| Tres Piedras |
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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.
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Keeping climbing areas open and conserving the climbing environment
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BETA PHOTO: View of South Rock from the parking area.
Description Tres Piedras offers a selection of traditional routes on quality granite slabs, cracks, and steep faces. Spanish for "Three Rocks" Tres Piedras (obviously) consists of six major rock formations.
In addition to the taller routes, the bouldering is excellent here and it is not uncommon to see as many crashpads as ropes.
Guidebooks
The 2 guidebooks ('Taos Rock' and 'Rock Climbing: New Mexico') are both excellent and virtually identical as far as the route descriptions and photos. 'Taos Rock' (unlike RC:NM) also documents some of the bouldering.
An aging incomplete guide by Bill Johnson, John Joline, Cayce Weber and Lee Sheftel from the 70s is posted on the LA Mountaineers website here
| First Ascentionist Bruce Holthouse on his Clean Green Dream
Image courtesy of andrewburr.com. All rights reserved.
Submitted By: Mike Howard on Sep 11, 2009
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Bruce Holthouse climbing Clean Green Dream on the the 30th anniversary of the FA.
Getting There The small village of Tres Piedras is at the junction of US 285 and US 64. From the intersection, go west on US 64 for 0.7 miles (past the ranger station) to an unmarked dirt road on the right. Follow this for 0.5 miles to the parking area (left at the "T", left at the "Y").
U.S. Forest Service Information
Guide Service - Mountain Skills climbingschoolusa.com/index.html
The ClassicsMountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Tres Piedras:
Featured Route For Tres Piedras
Better Red Than Dead 5.10b PG13 NM : Taos Area : ... : Mosaic Rock
Quintessential TP climbing with the crux moves above your gear make "Better Red Than Dead" a bit intimidating. My first time I was a bit spooked, a couple more recent times, it didn't seem as bad. One of the more rewarding 5.10s here.Face climb up to right-angling crack. Step onto the slab above to clip the 1st bolt, slab up and right to the 2nd bolt. From here, sneak up 5.10 slab/face straight up to a seam (no pro there), then a thank-god left-angling finger crack. You probably don't want ... [more] Browse More Classics in NM
First Ascentionist Bruce Holthouse on his Clean Gr...
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BETA PHOTO: Another view from the parking area.
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The entrance
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San Antonio Mountain as viewed from the northwest ...
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BETA PHOTO: Map:"The property line runs from approximately the...
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BETA PHOTO: The Land Owner requests this waiver to be signed a...
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BETA PHOTO: USGS Topo Map for area. Hard to say if this indep...
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Tres Piedras ~2007
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By Chris Wenker
From: Santa Fe
Jun 2, 2008
| Historical Query: In the old-school guide that is linked here, does anyone know what the capitalized letters in the route descriptions stood for?
Such as:
BLACK LICHEN (5.6 I, 1 pitch, B.P. )
CRACK N' FRICTION (5.5, I, 1 pitch, E. )
QUEEN CRACK (5.8, II, 1 pitch , E.D. )
What do the "B.P." "E." and "E.D." stand for? These are the only three acronyms that are used, appearing repeatedly throughout the document. Are they descriptions of the protection? Maybe, because "E.D." appears to correlate with climbs that were not free leads. |
By Jason Halladay
Administrator
From: Los Alamos, NM
Apr 28, 2009
| Chris Wenker wrote: does anyone know what the capitalized letters in the route descriptions stood for? What do the "B.P." "E." and "E.D." stand for?
Norbert E. wrote: But I think I remember that they refer to the protection on the route. B.P. is Bomb Proof, E. I don't remember, and E.D. is Extremely Dangerous. I think you will see that these designations are appropriate for the climbs listed. |
By Chris Wenker
From: Santa Fe
Apr 30, 2009
| Thanks for that info Jason.
Dennis Jackson's books mention that a "classic unbound, self-published guidebook by Cayce Weber and Ed Jaramillo has been circulating since 1981."
But the .pdf that's on the LAM site is apparently not that guide. I've been told by a guidebook author that the .pdf is an even earlier version that was put together by Bill Johnson, John Joline, Cayce Weber and Lee Sheftel. (How old does that make it?).
So, it'd be cool to actually see Weber and Jaramillo's 1981 guide too.
I'm still hoping someday to figure out the locations of some of those older climbs that aren't in the modern guidebooks (like where Puddin' really goes, or where Summer Dreams should be (I think it differs from Jackson's description), and comparing Bats in the Belfry versus Crowbait, etc). |
By Patrick Moe
May 7, 2009
| Just spent three awesome days in TP! Great climbing and some great locals. Thanks for the beta, and the little pick me up. Can't wait to come back! |
By George Perkins
From: Los Alamos, NM
Jul 20, 2009
| It's tough to feel good when climbing at your limit over 30+ year old rusty 1/4" bolts.
Also, it's important to remember that:
On most climbs at TP, and nearly all of those 5.10 or under, the fixed gear and bolts are in great condition and trustworthy,
despite the reputation this area has unfortunately gained over the years. First time visitors, and climbers staying on 5.10 or easier climbs, should not be discouraged from coming here, and should not worry about bolts.
