience. And not having to mess with double-rope rappels or multiple rappels is a nice bonus.

Thanks for that recommendation Jason! Jul 5, 2016

Jason Halladay
Los Alamos, NM

5.7

Angela L wrote:We didn't finish via the Questa Flatiron P3 route because we were concerned with the gulley being snowed in.Does anyone know if it is possible to rappel down from the summit of Flatiron onto P3 of BMPM?

I haven't done it but I think you'd need two 60m ropes and the rappel would be off-camber with potential of a big swing if you didn't stay in control. Given my recollection up there, I wouldn't recommend it. Apr 12, 2017

Chris Kodey

5.8-

Thought the bulge on pitch 1 was definitely the crux of the climb. Going around the arete for the start of pitch 3 is quite exhilarating, all in all a fun route!

Alternate Single-Rope descent: If you can't complete the flatiron (per Jason Halladay's recommendation) it's possible to rap down from the top of BMPM to the base of the flatiron and then hike down. Rap down the west side of BMPM (towards the flatiron) from the tree with slings to another tree with slings. Then it's another short rap and scramble to the base of the flatiron and exit gully. Hike to the top of the ridge where the cairns are and descend down the flatiron approach trail. Oct 30, 2017

Brett Holman
New Mexico

With a 70m rope, you can climb P1 to the "big tree" (past the small tree and the two bolt anchor) and then link P2 and P3 with some care for rope drag at the bottom. (Admin edit: Be aware, this is a rope-stretcher and your belayer may need to be ready to simulclimb while the leader is on unprotected low angle slab below the “big tree”). Oct 16, 2020

Syd S

We decided not to do the last 4th pitch to the top out and with one 70m rope we were able to rappel from the base of pitch 4 (at the tree with tat) down to the base without leaving gear because there were enough trees with slings and hard gear to rappel down. Took us 4 rappels and a down climb Apr 16, 2021

mike h
Front Range, CO

I thought the 5.10 face pitch was at the harder end of 10, with bolts or gear close at the cruxes.

The Halladay Flatiron finish is fun and efficient, but the descent drops you close to the junction of the main trail and Legs approach trail. Makes sense to rack up and leave packs near the start of the Legs trail, before things get steep and loose.

From where we parked in my Subaru, the approach was about 1.25 miles and 950 feet, took us over an hour. These "25 minutes" people must be really fit.

Fun times! Apr 22, 2021

Moss Halladay
Truckee, CA

5.8-

This was fantastic outing and I very much enjoyed the climbing on every pitch as well as the views. The 5.10 variation has excellent face climbing with a fun hand crack to finish. Also highly recommended is the Halladay Flatiron finish! I agree with Mike that it may be best to leave packs lower down towards the main junction to avoid scrambling up to the base of the climb if doing the flatiron finish. May 15, 2021

Ben Pederson
Los Alamos, NM

Here's a video showing parts of P1, P3, and a timelapse of the optional, but excellent, P4. After belaying P1 from the tree, I wish I had climbed up a few more feet to the bolts. You could still do the (optional) 5.10 variation of P2 from the bolts at the top of P1. (Edit: consider climbing this route before watching as the preview may detract from your personal experience)

youtube.com/watch?v=rU1Gqav… May 17, 2021