All Locations > Arizona > Southern Arizona > Cochise Stronghold > W Stronghold > Sheepshead Area (Sout…

Headline Dome Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Routes in Headline Dome

L › R R › L A › Z

End Of An Era, The T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b

Order Wrong? Sort Routes

Explore this area in 3D

Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more. Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.

Elevation:	6,183 ft
GPS:	31.87226, -109.9922 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	1,612 total · 42/month
Shared By:	Rob Pelon on Feb 23, 2021 · Updates
Admins:	adrian montaño, Greg Opland, Brian Boyd, JJ Schlick, Kemper Brightman, Luke Bertelsen Page Updates (admin only)

See Weather Forecast

Description

This low angle dome is hidden to the north behind the Sheepshead Dome and features numerous moderate multipitch routes. The routes face north and gets little to no sun.

Tanya Bok's "COCHISE STRONGHOLD: Rock Climbing on the West Side" details the routes on this dome. Although she calls this dome east facing I believe it is actually north facing.

Getting There

APPROACH:
Follow the main Sheepshead trail from the parking lot, past all the classic climbs on Sheepshead and up the descent gully to the saddle between Muttonhead and Sheepshead .

From the saddle, you can see the very top of Headline Dome to your northeast. At the saddle, you have two options for approaching Headline Dome.

OPTION 1: Fastest
From the saddle, follow the trail straight down the other side of the saddle for about 15-20 minutes. As you descend, you'll see Headline Dome off to your right. After about 15-20 minutes of hiking, look for a faint trail that cuts right towards the toe of the dome. The trail continues along the base of the dome.

OPTION 2: More involved & longer
From the saddle, continue up and right following the normal descent trail off the Sheepshead Dome. About 10 minutes short of the summit, you'll see a slabby face on climber's right and a cairned spur trail that breaks off left. Follow the cairned trail left while descending generally east and southeast until you reach a flat area under an easterly dome. Locate an alcove below the dome and look up to find a bolted anchor which marks the top of the 'approach' pitch to get to the top of the dome. Lead or solo up to or past the anchor into the slot. Continue through the slot, cut left and follow cairns down for approximately 100ft until you located a 2-bolt anchor. Three (3) single 70m rope rappels will get you to the base of the Headline Dome.

EXITING OFF THE DOME:
After topping out on the dome, head towards the southeast end of the dome looking for cairns and a slot that roughly faces north/south (Slot coordinates: 31.871622, -109.992750). Follow the slot to the end and look right for a bolted anchor on the exposed face. Scramble out to the anchor to set up a rappel. Once on flat ground, head towards the NW end of the flat area and cut up and left. Follow cairns up and towards the south to connect to the main Sheepshead descent trail. After connecting to the trail, continue down to the saddle and then left into the descent gully.