Type: | Trad, 800 ft (242 m), 4 pitches |
FA: | Harry and Betty Davis |
Page Views: | 1,384 total · 12/month |
Shared By: | Aaron Hobson on May 22, 2011 |
Admins: | Jason Halladay, Anthony Stout, LeeAB Brinckerhoff, Marta Reece, Drew Chojnowski |
Effective November 16th, 2020, please do not travel into New Mexico to climb.
On November 16, 2020, the New Mexico state governor updated the executive order (cv.nmhealth.org/wp-content/…) requiring all visitors from out of state to self-isolate or self-quarantine for a period of at least 14 days from the date of their entry into the State of New Mexico or for the duration of their presence in the State, whichever is shorter. The terms "self-isolate" or "self-quarantine" refer the voluntary physical separation of a person or group of people in a residence or other place of lodging. Any person who is self-isolating or self-quarantining may only leave a residence or place of lodging to receive medical care and should not allow others into the residence or place of lodging except for those providing medical care, emergency response, or other individuals designated by the New Mexico Department of Health.
The executive order also closes all New Mexico State Parks to non-NM residents.
This Executive Order shall take effect on November 16, 2020 and shall remain in effect through the duration of the public health emergency declared in Executive Order 2020-004 and any extensions of that emergency declaration or until it is rescinded.
Additionally, NM state guidance requires all persons to wear a mask anytime they are out in public, including outdoor recreation areas.
On November 16, 2020, the New Mexico state governor updated the executive order (cv.nmhealth.org/wp-content/…) requiring all visitors from out of state to self-isolate or self-quarantine for a period of at least 14 days from the date of their entry into the State of New Mexico or for the duration of their presence in the State, whichever is shorter. The terms "self-isolate" or "self-quarantine" refer the voluntary physical separation of a person or group of people in a residence or other place of lodging. Any person who is self-isolating or self-quarantining may only leave a residence or place of lodging to receive medical care and should not allow others into the residence or place of lodging except for those providing medical care, emergency response, or other individuals designated by the New Mexico Department of Health.
The executive order also closes all New Mexico State Parks to non-NM residents.
This Executive Order shall take effect on November 16, 2020 and shall remain in effect through the duration of the public health emergency declared in Executive Order 2020-004 and any extensions of that emergency declaration or until it is rescinded.
Additionally, NM state guidance requires all persons to wear a mask anytime they are out in public, including outdoor recreation areas.
Description
This historic route was used by Harry and Betty Davis for the first ascent of the North Rabbit Ear. It is more technical, steeper, and cleaner than Boyer's Chute, without the slog through loose dirt. A nice beginner route to the summit of the NRE, it protects well and provides great views.
Pitch 1, 160 ft, offers the steepest sections of rock. The primary difficulties are surmounting awkward blocks. You may want to split this pitch to reduce rope drag, as the top-out is more technical than the rest. There are two rap stations on this pitch, one about half way up, the other (less obvious) all the way at the top where steep rock gives way to a scramble over a bouldery shoulder with some mountain mahogany. Scramble around until you are on a more westerly facing rock and see an obvious tree-filled gully leading up to the what appears to be the summit.
Pitch 2, 140 ft. This gully offers several challenges of its own, and numerous variations. There are some clean slabs and cracks on either side which could make for a much harder route. On some of these cracks, old pitons will be found.
An alternative to the "brush filled gully" after "the shoulder" is to head to the left of the gully (after the initial moves, which are best done on the right side). After couple of large steep steps, there is a tree on the left with a bit of a head-wall above it. The head-wall is easily surmounted on the left. Belay from here and then go up the ridge line past another large tree, up the slab beyond it, and on to the false summit nearby, then scramble to the real summit farther north.
For a rappel down, walk south from the summit. There are cairns marking the descent route. At this point the location of descend looks extremely unlikely, as the boulders seem to lead to a sheer drop, but you get to a small shoulder below with a ramp leading to the right from it. Follow the ramp, easy 3rd class, to a bolt+piton rap anchors. Rap about 100 feet over an overhang to a broad shelf. The second rappel, protected by two bolts, requires two ropes and reaches the saddle between North and Middle Rabbit Ears only a short distance above the start of Davis Route.
The gully tops out on a sharp knife-edge ridge which meanders east to the summit proper.
Pitch 1, 160 ft, offers the steepest sections of rock. The primary difficulties are surmounting awkward blocks. You may want to split this pitch to reduce rope drag, as the top-out is more technical than the rest. There are two rap stations on this pitch, one about half way up, the other (less obvious) all the way at the top where steep rock gives way to a scramble over a bouldery shoulder with some mountain mahogany. Scramble around until you are on a more westerly facing rock and see an obvious tree-filled gully leading up to the what appears to be the summit.
Pitch 2, 140 ft. This gully offers several challenges of its own, and numerous variations. There are some clean slabs and cracks on either side which could make for a much harder route. On some of these cracks, old pitons will be found.
An alternative to the "brush filled gully" after "the shoulder" is to head to the left of the gully (after the initial moves, which are best done on the right side). After couple of large steep steps, there is a tree on the left with a bit of a head-wall above it. The head-wall is easily surmounted on the left. Belay from here and then go up the ridge line past another large tree, up the slab beyond it, and on to the false summit nearby, then scramble to the real summit farther north.
For a rappel down, walk south from the summit. There are cairns marking the descent route. At this point the location of descend looks extremely unlikely, as the boulders seem to lead to a sheer drop, but you get to a small shoulder below with a ramp leading to the right from it. Follow the ramp, easy 3rd class, to a bolt+piton rap anchors. Rap about 100 feet over an overhang to a broad shelf. The second rappel, protected by two bolts, requires two ropes and reaches the saddle between North and Middle Rabbit Ears only a short distance above the start of Davis Route.
The gully tops out on a sharp knife-edge ridge which meanders east to the summit proper.
Location
The start of this climb is by a sizable oak tree few hundred feet below and west of the NRE-MRE saddle. From certain vantage points one can see webbing/rope belay anchors above. Do not be confused by a much harder crack system further down the gully. If it looks harder than 5.4 it's probably not the Davis Route.
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