Here's my take on the known and suspect hardware to help people avoid (or seek out?), or upgrade these routes. The majority of climbs at TP appear OK. I'm not sure about the buttonheads- I think the 1/4" ones are sketchy but the 5/16" are generally considered trustworthy? Don't hesitate to let me know if you see any scary fixed gear that I haven't found yet, so I can update this list:
Lookout Shelf- From Here to There- 1 bolt- haven't climbed it or looked at it
S Rock- Airy Scary- 2 bolts- 1st bolt is 1/4" but 5.10 climbers won't fall there; 2nd bolt ok; 1st pin ok; 2nd pin = junk
Mosaic Rock- Summer Dreams- bolted anchors are ok, could use chains or rappel setup
Mosaic Rock- Raise the Titanic- 1 bolt is ok(?); comment on MP says (2) pins should be checked
Mosaic Rock- Clean Green Dream- possibly 1/4" first bolt - REPLACED 11/10/09 SS FIXE 3/8x2 3/4 Bolts with Fixe Hanger (all holes over-drilled 2 cm deeper)
Mosaic Rock- Holthouse in a Haulsack- has pins and bolts, no sure on status; midway piton anchor needs webbing
Mosaic Rock- In Step- some modern bolts, some buttonhead bolts, 1st bolt has no hanger- REPLACED missing Hanger on first bolt
Mosaic Rock- Bolts to Nowhere- at least 2 buttonhead bolts
Mosaic Rock- Holthouse to Hell- all 6(?) bolts are 1/4"- REPLACED 11/09/09 Hilti Quick Bolt 3 with plated Fixe hanger. Thanks to Jay and Mountain Skills for the hardware
Mosaic Rock- Direct Start- bolts are buttonheads, but they held when I fell on them- REPLACED 11/10/09 with SS FIXE 3/8 and Fixe Hangers
Mosaic Rock- climb left of Holthouse to Hell- buttonheads
Mosaic Rock- Serpent Face- all bolts are ok (may have been replaced at some point ~10 yrs ago?)
Mosaic Rock- Better Red Than Dead- first 2 bolts are 1/4"- REPLACED 11/10/09 SS FIXE 3/8x2 3/4 Bolts with painted Fixe Hanger
Mosaic Rock- Chicken Heads- the recently installed bolted anchor was chopped (might have been for a line left of this?)
Mosaic Rock- 5 Years After - bolted anchor was chopped, but reinstalled -REMOVED SMASHED BUTTONHEAD, PATCHED HOLES, CLEANED 11/10/09
Mosaic Rock-Dirty Diagonal- bolted anchor was chopped, but reinstalled CLEANED 11/10/09
Mosaic Rock- TBOL- 2 buttonheads and 2 3/8" bolts, all with SMC hangers
Mosaic Rock- Seaman Girl- 1 buttonhead with SMC hanger
Independence Gully- all bolts & anchors are ok
Beastie Alley- Unnatural Attraction- only one bolt at the top of the steep section, there may have been a 2-bolt anchor here previously
Beastie Alley- forgotten mixed line left of 41 with 2 old 1/4" bolts could be replaced
Beastie Alley- mixed line right of Inner Sanctum- 1 1/4" bolt on this, but you could maybe get to the new bolts of I.Sanctum.
Middle Rock- Cowgirl Pump- haven't climbed it; Taos Rock says "old bolt", I looked for it but didn't see it from the next climb over.
Middle Rock- Dragons Lair- 3 bolts, put in '90, probably is good, but I haven't looked at it
Middle Rock- Grandmas Cancer- 5 bolts, haven't climbed or looked at it
Middle Rock- Raging Chicken- 4 bolts, put in '90, probably is good, but I haven't looked at it
West Rock- Alien- anchor was upgraded with chains in '08
West Rock- Geez Louise- haven't climbed it; RC:NM says bolt is 1/4"
Aspen Alley- all bolts and anchors are ok
North Rock- I haven't been out here. Supposedly some of these were chopped; and/or are 1/4" bolts.
Edit: made a few more edits to above list after another day at tp 8/09, and 9/09, and 10/09, and 11/12.
Please see Tres Piedras (NM) Bolts, Ethics, Access Discussion for more detail. |
By Williampenner
From: The 505
Jul 20, 2009
| I agree with George--90% of the best routes at TP have good to excellent natural and fixed gear. The remaining 10% with gear in possibly poor condition are mostly harder routes or less interesting obscurities. |
By Jan Studebaker
From: Jemez Springs, NM
Apr 27, 2010
| The Los Alamos Mountaineers now have a guide to Tres Piedras that combines several sources together to create an easy to follow climbing guide to the area. MountainProject route descriptions are referenced for all routes. Many thanks go to all who helped with the individual descriptions!
Click here to view this guide. |
By Jason Halladay
Administrator
From: Los Alamos, NM
Apr 27, 2010
| Very nice work, Jan. Thanks.
And speaking of the LA Mountaineers, I believe the annual LAM climbing school graduation is being held at TP this Saturday, 5/1/2010. If you seek solitude at TP, it's best to avoid the area this Saturday. |
By worm
Mar 31, 2012
| no need for the rope,bouldering there is awsome, beer crashpad and colorado green is all you need,warm no people and tons of virgin lines love it. |
By mydogseamus
Apr 21, 2013
| FOUND: approach shoes 4/21 at tres piedras parking area |
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