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.
Elevation: 8,369 ft 2,551 m
GPS: 36.6608, -105.98288
Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views: 271,119 total · 1,249/month
Shared By: Mark Mathis on Jul 12, 2007 · Updates
Admins: Mike Howard, Jason Halladay, Mike Hoskins, Anna Brown
Warning Access Issue: Some rocks in this area are on private property. Seasonal Raptor Nesting. DetailsDrop down

Description Suggest change

Tres Piedras offers a selection of traditional routes on quality granite (more specifically: orthogneiss) 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

Bruce Holthouse climbing Clean Green Dream on the the 30th anniversary of the FA.

Getting There Suggest change

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. Look for the big green water tower on the ground. Go through the barbwire fence gate (and close it behind you). Follow this for 0.5 miles to the parking area (left at the "T", left at the "Y").

Guide Service - Mountain Skills climbingschoolusa.com/index…

176 Total Climbs

Route Finder - Best Climbs for YOU!

Location: Tres Piedras Change
Type:  to 
Quality:
Pitches:
Sort by:   then:
 

Classic Climbing Routes at Tres Piedras

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
V5 6C
 4
Air France
Boulder
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
 78
Dirty Diagonal
Trad 2 pitches
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 61
Chicken Heads
Trad
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c PG13
 80
Mama Jugs
Trad 2 pitches
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 101
Serpentine Crack
Trad 2 pitches
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 59
Clean Green Dream
Trad
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 50
Alien
Trad
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 4
Forever and a Day
Trad
5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b
 35
Bienvenidos
Trad
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
 17
Cowboy Bob's Chickenhead Delight
Trad
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b PG13
 36
Serpent Face
Trad
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
 10
Holthouse to Hell
Trad 2 pitches
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a
 34
Techweenie
Sport
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a R
 12
Techtonics
Trad, Sport
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a PG13
 10
To Bolt on Lead or Not to Bolt (…
Trad
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Air France Tres Piedras Bo… > S Rock Bouldering
 4
V5 6C Boulder
Dirty Diagonal Mosaic Rock
 78
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b Trad 2 pitches
Chicken Heads Mosaic Rock
 61
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad
Mama Jugs Mosaic Rock
 80
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c PG13 Trad 2 pitches
Serpentine Crack Mosaic Rock
 101
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Trad 2 pitches
Clean Green Dream Mosaic Rock
 59
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad
Alien W Rock
 50
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad
Forever and a Day Mosaic Rock
 4
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad
Bienvenidos Mosaic Rock
 35
5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b Trad
Cowboy Bob's Chickenhead De… Middle Rock
 17
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b Trad
Serpent Face Mosaic Rock
 36
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b PG13 Trad
Holthouse to Hell Mosaic Rock
 10
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c Trad 2 pitches
Techweenie Mosaic Rock
 34
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a Sport
Techtonics Mosaic Rock
 12
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a R Trad, Sport
To Bolt on Lead or Not to B… Mosaic Rock
 10
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a PG13 Trad
More Classic Climbs in Tres Piedras »

Weather Averages

High
 
Low
 
Precip
 
Days w Precip
 
Prime Climbing Season
J F M A M J J A S O N D
J F M A M J J A S O N D

Photos

6,000 characters
loading