Drive, drive, drive. Through the snowstorms of northern Oregon and the rains of the Willamette Valley. Slip chain-free through the checkpoints in the Siskiyous and dodge jackknifed tractor trailers in the Trinity Alps; snowstorms and spindrifts in northern Cali. Push through the dust storms of Central Valley. A DUI checkpoint outside of Bakersfield and automated photo radars in Phoenix. We pass border patrol checkpoints and a short 1560 miles (or 24 hours) after leaving home we arrive in Arizona’s West Cochise Stronghold. A solid grade V push. Heads still buzzing with highway noise, we wake up to rain on the morning of day 2. Rain turns to snow overnight and day 3 finds us at the Sheepshead trailhead staring at the slabby formation now covered with 2 inches of the white shit. 25F is not psyching us up for climbing either. Blondie has fun playing in the snow for an hour and then we head back. On the evening of day 4 we’re back home. Thank goodness for audio books.
New Years Weekend
Owl Rock.Three days later, we do it again. Arguably in inferior style as this time we resort to flying into Phoenix. Three days of beautiful, sunny weather and temperatures hovering in the upper 60’s. We have not climbed much since the early fall and even back then it was the “alien” European stuff. We feel stiff and generally out of it but have a great time nonetheless fondling the sun-bathed granite of the Cochise Stronghold. We go for (what we hope will be) the less ambitious ticks starting with the very fun Mystery Of The Desert (5.9) on Muttonhead Dome (three out of four stars). Easy approach and varied and well-protected climbing. Next, we do the semi-classic Warpath (5.9-). Good climbing (well protected where it counts & a bit runout where it’s easier) but a somewhat painful (90 minute?) approach as the trail seems to have disappeared in catclaw acacia growth. Now bushwhacking and a pint of blood seem to be the required toll. We do most of the El Cautivo line on Out-Of-Towners Dome (maybe??) but can’t be sure if we were actually on route. We finish off the outing on the Nightstalker (5.9) pitch (a hard crux move I thought…) on the cool-shaped Owl formation just as the weather begins to deteriorate. We kill the remaining hours of the outing checking out Saguaro N.M. and the bumpiest-flight-we’ve-endured-to-date takes us back to the snowy Portland. Our luggage joins us the following evening.
Photos
Shirley at the Sheepshead trailhead under less than optimal conditions (unless you’re looking to do a bit of figure skating in Tombstone nearby; Christmas 2008).Snowy Cochise Stronghold a day after Christmas in 2008. Sheepshead Dome in background. Shirley & Blondie double high-fiving.West Cochise Stronghold and Sheepshead after a snow storm over Christmas of 2008.West Cochise Stronghold with Sheepshead in the background. Christmas 2008.The metropolis of Why, AZ…..or was it Sonora already?? Can’t tell with all the border partrol checkpoints it took to get there.
Mystery Of The Desert on Muttonhead Dome
Hiking in to the Muttonhead Dome – upper right corner of photo and just left of the largest face (Sheepshead).Sheepshead (Jan. 2009).Shirley following pitch 1 of Mystery Of The Desert (5.9) route on Muttonhead Dome in West Cochise Stronghold (Jan. 2009).Leading pitch 2 of Mystery Of The Desert (5.9) on Muttonhead Dome (Jan. 2009).Naughty naughty – a bolted crack next door to Mystery Of The Desert (Jan. 2009).Shirley on The Wedge – pitch 2 of Mystery Of The Desert route on Muttonhead Dome in West Cochise Stronghold, AZ (Jan. 2008).View towards Mallethead (Jan. 2009).Shirley going up and over The Wedge feature on pitch 2 (?) of Mystery Of The Desert (5.9) on Muttonhead Dome (Jan. 2009).Leading the very fun pitch 4 of Mystery Of The Desert route on Muttonhead Dome in West Cochise Stronghold (Jan. 2009).Shirley on pitch 4 of Mystery Of The Desert on Muttonhead Dome. Beautiful (if short) route crux. West Cochise Stronghold, AZ (Jan. 2008).Leading the final pitch of Mystery Of The Desert on Muttonhead Dome (Jan. 2009).Topping out (Jan. 2009).Unknown party on Ewephoria on Sheepshead (Jan. 2009).Another party topping out on A Climb Too Tough To Die or Ewephoria (Jan. 2009).
Warpath on Warpath Dome
Warpath Dome.Warpath Dome and the approach vegetation – buried somewhere in there used to be a trail (still is perhaps??). January 2008.Shirley nearing the base of Warpath Dome (Jan. 2009).Short chimney on pitch 1 of Warpath. West Cochise Stronghold, AZ (Jan. 2009).Shirley leading pitch 1 of Warpath on Warpath Dome. This is the brief route crux – a nice pitch. West Cochise Stronghold, AZ (Jan. 2008).Shirley higher on pitch 1.Following pitch 1 of Warpath on Warpath Dome in the West Cochise Stronghold (Jan. 2008).Following pitch 1 of Warpath (5.9) on Warpath Dome (Jan. 2009).Topping out on pitch 1 (Jan. 2009).Looking back at Shirley from the traverse on pitch 2.Leading pitch 2 of Warpath belayed by Shirley. Warpath Dome in West Cochise Stronghold. Love climbing that characteristic (of Cochise) alligator plate stuff (Jan. 2008).Pitch 3 of the nice Warpath route (5.9-) on Warpath Dome in the West Cochise Stronghold (Jan. 2009).Pitch 3 of Warpath – slinging mini chickenheds. Warpath Dome (Jan. 2008).Shirley topping out on Warpath (5.9) on Warpath Dome (top of P3; Jan. 2009).Warpath Dome (Jan. 2009).Shirley hiking out through acacia growth after our climb of Warpath. Warpath Dome is in background (Jan. 2009).
Nightstalker on The Owl
Starting up the very nice Nightstalker (5.9) route on Owl Rock (Jan. 2009).Leading Nightstalker (Jan. 2009).Shirley following the Nightstalker line on Owl Rock. East Cochise Stronghold, AZ (Jan. 2009).Shirley midway up Nightstalker (Jan. 2009).Shirley on the finishing jugs of Nightstalker on Owl Rock in East Cochise Stronghold (Jan. 2009).Getting ready to rap off of Owl Rock (Jan. 2009).East side of the Stronghold (Jan. 2009).Shirley rapping off Owl Rock (Jan. 2009).
