Questar

One of the more prominent lines at Questa Dome, Questar is a nice climb that deserves more attention. There is interesting climbing on all the pitches, but still some flakiness from lack of traffic. The 3rd and 4th pitches are striking from below, as the left of 2 long continuous diagonal crack systems left of the big roofs on Questa Dome.

The best start is the first two pitches of "Sequestered", described here. One can also use the original first two pitches of "Jonny Questa", which is easier and not as interesting climbing (see the Jonny Questa page for that described).

Begin just up and right of the lowest point of Questa Dome, under a small left facing corner with an 8" crack. There will be a big flat roof about 150' from you, and the first belay is at a tree visible on the upper left part of your view upwards.

Pitch 1: Start up the corner for 20'. Step left on a slab. Climb easy cracks passing some bushes to a stance (optional belay). Angle up and left on an easy hand crack, turn a small roof. You'll pass the giant roof about 20' to its left, where you'll clip a bolt and mantle off a flexing flake. Lieback up the finger crack above. Step left to the tree, belay. (5.10-, 190').

Pitch 2: From the right of the tree, slab straight up and slightly right to an overlap/roof. Hand traverse right along this roof, clip a bolt and turn the roof, and go left on the slab to reach another bolt. Do not take the cracks through the roof up and right, which is "Sequestered". Instead, continue left, step left around an arete (where you'll join the original "Jonny Questa" line) and belay at one of two 6' pine bushes in a left-facing corner. (5.9+, 100')

Pitch 3: Crux pitch. Just above the 2nd pine bush, hand traverse right under on a white face under the a roof to a stance on the arete. Pumpy. (There is a higher roof too- which is the wrong way.) Slab up the narrow prow, passing 1 bolt, and join the hand crack where the higher roof meets the face. Continue up easier cracks, mostly hands, and belay after a while, where convenient. This pitch is something special! (5.11, 150').

Pitch 4: Climb up the right-angling hand and finger cracks in the same system. After a ways, consider moving left to a highly featured low-angle climbing, and belay on a ledge. (5.9+, 180'). 4th class to the top.

There are nice topos in 'Taos Rock' and Horaks' topo posted on this site, but I'd recommend breaking the pitches up as described here. This climb is not described in 'RC:NM'.

Left side of Questa Dome. Questar goes up the left of the two obvious crack systems on the upper left part of the Dome.

Cams to 3", with doubles from fingers to #1 camalot. 1 set nuts, including RPs.