2 Hour 2 Tecate Challenge

The current record for The 2 Tecate Challenge is 1 hour & 41 minutes. This was set by 2 old guys with a combined age in excess of 100 years! Anyone else ready to take up the Challenge???

More info. and rules for the Challenge are posted here: centralcoastclimbing.com/2t… Feb 10, 2011

It seems the ticks and poison oak are more of a problem on this "route" than the actual climbing. I also don't mean to ruin the fun, but this "multipitch" linkup is probably only for locals who have climbed the heck out of the mountain and want a new game to play that simply means running between a whole bunch of established climbs. I don't think it's deserving of a post on MP, and especially not multipitch classification it has been given. Mar 5, 2011

I personally think this is a great linkup. As we all know, there are few opportunities for multi-pitch climbs in the San Luis Obispo area. This linkup provides a good topo and idea to link 9 well established, well protected and fun routes into a couple hours of interesting and sustained climbing. And not to mention a great adventure.

Great to practice and learn rope managment and efficiency skills for longer climbs that one would encouter elsewhere. Surprisingly, you do not have to walk through ANY poison oak, as it can all be avoided.

I dont understand why this route is not "MP worthy material". At least it is clean climbing. If the 2 Tecate Challenge is not "MP worthy material" how is this:

mountainproject.com/v/calif…

"Poison oak, yucca, super stemmy moves to avoid stepping on loose rock. Do not go this way.."

Seems a whole lot less "MP worthy" than John's linkup. However, it stays on MP.com because we are not a community of elitsts who only allow three star routes and above on the site. When I log onto MP.com to search for a new and exciting climb, I like to have my options open, including one star adventure routes to four star area classics and everything in between. May 2, 2011

This seems like it's all in good fun and more than appropriate. (I would suggest removing the names from the FA field, as that does look a bit presumptuous.) For what it's worth, I think this is a lot more "worthy" on Mountain Project than the endless stream of boulder problems that get listed. (There, I said it.) May 2, 2011

Pizmoe and I:
Started at cracked wall, climbed 9 pitches to summit, rapped, climbed same 9 pitches again to summit. 1 hour 54 minutes. Kept the clock running from our first leader's step onto dirty rat's crack, to our second climber summiting the second time, start to finish.

2 tecate, 2 lap, 2 hour challenge. May 16, 2011

Jeff,

I completely agree with every point you made. This linkup can be fun. There are a lot of good climbs. Calling it multipitch is a bit misleading, and as for the FA, well, you said it right. I think this is the part that was "not deserving of a post on MP" that I was referring to in my last post. As I said before, it's a good linkup, but probably best cut out for locals who want to do something different. May 27, 2011

The current record is now well under 1 hour. Set by Aaron & Tom (I'm speculating here but maybe they are priaprism & Pizmoe?). I'm pretty sure they simul-climbed most of it. I bet they didn't suck down the 2 Tecates on the summit though! Minor rule violation but I guess we can look the other way. Either way, great work guys. Seriously, you guys were flying. I know you were because I did it in 1:41 and I thought I was flying!

Let's focus on getting out and having fun with friends not whether a "route is Mt. Project worthy."

Happy Climbing!

John Jun 3, 2011

So it looks like the 2 Tecate Challenge is getting to "easy" for Priaprism & Pizmoe. Here's a new challenge for you guys to try.

2 Tecate Challenge - BYPASS!
P1 - Lama (5.9R if you skip the direct start and walk in from the right).
P2 - Knight Moves (5.9 if you take the alternate right hand start).
P3 - Owl's Staircase (5.8)
P4 - KB Trip (5.10b). It's just left of JK Flashback.
P5 - Direct Exposure (5.10bR)
P6 - Simul/Solo your way to the top of P-Wall (5.4)
P7 - Sunnyside (5.9)
P8 - Gomer's Surprise (5.10c)
P9 - Dig a Pony (5.10c/d)

See topo above.

Call me when you get it under 2 hours.

John Jun 25, 2011

According to the logic that some are trying to apply at another Central Coast crag, the nine routes that make up the Tecate Challenge should now be removed from the database and should heretofore be represented as a single route that is only 6 pitches long. Jun 26, 2011

Seems like M-Project is missing a separate category of climbs that would allow posting of Linkups. These Linkups are clearly not a single multi-pitch climb. However, it doesn't make sense to post them all separately and require someone to assemble them. Kind of a grey area.

There seems to be a lot of interest in these Linkups regardless of how they are posted. I think the Linkups should be posted and clearly identified as Linkups (not as part of a single climb). This may be unique to the Central Coast, since true multi-pitch climbs are so sparse here.

Any way you look at it, I think posting of Linkups is consistent with the purpose of M-Project. Which I believe is to provide a place for climbers to share information & experiences. Jun 27, 2011

A beta photo for such a linkup would be more than appropriate in the "area" section (i.e. Bishop Peak). As far as it being a "route"...that's for others to decide. Jun 29, 2011

It's definitely not a "route". It's a contrived series of climbs that have a common name so people can refer to them. I guess it falls into the "other" category.

I'm just glad people enjoy it and that we have a place for people to post and share their comments. Jul 10, 2011

Erik Wright and myself climbed this in 1 hour 38 minutes Car-To-Car sometime in 2013. We did it as a preparatory climb for the Regular Northwest Face of Half Dome, to practice moving fast. The clock started when we left the parking area at the top of Highland Drive and stopped when we returned to the parking area. We power-hiked up to Cracked Wall, mostly simuled the link-up, and ran back to the car. Rack: Draws + optional single #3 Camalot

Interestingly, this car-to-car time is very close to the time we took to climb The Royal Arches in Yosemite (which took us 1 hour 48 minutes with much simuling) as the approach to Crest Jewel Direct. We thought we were moving fast until we saw a party of two catching up to us, which only spurred us on until they finally caught us. Turns out it was a YOSAR team en route to rescue a couple that had gotten their rope stuck on the rappel off Royal Arches and had spent the night there. They were wearing hiking boots, simul-climbing on a short rope with mountaineer's coils managing the slack slung over their shoulders, and their entire rack consisted of a single set of stoppers. They passed us as I finished leading p11 (double cracks to OW), which is the crux of the route IMO, clipping our gear, belaying off two nuts, and then continued on simul-climbing. That was likely the only anchor they built and traditional belay they did on the entire 16 pitch route. One guy had a wide-brimmed sun hat that he had cut the center out of and stretched over his helmet to make a "shade-helmet;" so it appeared that some farmer in his boots was just running up the route behind us crushing our egos the closer he got. Actually, I don't feel that bad about being passed by them and wouldn't expect any less since the speed record on The Nose of El Cap (2 hours 19 minutes) is currently held by a YOSAR member, Jim Reynolds (along with Brad Gobright), who, interestingly, used to climb at Bishop Peak and SLO-Op climbing gym when he lived in SLO for a bit. Jan 19, 2018

Current record for the link-up (starting at base of 1st route and ending at summit) is claimed to be in the range of 22-24 minutes by Aaron Stireman (lead) and Tom Ruddy (second). Both are extremely good climbers...but c'mon 22 minutes? I call BS ; ) Jan 19, 2018