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| Climbing | 6.00 Miles |
2,000 AEG |
| | Climbing | 6.00 Miles | 7 Hrs | | 0.86 mph |
| 2,000 ft AEG | | | | |
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|  | | What's My Line? |
| | A0 5.6 | Trad | R | | | | | "Arizona's best moderate" states Rock Climbing Arizona and "classic route" claims Bob Kerry in "Backcountry Rockclimbing in Southern Arizona" This sort of enticement made this a must do for me and I had the opportunity this past week to climb the 5.6 A0 route.
There are raptor breeding restrictions from March until June so we had a small window to get this in or face being fried on the south facing rock. The adventure started early as we went down to Cochise east stronghold in the afternoon of the day before. This gave us time to warmup on a tough 5.8 (Dikohe) next to our campsite in the Batline area. Then a bit of review of self rescue techniques (wonder if there was a message there) and a chilly night in front of a warm fire.
This is a backcountry climb which means at least a one mile approach is required and we easily hiked in 2.5 miles and up about 1000 to the saddle where you have the first view of Cochise dome. My first reaction was darn its a long way away and we have to hike down hil to get there. My attitude changed as we got closer. This part required a bit of class 3 bouldering. The dome grew as we reached the base and I could see the entire 600 feet. My reaction was that is a lot of sustained climbing and I hope I have the endurance to keep at it.
We ditched our packs in the rappel gully and then proceeded climbers left a ways to get to the beginning of the climb which is a gully. I estimate the gully/chimney as 200-300 fee of class 3/4 scrambling. Nice start given that I was still thinking there was no way I would make it and I should bail before I was committed to a helo extraction. Just to reinforce it, we ran into a pair of climbers who were down climbing the gully after giving up on starting the second pitch. Good for confidence building since the two combined are not my age by a good margin. We were at the top of the gully and the down climb looked really treacherous now that I could look down on it, I knew I would rather climb up. I was committed and focused on helping set up the second pitch belay. Nice wide ledge and you you are not looking at the exposed face so I felt good.
The start of the second pitch is classic as the second (me) lowers he leader off a bolt and then the leader swings back and forth until he can grab a chicken head and start climbing. The chicken head is a rock feature that looks like a toad stool on the rock. This route is a veritable forest of them for the next two pitches. The only protection needed was a very occasional sling around a chicken head.
Meanwhile, I belayed the leader up the 200 feet of pitch 2 and then I got my first look at the wall and the chicken heads. Looked pretty mellow and I stepped onto the face and then took a swing over to the chicken heads and started up. Easy climbing and definitely not as tough as the "class 3" gully from pitch 1. Made the pitch 3 belay station quickly and we set up the third pitch. Leader headed up and I had the new thrill of a hanging belay where you lean back on the anchor and handle the belay. Not a problem with 300 feet of blustery air below me.
The third pitch was a repeat of the second and we made the belay quickly. Then the fun resumed as pitch 4 is an exposed traverse. Leader made it look easy and I started well but ran into a short stretch of blank wall where it appeared that I needed to be lower. I believe that a short down climb would work but instead I tried to step down. Did not work and the next thing I am taking a 10-20 foot pendulum fall with 500 foot of cushioning air below. Fortunately no major damage except some scrapes and the climb back up was pretty well featured face climb just like yesterday's warm up. The rest of the traverse turned into a simple scramble up to the anchors,
We had a bit of break and enjoyed the incredible view of the inner strong hold. This would have been a perfect place for the Apaches to hang out as it is forested and easily defended. We had a fly by from a huge red tail hawk who was probably wanting us out of her nesting area so we set up the rappel and left. Easy two rope rap with one short area of free rap.
Hiked down another gully and collected our stuff for the hike back. A few miles back first up to the saddle and than down a steep trail to the parking place. The trail is actually scarier in places than the climb since we are waling slanted slabs with no protection and quite a bit of exposure. After the roped climb, this didn't phase me as I just wanted to get to the beer.
So in conclusion, were the guidebook authors correct? Certainly for me it was an awesome experience and he climb had a variety of climbing required which I always love. The pendulum aid start is unique in my experience and the fourth pitch traverse was good pucker factor. So yes, the books are right and every moderate leader should scheme a way to bag this one.  |
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