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. 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. I had just grabbed the flake that stuck out (which later cut loose on some poor party.)
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 ?
I suspect you could combine 1 and 2 (heh heh.) And probably stretch the original #4 out for a long ways and belay up in the upper crack somewhere.
Not sure why'd you want to do that. The current belays are very natural breaks.
By randy baum From: Minneapolis, MN Oct 16, 2008 rating: 5.10c
with a 70m, you can link pitches one and two. just make sure you bring enough pro for the belay. there are two good spots for the belay where the crack narrows below what is traditionally regarded as the third pitch. using the large pinch/flake located where the crack starts to narrow, you can belay off .75 and #1 camalots and/or large nuts. go another 10 feet or so and you can belay right at the base of the dihedral off of red TCUs, .75 camalots, and/or large nuts. while the higher belay may be more comfortable, it reduces the length of the stellar third pitch.
other notes:
third pitch didn't feel like 11a. more like 10a/b. bats like to nest inside this crack, fyi. kind of freaky when you climb past (or over?) them. take yellow or blue TCU for section (crux) below the roof traverse.
beginning crack of traditional 4th pitch feels close to 11a. purple TCU or small nut works well for crux. take some runners for the rest of this pitch. about a 180' pitch. belay atop flake is cozy, though.
fifth pitch has two bolts. after climbing up the 3-4" crack above teh belay, you reach a big flake/jug. directly above this about 10' is the first bolt. the next (and last bolt) is about 30' higher. moves at first bolt are fun, airy, and solid.
two metolius rap anchors have been put in next to the old rap station, of which only one bong is left. first rap station (down and to the left of the huge flake(pitch 4 belay)) is easy to find. we had trouble finding the last station, as it's a ways to the right and a pain to get to.
with offwidth, hands, fingers, laybacking, flares, and even some face climbing, abracadaver might be the astroman of cochise.
What a day! Rugged approach, excellent & varied climbing, solid rock, great position & beautiful views.
I thought the start of P4 was at least PG-13, and I never saw the piton. A fall onto that ledge would suck.
We finished on the 11a face. Tough move past the bolt, but then it eases off considerably, which is good because it's a long way to the second bolt.
I love the description above for P2: "Feed yourself into the offwidth above. Expect no mercy." Very descriptive. I taped my ankles ant still got ankle gobies!
A few things to add. I thought it felt like yosemite 11A crack. Arizona?? Pitch 4 is the sleeper. I placed a red alien blind from a layback. I'd give the pitch an R. One of the best climbs of the grade on granite.
By Daryl Allan From: Sierra Vista, AZ Nov 22, 2009
Paul H., linking 2 and 3 works very well and cuts out the hanging belay.
RSS Feed
Slideshow
