PRINT: Rock Climb Dairy Queen, Enchanted Tower

Dairy Queen

5.13b, Sport, 50 ft (15 m),

Avg: 2 from 2 votes
FA: Matt Samet
New Mexico > Enchanted Tower > Frog Prince

Access Issue: Thompson Canyon Details

The gate to Thompson Canyon's southern end is locked and is no longer a viable option for short and convenient access. The standard access is now via the longer, rougher Davenport Lookout/Thompson Canyon route.

New Mexico CRAG (NMCRAG) will continue to be in contact with the ranch owners and the Forest Service to see if it can resolve this issue. In the meantime, please respect the closure, spread the word and please do not attempt to drive through the private ranch.

Description

While this route is basically a silly linkup, it does add a few extra feet of climbing and a tricky sequence to Red Queen. So I found it worth doing if you're looking for a new challenge at the Tower.

Start up on Frog Prince (aka Babies) to just above the second bolt. From here a few obvious holds start the traverse right leading to a tricky move on poor pockets to gain Red Queen at it's third bolt (not including the belay bolt). From here rest if you can before pulling the powerful or dynamic crux of Red and White Queen.

Not sure why the guide considers this route as slightly easier than the standard Queen lines. I found it slightly harder than Red Queen and quite a bit harder than White Queen, because of the extra time and distance on the overhanging wall.

Location

Start up the first two bolts of Frog Prince, then traverse right until you join up with Red Queen.

Protection

8 Bolts. In addition to the standard bolts I clipped the 3rd bolt on Frog Prince with a long sling and the linkup bolt on Drag Queen.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

LeeAB Brinckerhoff
Austin, TX

I had always heard this referred to as 5.13+, and now that you, DTP, are on the mend, don't you think you really should start with the sit start boulder problem to Gollum? Apr 10, 2012

Shirtless Mike
Denver, CO

5.13b

I've actually put significant effort into that line, calling it Drag Queen Sit Start. After the opening V7? boulder problem then the traverse I could never pull the crux of White Queen. It is actually kind of fun for a new challenge, but unfortunatly the difficulty is dependent on where you traverse across the wall. I traversed across where it was the easiest and I could still clip the 1/2" bolts from below, this way I thought it was 13c. If you traversed slightly higher with the linkup bolts at your waist, it just might make the original 14a/13d grade.

Dairy Queen I think is only slightly harder than Red Queen. Starting on Frog Prince is easier than the start to Thru the Looking Glass, then there are some hard moves on the traverse. So ~12c/d to get into the boulder problem. Apr 10, 2012

Alex McIntyre
Tucson, AZ

5.13b/c

I think White Queen is 13a, Red Queen is 13b, and Dairy Queen is 13b/c. I haven't done Drag Queen or its sit start yet...

It seemed like Dairy Queen shouldn't be harder than Red Queen but having enough energy to pull the crux after being on the wall that long felt difficult. I did Red Queen first try and Dairy Queen took 8 or 9 goes to finish, all of which being one hangs at the crux move. Just my thoughts. Oct 6, 2014

Laeserguns
Lost Almost, NM

I may have misunderstood years ago, as I'm getting older I'm learning this is often the case... but I thought Eric Scully from AZ did the boulder problem into the queen crux in the late 90s and that's why it got the 13++ rating, yes? Oct 30, 2016

Shirtless Mike
Denver, CO

5.13b

Luke, that would be "Drag Queen" not listed here, which is somewhere around 13c - 14a depending on where you traverse across the wall. Starts with the ~V7 sit start below Gollum. Oct 31, 2016