The Army Route 

We climbed the first pitch of The Army Route and didn't find many usable fixed eye-bolts mentioned in the R&I Mini Guide to the area. While there were a couple of them, most looked like they had been cut or otherwise rendered useless. We ended up belaying on a platform below and left of the big roof. There are a couple of single eye-bolts there spaced about 10 feet apart. It looked like the second pitch had a couple more. I don't know if we were terribly off route or something, but I would definitely suggest bringing a standard rack on this one.

A standard rack is now needed. I believe the first pitch has one, maybe two bolts left (someone should count the number of chopped bolts still scarring the rock).

I believe Steve found the correct spot to end the first pitch. Be wary that the description lists the first pitch ending after you step left around a roof. This roof is located about 10 meters below the HUGE roof (complete with aid route) and has a chopped pin on the left face. Climb left up over that chopped pin. If you head right across the slab you will find pro which may lead you to think that you are on route. Climbing the small break in the roof may indeed get you up to the P3 belay, but is certainly well above the 5.5 rating. As Steve noted there are not multiple eyebolts in close vicinity so use your trad rack to backup an eyebolt for a belay.

P2 is mostly bolted (and hence easy to stay on route). Similar to P1 you'll need to backup a bolt with your trad gear when convenient. P3 is very low angle with a few bolts but may be a good time to practice your gear placements as the route is covered in gravel (even in good rock areas). Whether you finish at the summit or on the ledge a few feet below you'll need the trad gear to set an anchor.

I wish I had paid more attention to route length but i'd guess the pitches to be 35-40 meters, 25-30 meters and perhaps 30 meters. Though the length is not that long bring your double and triple runners to lower rope drag.

Pitch 3"Castles made of sand melt into the sea, eventually" Jimi Hendrix

Agree with the comments about a rack. The bolts are sawed off, and only two remain, on another route. There is also a single eyebolt (Bill Parmenter can describe better for you as he strung it for our semi-hanging belay a little lower). I saw one solitary ancient piton enroute. And counted five sawed off rebar-ish bolts. Good placements for stoppers and mid to small cams. 5.5 to 5.6 is fair rating, and runners will be needed to keep your pro in line. Also, if going up to eyebolt 90 feet or so up, you'll need two ropes to rap back down (bolts gone-reminder) or pitch on up to finish the route.

As well described in comments above, fixed protection is scarce at best. Single rebar eyebolt for P1 belay is 5 to 10 meters directly above double anchors for "Wartime". Can be suplemented with a #2 and #3 camalot to make a solid anchor. However to lower from this point you must either leave gear, lower to "Wartime" anchors, or rappel from the single eybolt (none of which should be considered acceptable options). Also, requires two ropes to rappel from this point. I would strongly discourage doing this pitch only. Plan enough time to do the route in its entirety.

Exercise caution on chossy section below roof on Pitch 3. There is at least one medium sized block that when weighted moved significantly. Suspect there are others. When this block separates it will be unpleasant for the climber, possibly worse for the belayer. Advise climbing solid rock to the left of this section then traversing right to the roof move. This approach is perhaps a bit more difficult technically but definitely safer. If you choose to ignore this and climb the chossy section, remember to shout "Rock!".

Edited clarification: Anony. Coward on 7/18 has nice summary. P1 could conceivably be anchored left of small roof area adjacent to mini-arete. A one-bolt anchor is there to enhance with additional TRAD backup and medium to long runners to get back over "arete" to belay the rope line for second. Or rig ridiculously long runners into more secure bolts further left on the ledge where P2 starts. P2 still has some fixed pro, but you're gonna need a rack to safely lead. With the chossy loose stuff on final section, be ready to get zinged with gravel from your leader, and per Bill, be wary of larger loose rock. A 9-foot downclimb SSW is necessary to get to the saddle, 4th-5th class, but quite doable.

I did the route and I have to say I think it is harder than a 5.6. I would say there are several 5.8 moves on the route. Even if someone wants to disagree with my rating, I think it should be stressed that this is a potentially dangerous climb with sections of very shoddy placement..

I must have gone off route on the second pitch. From the eyebolts we steped around the corner to the left and went up a left facing dihedral for about 30-40ft. There were no bolts and the chossy nature of the gravel made the last pitch look solid. Is the second pitch supposed to angle back to the right or go up this dihedral?

Larry-

There are a billion variations to this route and it wanders, as you discovered. That said... At the start of P2, move left as you did and then go up through a bolt or two close together. But instead of going up 30-40 ft make it only 10-15 ft, something like that, then move up and right around the corner and straight up again. This stretch is mostly just unprotected though for 30 feet or so, but fortunately only 5.3 or so, no biggie. In general, the best rock is the 1st pitch for sure, but the only really chossy section (if you're on route) is on the final tower, a band of grit about 30 feet below the summit.

I first climbed this route in 1980. The quality of the rock varies. It goes through phases year to year, with some years appearing to be clean rock for the most part, other years a bit chossy or some loose blocks appearing. In the early 80's there actually were nicely constructed topos etched in metal plaques that were placed on display below this formation(as well as others in Cheyenne Canyon) by the road that clearly showed this and other routes on the rock. Plaques showed the route, the belay stances and even the grade. No need for any guidebook!There was actually paint on the rock to show the line of the climb! The plaques were removed because(as it was told to me)of too many non-technical climbers scrambling up and getting hurt in the canyon.

I have lived in the canyon area for 5 years and have climbed this route dozens of times, mostly free solo. I can't think of any one move on this route to be above a 5.5 rating. If it feels like 5.8 you must be off route.

I climbed what I thought was the 'Army Route' today; however, it was very different than all descriptions listed. We began near what appeared to be a water-filled 6x6x4ft. hole on the eastish face of the Pinnacle. Meandering up to a higher ledge led to one very rusted and one orange bolt anchor. Directly above this anchor were at least three orange bolts/coldshuts. About 15 ft. right of this line was a right-angling, semi-crescent shaped crack underneath an overhang. We took this crack and found it to be a pretty intense 5.5. There was a piton at the base of the crack and two ancient rings higher in the crack. At the top of this crack were another two orange coldshuts for anchors. Now about 20 feet above us and 20 feet to the right were several gigantic eyebolts. This wasn't the 'Army Route,' was it? Any help would be great!

...apparently it was the aptly named 'Crescent Crack.'

Had a great time climbing The Army Route today. As relatively new trad climbers, my partner and I climbed it in 3 pitches with a standard rack and had no problems. I think our start on the 2nd pitch, straight up from the large eye-bolt, was wrong as this was the only section we climbed that was clearly tougher than 5.5. There were good bolts at our two belay stations, but we used plenty of cams to protect. The end of the last pitch is a blast on great rock with some bomber holds.