Tostadas Comquesta

Another good climb at Questa. Tostadas Comquesta is a good choice if you've done Question of Balance or are looking for a 5.10.  Warmer in the morning and more sheltered from the wind than the climbs to its left.Pitch 1: Follow easy cracks right of the big right-leaning right facing corner on the east end of the main face. (5.6) Topos show to belay in the corner below the first stepped roof. With todays' ropes and racks, most will want to combine this and the 2nd pitch. (I've listed the pitch separately to be consistent with the guidebooks).Pitch 2: This pitch follows clean slabs to the right of the main dihedral. Climb up to the roof, undercling and traverse right, step up to a bolt. Climb up to the bigger 2nd roof, undercling and traverse right and head up to a 2-bolt chain anchor below a steeper slab. The traversing might be a little scary for those who aren't used to slabs (5.9+). If this scared you, it may be useful to know that you can rap from this belay to the ground with 1 rope, because P3 is harder and more heady.Pitch 3: Climb clean slab straight up (potential to fall onto belay), passing 2 bolts to a diagonaling seam (crux, 5.10 PG13). It's a little spacey between the bolts but not bad by TP/Questa standards. Follow this seam up and right and over a bulge until it opens to a hand crack, which has a tricky short 5.10- section with another bolt. Belay at a stance with some webbing and rap rings. Perhaps can be combined with the next pitch (as shown in topo), but I haven't tried that. A variation of these last two pitches stays in the right-leaning crack and bypasses the previous belay station: this variation looks bushy.Pitch 4: Continue up the right angling crack and face climb left to a ledge in an alcove below the obvious roof. Gear may be tricky to arrange for the belay, but slinging the horn should be solid. Short pitch (5.8).Pitch 5: Traverse right, then climb up, bypassing the big roof. When the cracks appear to end in an overhanging slot, step left on a ledge about 15' below this slot, pull through on steep chickenheads and plates (5.8, PG13). Belay soon up ahead at a stance when you find a crack.Pitch 6: Fun, easy 5th class on big knobs to ledges with trees near the top. Unrope and scramble (3rd Cl.) to the top.Walk off the east side. If you're thinking of downclimbing, keep walking uphill and north to get to the faint trail.

Tostadas begins just right of the obvious right facing corner near the right side of Questa Dome. It follows slabs and cracks that angle to the right from this feature.

Cams up to #4 camalot, with 2 ea. from fingers to thin hands sizes, & nuts. Many long runners useful.