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Routes in Middle Rock
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Albuquerque Route T,S,TR 5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c |
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Bats in the Belfry T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c |
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Bells in the Belfry S 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b |
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Cowboy Bob's Chickenhead Delight T 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b |
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East of ABQ S 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a |
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Mary Poppins Ain't No Cowgirl S 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a |
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Mary Poppins in the Belfry S 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b |
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Stairway to the Belfry T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c PG13 |
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Tijeras T 5.8- 5b 16 VI- 14 VS 4c R |
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Zuzax T 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b R |
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| Type: | Trad, 125 ft (38 m) |
| FA: | unknown |
| Page Views: | 639 total · 4/month |
| Shared By: | Chris Wenker on Jul 7, 2008 · Updates |
| Admins: | Mike Howard, Jason Halladay, Anthony Stout, LeeAB Brinckerhoff, Marta Reece, Drew Chojnowski |
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Access Issue: Some rocks in this area are on private property. Seasonal Raptor Nesting.
Details
The remainder are on US Forest Service land. A map detailing the public areas can be obtained from the ranger station en route to the rocks from the village of Tres Piedras.
According to Jan Studebaker: "The property line mountainproject.com/v/new_m… runs from approximately the current east corner by the access gate in a straight line over the top of South Rock to the top middle of the Chicken Heads/Mosaic Wall mount, and from there west down the mount slope to the meadow just south of the Alley climbs. Some of the most popular routes are completely on private property. There are survey markers on the top of South rock (the mysterious aluminum stake stuck in the rock) and on top of the Mosaic rock (most of the time buried in water in a pot hole.)"
An online Tres Piedras Route Guide lamountaineers.org/Tres_Pie… from LA Mountaineers has been updated with the latest access information, and should be read by all Tres Piedras climbers. Group climb leaders, and Climbing Directors (future or past) should take particular note.
The landowner requests NO fires, no trash, no chalk and "please close any gates". Basically, be a good steward of the land.
In order to nurture greater landowner acceptance of climbers, participants of group climbs are requested to organize quick clean up activities before leaving the area; this should include the climbing area as well as the access roads (trip leaders could supply plastic grocery bags). Small parties should practice "leave no trace" principles.
Seasonal Raptor Nesting:
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
According to Jan Studebaker: "The property line mountainproject.com/v/new_m… runs from approximately the current east corner by the access gate in a straight line over the top of South Rock to the top middle of the Chicken Heads/Mosaic Wall mount, and from there west down the mount slope to the meadow just south of the Alley climbs. Some of the most popular routes are completely on private property. There are survey markers on the top of South rock (the mysterious aluminum stake stuck in the rock) and on top of the Mosaic rock (most of the time buried in water in a pot hole.)"
An online Tres Piedras Route Guide lamountaineers.org/Tres_Pie… from LA Mountaineers has been updated with the latest access information, and should be read by all Tres Piedras climbers. Group climb leaders, and Climbing Directors (future or past) should take particular note.
The landowner requests NO fires, no trash, no chalk and "please close any gates". Basically, be a good steward of the land.
In order to nurture greater landowner acceptance of climbers, participants of group climbs are requested to organize quick clean up activities before leaving the area; this should include the climbing area as well as the access roads (trip leaders could supply plastic grocery bags). Small parties should practice "leave no trace" principles.
Seasonal Raptor Nesting:
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
This interesting climb combines moderate-to-easy runout friction with moderate crack climbing. Start up an unprotected, low-angle friction face that gradually steepens, aiming toward a left-angling, right-facing seam about 40 feet off the ground. Some unprotected ~5.7- moves are necessary before obtaining the seam, which you can then load up with gear. Proceed straight up the heady bulge above the seam, which then leads to another runout low-angle friction face. The big horizontal seam at the base of the headwall provides your next placements, about 40 feet above the first seam (maybe getting close to groundfall here?, but it's easy climbing). Traverse slightly right to a crack system up the bulging headwall, where fun moves take you to the top.
If the second is interested in a diversion during their climb, they can climb up to the first seam, clean the gear, and then drop back down and traverse right about 20 feet to a greenish knobby waterstreak that makes for an interesting ~5.11 toprope. The leader should put a long runner on the pieces at the base of the headwall ahead of time, to minimize the pendulum if the second is planning on exploring this option.
This route is not previously described in any available guide, but has definitely been climbed before. Any FA info out there?
If the second is interested in a diversion during their climb, they can climb up to the first seam, clean the gear, and then drop back down and traverse right about 20 feet to a greenish knobby waterstreak that makes for an interesting ~5.11 toprope. The leader should put a long runner on the pieces at the base of the headwall ahead of time, to minimize the pendulum if the second is planning on exploring this option.
This route is not previously described in any available guide, but has definitely been climbed before. Any FA info out there?
Location
The start lies about 100 feet to the right of the Albuquerque Route, not quite all the way to the harder bolted climbs at the far right side of Middle Rock that are described by Jackson and Foley.
Descend by a 3rd/4th class walk-off to the east. At first, drop a little off the northern edge of the ridgeline, then down the ridgetop, past a noteworthy krummholz spruce with a truncated top. Drop off the righthand (southern) face of the ridge a little past the stunted spruce, down a dubious water streak, aiming for a massive dead tree trunk that leans against the rock wall across the valley.
Descend by a 3rd/4th class walk-off to the east. At first, drop a little off the northern edge of the ridgeline, then down the ridgetop, past a noteworthy krummholz spruce with a truncated top. Drop off the righthand (southern) face of the ridge a little past the stunted spruce, down a dubious water streak, aiming for a massive dead tree trunk that leans against the rock wall across the valley.
Protection
Standard TP trad rack, with a good supply of finger-sized cams.
It's runout below the first protectable seam (definite groundfall), and then again above that seam (maybe groundfall?). The first seam itself takes smallish finger-sized cams and small nuts, and actually protects fairly well, so load it up! Lots of finger to hand-sized cracks are available to protect in the headwall. Belay off a gear anchor at the top, with lots of placement opportunities.
It's runout below the first protectable seam (definite groundfall), and then again above that seam (maybe groundfall?). The first seam itself takes smallish finger-sized cams and small nuts, and actually protects fairly well, so load it up! Lots of finger to hand-sized cracks are available to protect in the headwall. Belay off a gear anchor at the top, with lots of placement opportunities.
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