One of the finest routes in Arizona or anywhere. Every pitch is hard. Every pitch is different. The position of the route is incredible. An ascent of Abra is one you'll always remember.
The line of the route is all too obvious as you approach the rock from the south. The route faces northish and remains comparatively cool. On the highest part of the wall two crack systems lead to either end of a small roof about 250' up. The right hand crack is mostly wide - Knead Me, a classic grunt. The left side is Abra.
Pitch 1: climb a funky crack / groove past a bolt to a belay on bolts. (5.10a)
Pitch 2: feed yourself to the offwidth above. Expect no mercy. Some large cams will make your life easier. The crack is about 6" or so and then narrows to fist size. Belay at a small stance where the crack pinches down to finger sized. (5.10)
Pitch 3: lieback for glory up the perfect crack to a roof. This gets harder as you go - the crux is the upper part of the crack. Traverse left, small cams, to the first real ledge of the climb. 5.11a.
Pitch 4: climb the face above to a fixed pin and then make committing slab moves until holds appear. Then up a crack to a wonderful belay atop the "Friendly Flake". 5.10c. We did this in two pitches but Kerry indicates that one will do here.
Pitch 5: The guidebook gives a number of alternatives (left, up, and right). We took the left hand version: up a bolt, the back down and frictioning left (5.9) to a good crack that leads to the summit area.
At this point you've entered a world few ever visit. The summit area is vast and complex. We spent about an hour scouting around for the passage to the true summit. Eventually we found it - it's marked by a bolt and goes at 5.7. Unfortunately we were too lazy to go back for the rope so I haven't stood at the crest of the dome.
Descend by rapping the route on two ropes.
Protection
The pro is mostly natural - just a few bolts on the route. Bring small wires (maybe small cams nowadays) for the crux. I did the OW back in the days of tube chocks - I assume big cams are the ticket now.
The bolted line to the left of Abra was done by, of course, Scott Ayers. I have done the first two pitches at .11a and .12a. According to what Scott told me several months ago, the next pitch is 5.10, then another .12 pitch and a .11 pitch. I think. I do know he said the 5.12 2nd pitch I did was not the crux pitch of the route. Lots of hard slabby climbing, on this one. Just the first pitch is fun and worth a quick go.
the corner LB pitch was also flashed by MM with three pieces. MM was a notoriously poor bolt driller and botched both anchor bolts at the top of the pitch. DB redrilled one of them instantly after seconding the pitch.
An absolute classic test piece. 11a ? I guess with sticky rubber, micro cams, etc...
I remember taking a fall from the top of layback in '77 or so. I ripped two pieces and fell past Steve at the belay.
A few weeks later, Fig Fiola took a similar fall and broke his ankle when he popped the bottom of the small ramp. Very nasty walk out... Steve and I were down in the drainage soaking sun and watching Fig and Dave have a go.
Another variation: In early/mid 80's, I led the first 3 pitches (this time the 3rd felt pretty good, hmmm, stickier shoes (Fires), TCUs (set of Bryne's beta versions) and better technique (done a few more finger cracks by that time) with JJ (John Juraschek.)
From the top of the third, I led out left across the main face for 50-100 (?) ft or so, no gear but easy climbing. This put us into the crack system over there that is probably the upper Jaberwocky pitches. It's a corner groove that took a couple of sketchy nuts. I believe it was a set of three discontinous cracks up and right. Belayed in the second one. I recall being somewhat frazzled by the moves with only 2 questionable pieces between me and a full rope whipper.
This set of cracks had been climbed a few weeks earlier by ??? (either Eb Webster or Chip Chase, Webster I believe.)
They eventually link you into the main cracks with the rappel bongs.
A bolt or two would make it a pretty neat variation. Maybe one at the bottom of the system or perhaps one towards the end of the long traverse ?
Rockfellow Dome
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