PRINT: Rock Climb Gopher Broke, Santa Fe Area

Gopher Broke

5.10c, Sport, 140 ft (42 m),

Avg: 2.6 from 39 votes
FA: Rich Strang & Darryl Styles...also Jamie Dermon & Joel Schwartz
New Mexico > Santa Fe Area > Diablo Canyon > Winter Wall

Access Issue: Access Issue for Areas in BLM Taos Field Office Lands Details

Per the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Taos Field Office's ( blm.gov/office/taos-field-o…) 2012 Taos Resource Management Plan (RMP) ( bit.ly/2Kab3HO), "Installation of new rock climbing routes or hardware will require pre-approval by the BLM." The RMP is the document that guides all the BLM management in a given field office. Climbers are asked to respect this guidance and not install new bolts or fixed hardware on Taos Field Office BLM land without pre-approval from the BLM. NM CRAG ( nmcrag.org/) is currently working with the BLM Taos Field Office to establish specific guidance for new route development in the district and they hope to have a formal process in the near future.

Diablo areas within the BLM Taos Field Office management area are: The Shack, Winter Wall, Solar Cave, Lake Street and Styx.

Description

Climb the lower roof on the left side then move back right onto the easy slab. Continue up and eventually start to climb the rounded arête after about the 5th bolt. Climb past a few bolts & move back to the right face for a bit. Tricky climbing above the rappel station eventually takes you from the arête to the right face again. Recoup a bit on some ledgy holds and fire through the final two steep sections to the chains. Double rope rappel to the ground or do 2 rappels using the midway rappel station

Location

15 feet left of Pale Face and right of Basalt Therapy

Protection

16 bolts to a 2 bolt anchor with a lowering/rappel biner
There is a rappel mid-station at the 10th bolt

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Pre-vax attempt on gopher broke.

Near the midway point<br>
Gopher Broke (5.10)

Near the midway point Gopher Broke (5.10)

Starting some more 5.10 steep stuff near the top<br>
Gopher Broke (5.10)

Starting some more 5.10 steep stuff near the top Gopher Broke (5.10)

Jamie climbs past the crux<br>
Gopher Broke (5.10)

Jamie climbs past the crux Gopher Broke (5.10)

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Rich Strang
Santa Fe, NM

5.10c

I thought the route was trickier than Grape Ape but not quite so pumpy. I'll let the consensus votes bump it up to .10d. It felt easy with the multiple rests. The rock was a lot better than I thought it was going to be and this could turn into the standard warm-up route along with Grape Ape. However, there's a lot of dirt on the holds that the wind would not let us brush off so this route could use several days or weeks to clean up. The rock and holds are mostly real clean & solid.

Also use long slings on the first 3 bolts to keep the rope out of the small crack by the 3rd bolt. I'll have to move the 3rd bolt a bit to fix that Feb 3, 2013

Rich Strang
Santa Fe, NM

5.10c

We did the FA on Ground Hog Day and when we cleaned some upper loose stuff it broke 2 of the lower route hangers!!
All fixed now - enjoy!!!

The first half of the route makes a good 10a short pitch as well and can be lowered with a single rope Feb 3, 2013

Darryl Styles

5.10c

Warms you up on the way to the roof. 5.9, to 10a , then the crux (10c) below the roof. Nice shelves to haul the roof, great climb next door to Grape Ape. Bring the draws and chalk those paws! Feb 3, 2013

Jason Young
Los Alamos, NM

5.10c

On 10/11/2013 a steel quick-link and aluminum carabiner were added to the Metolius rap-hanger on the mid-point anchor (left side) of this route in order to improve its orientation and equalization (the right-side anchor alread has a section of chain). Please leave these in place and/or replace as necessary! Oct 7, 2013

Jason Halladay
Los Alamos, NM

5.10c

With an 80m rope it is possible to lower/TR the entire route but just barely (hooray for stretch!) Tie a knot in the end of the rope. Dec 19, 2014

Eric Bowes
Los Alamos, NM

Quite a bit of loose stuff on top 1/3. Great climbing though. Nov 28, 2020

Gus T
New Mexico

Noticed a detached helmet sized block 2/3 of the way up in the corner this past Sunday, crag was so packed with people and dogs didn't feel quite comfortable knocking off... Nov 12, 2024