PRINT: Rock Climb Miss Piggy, Sandia Mountains

Miss Piggy

5.8, Trad, 220 ft (67 m), 2 pitches,

Avg: 2.6 from 90 votes
FA: Mike Hill, Norm Wendell, 1980
New Mexico > Albuquerque Area > Sandia Mountains > La Cueva Canyon… > Hole in the Wall

Description

1st Pitch; 100 ft
Start up the wide crack to the top of the flake, can use a #4 or #3 Camalot. Continue up the steep thin crack (crux) to a right facing dihedral. From here traverse right (and around the corner) on easier ground to the anchor for the bolted routes or continue up another dihedral to belay at a large tree.

2nd pitch; 120 feet
If belaying from the bolts, head right into the corner and head up. If belaying from the tree, the climber needs to head back left into the corner/crack and then up (don't head straight up directly from the tree). The crux is in the corner system roughly left of the tree. Follow the crack/corner up until the crack gives way to blockier terrain Angle slightly right on better than it looks rock while aiming for a notch at the top of the cliff that's located to the right of the pine tree. Belay off the large tree at the back of the ledge. Extend your belay so you can sit at the edge of the cliff face to watch your climber.

Location

Continue past the La Luz mine passing Insane Clown Posse and Sister Sledge, 10 ft left of Sister Sledge is the starting flake of Miss Piggy.

Protection

Standard Sandias rack up to #2 Camalot. Can place a #3 or #4 at the start of pitch 1.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Start of Miss Piggy and the belay tree which is visible top right

Top pitch

Richard leading Pitch 2 from the tree.

Ryan leading Pitch 1.

Leading the second pitch of Miss Piggy.

Following my first trad climbing. Photo by Marc out of StoneAge climbing gym. Summer 2003.

Summer 2003

Miss Piggy topo

Hayden following up the second pitch of "Miss Piggy"

Second pitch of Miss Piggy

View from the top where we stash packs and top out.

looking down at the belay at the top of p1 from a ledge/block on p2

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Ryan Smyth
Albuquerque, NM

5.8

The first pitch of this climb is great. Some nice liebacking in the start. The second pitch isn't quite as great as the first one. I'd recommend bypassing the bolts and belaying from the tree. Unless you just want to do the first pitch and rap to the start. Apr 30, 2008

Paul Davidson

Tuesday, Aug 18th, 4:30 PM, RB and I meet at the Marriot (LA and I40),
drive up to the top, zip down and do Miss Piggy.

Neither of us had done the climb in probably over 15 years.
Ron tops out just as the sun sets.
If we'd paid a bit more attention on starting the second pitch correctly (left of the tree, not right) we'd have had a bit more of a time window.

What a fun route. The first pitch layback is just classic Sandia 5.8 layback over a bulge (Happy Gnome, etc...)

We both thought the 2nd pitch was all quite good, well protected, bit interesting to get started then nice pro, jams, etc... to the top.

We'd both remembered it being kinda typical Sandia hash but the rock quality was really pretty darn good.

Looks like the Estrellita to Piggy link up would make for one fun outing.

Has anyone done her in one 70M pitch ?
Rope drag reasonable if you bring enough long runners ? Aug 20, 2009

kevinnlong
Boulder, CO

5.8

I enjoyed both pitches. The second pitch has more climbing between 5.6-5.8 and is surprisingly steep at the top. With an easy walk-up/walk-off, this climb is well worth the trip. May 1, 2011

HowardofNM

Climbed on 9/30/12. Partner couldn't get out #3 stoppper from 2nd pitch. If you can get it and want to return it that would be nice. Drop it off at SACG for Howard B or Maggie. Sep 30, 2012

Chris Walden
Soldotna, Alaska

5.8

Great route we climbed Miss Piggy and Estrolita to get a feel of 5.8's in the Sandias prior to doing the Southwest Ridge. We felt Piggy and Estrolita were rated spot on. Good climb really enjoyed it.

