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Mosaic Rock

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Mosaic Rock

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Page Views:	16,679. Good page?
Administrators:	Mike Howard, Aaron Hobson, Jason Halladay, Anthony Stout, LeeAB, Tom Erickson
Submitted By:	Mark Mathis on Jul 14, 2007

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Print a Mini-Guide with routes

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Some rocks in this area are on private property. Property owner requests signed waiver. MORE INFO >>>

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 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.)"

A new online Tres Piedras Route Guide 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. From the guide:

Access Notes: Tres Piedras climbers should sign the waiver found on this page because the popular South Rock is mostly on private land, as is some of the access to the area. The landowner, requests a waiver, NO fires, no chalk and "please close any gates".

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.

On August 19, 2009 the landowner stated: "Yes I still own the property, and yes I'd still like to have waivers on hand - even or perhaps especially from your organization. Only once in awhile do I have problems with climbers, mostly not picking up after themselves. My biggest gripe is that despite repeated requests, the climbers don't remove protection (edit: colored webbing, shiny hardware) from the climbing routes, which is both lazy and unattractive. Your organization could do me a big favor by doing a group climb and removing the crap that others have left on the various routes so that it is both a pristine part of the landscape, and so that each climber must figure out his own route without relying on the handiwork of others."

This information is a public crowdsourcing effort between the Access Fund, and Mountain Project.
You should confirm closures, restrictions, and/or related dates.

Keeping climbing areas open and conserving the climbing environment

Busy day on the south face of Mosaic Rock.

Description

The highest concentration of routes at Tres Piedras ascend the lovely south face of Mosaic Rock. This 200 ft tall cliff offers many excellent (mostly) single pitch climbs protected by bolts and gear.

Getting There

Walk north from the parking area, past South Rock to the base of the formation.

The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Mosaic Rock:

Dirty Diagonal 5.7 Trad, 2 pitches, 150 feet

Chicken Heads 5.7 Trad, 1 pitch, 200 feet

Chicken Shit 5.7 Trad, 1 pitch, 40 feet

Fried Chickens 5.8 Trad, 2 pitches, 220 feet

Serpentine Crack 5.8 Trad, 2 pitches, 200 feet

Mama Jugs 5.8 PG13 Trad, 2 pitches, 190 feet

Baby Cakes 5.8+ Trad, 1 pitch, 90 feet

Clean Green Dream 5.9 Trad, 140 feet

Five Years After 5.9 PG13 Trad, 1 pitch, 150 feet

Unknown (Right of Mama Jugs) 5.9+ Trad, Sport, 57 feet

Bienvenidos 5.10a/b Trad, 1 pitch, 100 feet

Better Red Than Dead 5.10b PG13 Trad, 1 pitch, 180 feet

Black Streak 5.10b Trad, 1 pitch, 160 feet

Serpent Face 5.10c PG13 Trad, 1 pitch, 110 feet

Walking Dread 5.10c Trad, 1 pitch, 140 feet

Unknown (Left of Baby Cakes) 5.10+ Trad, Sport, 1 pitch, 90 feet

Holthouse to Hell 5.11- Trad, 2 pitches, 220 feet

Techweenie 5.11+ Sport, 75 feet

Techtonics 5.11+ R Trad, Sport, 75 feet

To Bolt on Lead or Not to Bolt (TBOL) 5.11+ PG13 Trad, 1 pitch, 70 feet

Browse More Classics in Mosaic Rock

Featured Route For Mosaic Rock

High stepping into a mantle on Holthouse to Hell.

Holthouse to Hell 5.11- NM : Taos Area : ... : Mosaic Rock

Holthouse to Hell is probably the easiest route up the intimidating wall right of Serpentine Crack with the Holthouse climbs, and is the best climb I've done so far at Tres Piedras at this grade or easier, at least, as far as I can recall.The Direct Start is recommended, and isn't any harder than the upper section of the route in my opinion. Begin just right of Serpentine Crack, face climb past 2 bolts, and reach an easy runout. Or use the original start to reach this same section by t...[more] Browse More Classics in NM

Comments on Mosaic Rock

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By Stuart Turner
Jan 26, 2009

What's up with Holthouse Hallsack?

By Eric Whitbeck
Jun 18, 2012

Anyone know if TBOL, or whatever the left most of the four steep routes is called, was also put up by Doug and Lee? The first bolt is suspect, the second is a joke, and the large flake which looks like it would eat up a big cam is a bit hollow. Its fine for climbing but putting a cam back there is about as safe as the button head below. FA party opposed to upgrading the hardware? No additional gear and same placements, just modern?
Thanks