What's My Line? ascends the huge sea of chickenheads that grace the south face of Cochise Dome.  While the climbing is easy at 5.6, exposure and runout will keep the attention of most moderate leaders.  Additionally, an AO pendulum or 5.10b traverse is required to access this chickenhead highway.  I have rated the pitches below separately, as the climbing is distinctly different on each pitch. 

  To access the first belay, it is necessary to gain a large ledge about a third of the way up the face.  This can be done from the west (far left) end of the face.  Some technical scrambling and scary fourth class are required to access the final v-slot gully that leads steeply to the route's starting ledge.  Chimney up out of this slot onto an exposed ledge.  There are two bolts for the pendulum located at the far right end of this ledge. 

  Pitch 1 (5.6R A0):  Set an anchor in flake behind ledge and lead out through two-bolt anchor.  Leader may lower out and pendulum (A0) to chickenheads, or traverse over from ledge (5.10c).  Once on chickenheads, climb generally straight up until you can get some pro.  Beware of protecting too low, as you will either create horrendous rope drag, or doom your second to follow a terrifying falling pendulum.  Double ropes are ideal for this situation.  Climb up and right on sparse pro to a two-bolt anchor at the bottom of a huge brown water stain.  NOTE: I have given this pitch an 'R' rating due to the runout climbing at the bottom of the pitch, and the potential for collision with chickenheads below in a fall. 

  Pitch 2 (5.6):  From two-bolt anchor, this fun and easily protectable pitch climbs up and right for a full rope length or until the chickenheads run out.  Belay on huge chickenheads just below final traverse. 

  Pitch 3 (5.6):  From chickenhead belay, step up and left into seam.  Continue traversing left past a bolt towards tree in corner.  There are two ways to finish from here:  either climb flake to bolt and finish up slabby face (difficult), or continue into corner and finish up easier gully to summit.  Belay from three-bolt anchor. 

  Descent:  Rappel from anchors on east side of block.  Requires two rappels with one rope.

What's My Line?

Unknown route on lower left side

Quadruple Direct

What's My Line Direct

The Price is Right

Double Jeopardy

Let's Make a Deal

The hardman's way to do What's My Line. 

  This is a stellar but testy climb and one of the most classic Grossman leads I've belayed (and I've belayed a few of them...) 

  Rock is good, moves are great but as I recall it's pretty good 5.11 climbing. 

  This was all hand drilled in one shot.   Just as Steve was getting to where I thought deck out was starting to become an issue, he'd stop and drill a bolt (all 3/8") off some pretty sloping foot holds.   

  I'm not sure I could have drilled some of these bolts off these stances.  They're reminiscent of Marty Woerner's routes at Gnt Mnt and Suicide.  No wonder, as Marty was an early mentor of Steve's. 

  Stellar climb if you're climbing 5.11+ face.  If 5.11 face is at your limit, this may be a bit runout for you.  I do believe it's a safe route, just not a sport route, but certainly sporty. 

  Second pitch joins the direct start to WML.  Runout 5.8 for the third pitch then onto the enjoyable easy ground of WML.

This sport(y) excursion begins on the left side of the true base, behind a giant boulder.   

  1) Go up 25' past 2 bolts (recommend a stick clip of bolt 1) Reach righ to bolt 3, then further right 10' to a pedestal. Move up past two more bolts (crux passing bolt #5) to a low angled area.  This is where it gets interesting.  Traverse right and slightly downward past three bolts to a bulge.  Step further down and right, reach out to clip a bolt, then make a difficult and airy move to a belay station. (5.11b - 130') 

  2) Continue more or less straight up, passing 5 bolts to the leadge/ramp left of the What's My Line start.  There's a healthy runout after the final bolt, but the climbing gets progressivly easier. (5.11a - 80') 

  The rock at the beginning is still a bit crunchy (hence the stick clip recommendation), but gets better as you ascend.  All of the difficulties are well bolted.

This is a direct line up Cochise Dome which combines four different routes.  To my knowledge this linkup was named by SA. 