Sep 9, 2014

Nathan Kofahl
Albuquerque, NM

3d Photo taken at the top of Miss Piggy on 5/30/16
goo.gl/maps/fpx91WE9DXH2

Awesome views. Jun 10, 2016

Rika J
Colorado

The wide crack at the bottom of the first pitch didn't take a #3, I think you'd need a 3.5 or a 4. The rope drag on both pitches is pretty bad, so extend as much of your pro as you feel comfortable with. Also, I thought this climb protected super well, but newer 5.8 leaders will want doubles of 0.4, 0.5, and 0.75. Great route! Jul 29, 2017

Rennie Putnam
Salt Lake City, UT

I wouldn't recommend rapping off the top pitch, unless you have enough gear to extend the rappel 25-30 feet to the edge of the cliff. Best option is to stash packs near the La Luz trail at the first switchback and walk down to the base of the crag. Then you can walk off the top and grab gear on the way out. Sep 28, 2017

Bodie Manly
Albuquerque, NM

The layback on p1 is great, but seemed to be the p1 cruz and can be a little spicy depending on how you protect it. A fall can lead to a partial deck on the ledge below the layback. I had to leave a brass nut high on the layback that my shorter partner couldn't find a good cleaning stance to collect. Midway through p1 is a large ledge that is *not* the belay ledge. Step out and up to the ledge's right towards the sport routes, past the chain anchors, and up one more section to the large tree, which is equipped with a piece of webbing. Incidentally, it was getting dark so we had to rap down from p1, leaving a blue sewn runner and a bd locker. Our 60m rope barely made it on a plumb line to the bottom with the stretch. Much obliged if you happen to collect this lost gear and PM me! Oct 7, 2018

Kevin Freitas
Santa Fe, NM

Confirming Bodie's comments. After passing the crux on P1, you'll top out on a large ledge and a smaller tree to your left. If you look straight ahead you'll see a right facing dihedral that runs parallel to the bolted sport route on the face of the wall. The dihedral and wall form an arete that goes all the way to the top of the climb. To get to the large tree to your right which serves as the belay station for P2, you will have to scramble around the arete and traverse on a smallish ledge passing a bolted anchor to a 8-10ft scramble up to the tree. It's easy climbing to the tree but it can be difficult to see the ledge from where you stand after topping out. If you climb up the base of the arete for about 6ft and look to your right and down, you'll see the ledge leading to the tree. From there, you drop down a few feet and cross over. Aug 4, 2019

Randall Gann
Albuquerque, NM

Check out Sandia Rock by Mick Schein, it provides a topo for the route that should clear up any confusion about the belay at the top of the 1st pitch and how to get there. Jun 14, 2021

Dylan Fox
Albuquerque, NM

5.8

The wide crack at the beginning is definitely #4 territory, not #3. That's your first piece, so if you're not 100% comfortable on 5.8, I'd bring a #4. Lots of people say to belay at the tree, but it's really nicer to just use the bolts. If you use the tree, there is a few awkward, kinda poorly protected moves right off the belay. If you use the bolts, those moves are 20 or 30 feet up off the belay and you'll have a few pieces of pro between you and your belayer. Of course, you could use the tree if someone else is doing to sport routes or something. Oct 4, 2021

Dylan Fox
Albuquerque, NM

5.8

See mountainproject.com/photo/1… for a topo of the estrellita to miss piggy linkup. Oct 4, 2021

slo ta
ABQ

5.8

The layback crux on the first pitch protects super well with a #1 and #2 mastercams. I found this climb similar to Crackula, in that the first pitch has good climbing that protects great, while the second pitch is considerably headier with worse rock and gear. I belayed at the bolts and tried a more direct start to P2; not recommended if want to keep the climb at 5.8.

I'd also second the recommendation for #4. You can easily find a spot for it on both pitches. If you do the linkup with Estrellita, you can place it there too as a bomber first piece. You can really place it early on every pitch, so the follower can get to carry the weight. Oct 26, 2021

George Perkins
The Dungeon, NM

5.8

Didn't see the piton on the 2nd pitch. Don't think I saw it when I climbed this a 4 years ago either. Is it there? Either way, don't rely on seeing it. May 19, 2024

J T
Albuquerque, NM

5.8

WARNING: beta
if you see the tree with a sling and rap rings, continue to trend right around the corner and there are the 2 bolt anchors. May 27, 2024