All Locations > New Mexico > Taos Area > Questa Dome > Questa Dome

Another Pretty Face

Name: Another Pretty Face
Rating: 4.0

5.11 YDS 6c+ French 23 Ewbanks VIII- UIAA 23 ZA E4 5c British PG13

Routes in Questa Dome

L › R R › L A › Z

	Aero Questa T 5.12 7b+ 27 VIII+ 26 E6 6b
	Ancient Ones, The T 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
	Another Pretty Face T 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c PG13
	Con Questa Libre T 5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
	Jonny Questa T 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b R
	Questando La Via Sin Arboles T 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
	Questar T 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c PG13
	Question of Balance T 5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c PG13
	Questionable Timing T 5.12 7b+ 27 VIII+ 26 E6 6b PG13
	Sequestered T 5.12- 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
	Tostadas Comquesta T 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b PG13

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Type:	Trad, 200 ft (61 m), 2 pitches, Grade II
FA:	Peter Prandoni and Bruce Holthouse
Page Views:	4,027 total · 22/month
Shared By:	George Perkins on Jun 29, 2008
Admins:	Mike Howard, Jason Halladay, Anthony Stout, LeeAB Brinckerhoff, Marta Reece, Drew Chojnowski Page Updates (admin only)

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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

Another Pretty Face is an alternate start to the first 2 pitches of Question of Balance. Though the ratings are close, Question of Balance's first 2 pitches are significantly easier overall. Combining Another Pretty Face with Question of Balance's p3 and the Direct roof on p4, is touted as the being the best climb at Questa, dubbed "Questa Direct".

Pitch 1: Begin about 40' right of the start of Question of Balance, or about 10' left of the start of Tostadas Comquesta and a big right-facing corner. [Note this climb is NOT the one with new bolts immediately right of Question's p1- that is a new 5.11 variation start to Question; Pretty Face begins farther right of that start.] Spy the lower left end of the obvious roof to get your bearings. A tricky 5.10- slab move without good pro immediately near you lets you move left to a new bolt [this replaced a partially driven fixed pin here] at the lower left corner of this roof. [You could also climb a direct start to this point-- steeper angling cracks from the left to get to this bolt at 5.10+.] Step left to two twig-like pine "trees", and follow 5.10- cracks and flakes, passing another fixed pin at a face section, and reach a 3-bolt anchor after 150'. Although the guidebooks and the old topo suggest to belay in a lower location, it is better to do as described here. Excellent pitch.

Pitch 2: Traverse left from the belay to the first bolt (potential to fall onto the belay with a 5.10 move or two). The well-protected crux of the climb is the 5.11 slab section between the 1st and 2nd bolts. After the 2nd bolt, the difficulty eases but it's a 25' run-out getting to the next bolt. Before you get to the 3rd bolt, you can cut left on an easier but unprotected rail to join Question of Balance pitch 2 finger crack, or continue up the thin face past the 3rd bolt, after which you'll join Question midway through pitch 2 anyway. Follow this 5.9 finger crack up and right to an anchor with bolts & chains. Classic thin face/slab climbing.

Rappel from the p2 anchor to the ground with 2 60m ropes (it will just barely reach); or continue up Question of Balance, which is recommended and the next 2 pitches are great. If you keep going and top out the dome, it should be about 5 pitches total, plus some easy scrambling. Walk off the east side.

A nice topo is found on the Questa Direct page of Gary Clarks Classics collection

The topos in the guidebooks covering Questa Dome are good too.

Location

Another Pretty Face begins just left of Tostadas con Questa, the prominent left-facing dihedral near the right side on Questa Dome, and about 40' right of the start of Question of Balance. It starts below a big roof.