PRINT: Rock Climb The Vortex, Cochise Stronghold

The Vortex

5.10, Trad, 320 ft (97 m), 4 pitches,

Avg: 2.7 from 7 votes
FA: Scott Ayers and Mark Colby, December 1996
Arizona > Southern Arizona > Cochise Stronghold > E Stronghold > Vortex Tower

Description

A cool route that gains the summit of the Vortex Tower. The Vortex route is located on the Northwestern corner of the Vortex Tower and begins below a roof where two bolts can be spotted from the ground.

PITCH 1 (100ft) 5.9 - 4 bolts & bolted anchor
Climb past the first two bolts which are visible from the ground. Work your way left past the second bolt (crux) and pass the roof on the left side. Clip two more bolts on the upper face and either find a way through the slab above the 4th bolt or downclimb to the ledge and climb the wide crack on the left side of the ledge/face. Arrive at the ramp and follow it left to a bolted anchor. Protect the follower.

PITCH 2 (110ft) 5.10 - 6 bolts & bolted anchor
An solid pitch with steep thoughtful face climbing past bolts. At the top of the face, protect in the crack before running it out on easier climbing to a bolt located up and right on the slab. Climb up and right to the last bolt before moving back left to the anchor.

PITCH 3 (110ft) 5.10 - 1 bolt & bolted anchor: Clip the bolt above the anchor before traversing left using small feet and a handrail. Turn the corner and continue up and right following the water groove corner with thoughtful climbing and intermittent gear to the top.

PITCH 4 (80ft) 5.2 - no protection & bolted anchor: Follow the easy slab ramp (no protection) to an anchor located about 30ft below the actual tower summit. This pitch can be linked with pitch 3.

DESCENT

Bring webbing/cord for rappel 2 and 3 and a 70m rope
FIRST RAPPEL (80ft) bolted anchor: Rap down the slabby ramp from the top of pitch 4 back to the anchor at the top of pitch 3.
SECOND RAPPEL (115ft) bolted anchor with cord: Rap down the southwest side of tower to a ledge with a tree/bush.
THIRD RAPPEL (100ft) bolted anchor with cord: Rap to the ground. Detach from the rope on top of the large boulder. Coil the rope and exit the top of the boulder

Location

The start isn't very far from the Beckey route. Essentially you want to walk to climbers right of the broad north face of this dome. About 150 ft right of "Clean n' Wing".

Protection

Singles to red camalot and doubles of gold and blue. A #4 and #5 can be used to make one feel extra safe.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Topo for The Vortex

Gettin pitted in the vortex

The Boas on the tower

Top of P2

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Anna Brown
Albuquerque, NM

The rappels require a 70m rope and are all bolted anchors. Bring cord/webbing to replace anchor tat or bring quicklinks and lengths of chain to equip the anchors. I didn't see a way past the last bolt on pitch 1 so moved into the wide crack at the left side of the face which protects with a #4 or #5 and followed that up to the ledge. There is no protection on the 5.easy pitch 4 ramp and my partner linked P3/P4 without issues. To hit the true summit of the tower, unrope and scramble to the top. Then scramble back down to the anchor to start the rappels. Jan 21, 2026

Ira OMC
Hardwick, VT

5.10+

The first couple pitches are unremarkable for Cochise, but the third is cool and it's a magnificent summit.
Gets afternoon sun in February.
Offset nuts are nice to have for the third pitch.
The final pitch can simply be extended past the anchor to the actual summit where one can build a belay with 2 large cams.
Rap slings are currently in good shape, but the bolts themselves are sub-ideal. The rap anchors in both cases can be backed up for the first rapper with a large cam.
As Anna mentions in her topo, Rap to the top of the bolder about 20 feet above the ground. Pull your rope and then walk away from the rap route towards a tree which leads to a sandy ramp down. Your rope is likely to get stuck if you rap all the way to the ground. Feb 16, 2026