Surface Tension
5.11- YDS 6c French 22 Ewbanks VIII- UIAA 22 ZA E3 5c British PG13
Avg: 3.2 from 9 votes
Type: | Trad, 190 ft (58 m), 2 pitches |
FA: | Paul Horak, Mark Leonard |
Page Views: | 1,991 total · 10/month |
Shared By: | George Perkins on Jul 18, 2007 |
Admins: | Mike Howard, Jason Halladay, Mike Hoskins, Anna Brown |
Your To-Do List:
Add To-Do ·
Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more. Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.
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
Excellent friction climbing on this one. Bolts close together at the crux make this a good one to try 5.11 slab, but it does take climbing a section of 5.9+ or 5.10 slab with pro far apart to get there.
Pitch 1. Clip the low bolt and make an awkward 5.10 move onto an easy ramp. This section can be avoided by starting farther right, but if you want to avoid this move, you'll probably be better off avoiding the rest of the climb too. A directional piece above this move is a good idea to protect the follower. Follow the easy ramp up and left to a ledge below a vertical crack. Build an anchor here, unless you have reason to do the climb in a single 60m pitch.
Pitch 2. Start up the slab, clip the first piton, work left and up on thin slab to the 2nd pin (5.9+ or 5.10 R) It's rather heady between the pitons but they are bomber. A few more moves gain a diagonal crack, and you get more pro, any cam 1"- 3" works. An intimidating but easy move puts you within reach of the first bolt on the final slab headwall. The well-protected face gets blanker and blanker with the hardest "surface tension" moves getting to the final bolt (crux).
An intermediate belay at the ledge below the pitons and/or the final headwall is recommended to reduce rope drag, although I found it tolerable to climb the whole route in a single 58m pitch- a good idea if you have 3 people.
Pitch 1. Clip the low bolt and make an awkward 5.10 move onto an easy ramp. This section can be avoided by starting farther right, but if you want to avoid this move, you'll probably be better off avoiding the rest of the climb too. A directional piece above this move is a good idea to protect the follower. Follow the easy ramp up and left to a ledge below a vertical crack. Build an anchor here, unless you have reason to do the climb in a single 60m pitch.
Pitch 2. Start up the slab, clip the first piton, work left and up on thin slab to the 2nd pin (5.9+ or 5.10 R) It's rather heady between the pitons but they are bomber. A few more moves gain a diagonal crack, and you get more pro, any cam 1"- 3" works. An intimidating but easy move puts you within reach of the first bolt on the final slab headwall. The well-protected face gets blanker and blanker with the hardest "surface tension" moves getting to the final bolt (crux).
An intermediate belay at the ledge below the pitons and/or the final headwall is recommended to reduce rope drag, although I found it tolerable to climb the whole route in a single 58m pitch- a good idea if you have 3 people.
Location
Start below a single bolt about 10' uphill and left of Yikes Dikes on the west side of the north face of South Rock.
Photos
- No Photos -
8 Comments