Boldering Forums

I'm hitting the Taos NM area in a couple of weeks and want to check out Tres Piedras but Jay Foley's book Taos Rock is a little skimpy on bouldering beta. Anyone got some info?

I was there about 7 years ago for a day and ended up climbing routes. Kind of like Chossua Tree but real small and the routes were not memorable (mixed gear), fun for a day if you are out there anyways... I don't really remember any bouldering and I would of been looking for it....tho there is probably some stuff there.

Don't go to El Rio that place sucked, unless you like chossy cobbled mud.....

Manby hot springs is supposed to be real nice.
http://gorp.away.com/gorp/publishers/pr ... o_hot2.htm

Head to Roy, NM for bouldering.

pander wrote: Head to Roy, NM for bouldering.

Quite a distance from hippyland, but Questa Dome is sweet and close.

But isn't Roy the hott new new Mexico choss??

pander wrote:But isn't Roy the hott new new Mexico choss??

Might not be worth the three+ hour drive to bake in that heat (low elevation <6000 feet). Also based on my experiences there, you want huck with you. (I'll be at Pie Fest)

QD is better rock, up above 8000 feet, easy to nav, lots lowball in case ovr can't hook up with partners, 1/2 hour from taos (plus 1/2 hour to drive through stuck-up rich tourist squads in taos, but you gotta do that any direction), and if he can hook up with locals there is a lot of new stuff up there. Much smaller area but at least a day's worth of posing.

Is the Questa approach fine in a rental? I'd hate to jack up a loaner Ford Focus.

ovrfiend wrote:Is the Questa approach fine in a rental? I'd hate to jack up a loaner Ford Focus.

I had to park pretty early and then hike. There was some sorta landowner-designated parking that the geo made it to with some finesse and no dings, but the road looked heinous from then on. This was two years ago. The hike was pretty short, like 1/2 mile, maybe a mile. If the road is in worse shape or the parking is closed then you may be fucked for QD.

Only a 5 hour drive to Pie Fest dude!

Its fun and as I remember jsut off 40. I got a good sand bag tour by a local

Pie Fest sounds way better but I'm in Taos for a funeral. A tad disrepectful to cut out. Justifiable, but disrespectful.

ovrfiend wrote:Justifiable, but disrespectful.

Understood. Maturity is a bitch, but one that you marry for life and are wholly better for it.

Having been there a few weeks ago for non-climbing reasons, I can confirm Roy is too hot and buggy right now.

Questa should be perfect with the best temps if you don't mind the walk up there. Be careful if using the Taos guidebook as it will throw you for a loop if you are trying to orient yourself by looking for the first two boulders (which are only 6' tall and hard to imagine anyone ever climbed). Nice, fine-grained granite with interesting slopers that make for a fun day.

IMO, Tres Piedras is over-rated for bouldering but still a beautiful spot and worth a day's visit. You can join the folks with pads wandering around with disappointed looks on their face. Routes are nicer with a few must-do classics on the Mosaic Wall.

Also, you could try Posos Lake a few miles SW of TP, it comes highly recommended.