  Pitch 1 (130', 5.10/10+) - Climb the first pitch of What's My Line Direct via the harder variation. 

  Pitch 2 (150', 5.9) - Climb Let's Make a Deal until it joins What's My Line.  Finish at a three bolt anchor. 

  Pitch 3 (80', 5.6) - Continue up and slightly right on What's My Line until you see a two bolt anchor on the lefthand side of the chickenhead field. 

  Pitch 4 (125', 5.10-) - Climb the last pitch of Unknown. 

  If you want a topo just PM me.

A direct start to Whats My Line that avoids the 4th class gully approach.  It has some quite committing climbing and requires a got of ingenuity to protect the follower.  Make sure to provide a means to protect the follower through the traverse. 

  Pitch 1 (5.10+ R, 130'): Start at a left-leaning ramp below a bolt. Clip it, then do the 10+ crux move. Clip another bolt, then traverse left and then up to another bolt nearby a right-leaning crack (5.9 R).  Continue up and left to a two-bolt anchor. 

  Pitch 2 (5.9, 150'): Climb straight up, joining Whats My Line, stopping at a the three-bolt anchor.   

  Finish on What's My Line. 

  It is also possible to skip the 10+ move by traversing in from the right (5.6R).

A primarily bolted line up Cochise Dome. 

  Start at the left leaning, arching crack on the right side of the SE face.  Look for two bolts above the crack. 

  Pitch 1 (130', 5.11-):  Climb the easy crack to two bolts.  Make a few more difficult moves past the two bolts to easier terrain.  Tie off a chickenhead to protect your follower, then work right to a two bolt anchor.  This anchor is shared with Double Jeopardy. 

  Pitch 2 (100', 5.11):  Make hard moves up and left  from the belay.  The first four bolts is the hardest climbing.  Continue clipping a total of nine bolts, then work up and left on chickenheads to a two bolt anchor. 

  Pitch 3 (80', 5.7):  Easy climbing up chickenheads to a two bolt anchor right of a prominent brown water streak. 

  Pitch 4 (125', 5.10-):  Climb up the bolt-protected slab to the right of the prominent brown water streak.  Once the bolts end continue straight up to a pocket that takes gear, and continue up an arching crack directly above.  Belay on top of the formation at two bolts. 

  Descent:  Use the Descent for What's My Line. 

  If you want a topo for the route just PM me.

Double Jeopardy is a committing, exposed climb on the beautiful arete on the right side of Cochise Dome.  It requires some steady nerves and good face climbing skills. 

Pitch 1 (5.10+R, 70') - Start on the right side of Cochise dome directly under the blunt arete.  Scramble on to a block, clip a bolt, and launch right into the crux of the climb:  stiff moves up and left to a 10+ mantle.  A fall from the mantle will result in a crash landing on the starting block.  Continue up and slightly left on easier but runout climbing.  Some pro can be found just before arriving at a ledge with a two bolt anchor. 

Pitch 2 (5.10R, 170') - Ignore the heavily bolted line heading up and left.  Instead follow four bolts toward the arete (5.10PG13).  The third bolt is not visible from the belay.  Once on the arete the climbing eases a bit and chickenheads offer some protection.  There are some runouts on the easier terrain.  Belay on good chickenheads to the left of the arete. 

  Follow What's My Line to the top. 

  If you would like a topo just PM me.

Cochise Dome (aka What's My Line Dome) is a prominent chickenhead encrusted formation just north of the Rockfellow Group in the central Stronghold.  The huge south face of this dome hosts the classic "What's My Line?", perhaps the most well known 5.6 in Arizona, as well as a few other more difficult routes and variations. 

  Magnificent views, relative accessibility, and classic climbing make this area a popular destination for most visiting climbers and locals alike. 

  A large portion of the climbing in Cochise Stronghold is closed annually for raptor nesting.  Closures vary, and are typically from February 15 - June 30 and include the entire Rockfellow Group and What's My Line Dome.  Check with the Forest Service for changes and current closures (see Access Update below!).

Description

Protection

Routes in Cochise Dome (What's My Line Dome)