Type: Trad, 3 pitches
GPS: 34.81768, -111.79289
FA: Chris Tatum and John Burcham
Page Views: 6,779 total · 28/month
Shared By: Aimee McRae on Apr 6, 2006
Admins: Greg Opland, Brian Boyd, JJ Schlick, Kemper Brightman, Luke Bertelsen
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Description Suggest change

P1: Clip a couple bolts then head left into a layback flake. Climb this until it seems like it's going to disappear, then head right over a small roof, where you will find another bolt.

P2: Move over easy slab with bolts.

P3: The crux. Move left from the belay up a steep arete into a corner. Move right out of the corner over steep ground to clip a couple bolts. Then head right again and up. Finish back to the left over steep jugs to a chain anchor.

Location Suggest change

Hike up to Cathedral Rock to the notch where you can see an unusual volcanic plug (some say this is the vortex). Follow the trail over the notch and keeping to the left side of the rock. Head in between two sandstone formations and follow the rock heading south. Come around the formation to head to the west and start looking for bolts on the south-facing face.

Protection Suggest change

Chain or bolted anchors at the top of every pitch. Bolts and gear for the rack. Bring small TCUs or Aliens for the first pitch and up to a #3 Camalot for the rest.

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Photos

map. best approach option drawn on with approximate distances from parking area.
map. best approach option drawn on with approxi…
 2
Not to be alarmist, but I noted the spiderwebbing series of hairline fractures that completely surround the closely spaced belay bolts- your sole security for starting the third pitch.
Not to be alarmist, but I noted the spiderwebbi…
 2
The view of the Cathedral Group summits from the top of South Mesa (Rabbit Ears, Little Middle, Mesa, Mace, Dodger clockwise from bottom).
The view of the Cathedral Group summits from th…
 1
Phototopo of Vortex in a Can.
Phototopo of Vortex in a Can.
 1
Penultimate moves on Vortex in a Can
Penultimate moves on Vortex in a Can
 0
The start of pitch 2 (I thought the mantle onto the top of the Fort Apache Limestone was a tad harder than 5.8!).
The start of pitch 2 (I thought the mantle onto…
 0
Heather Hayes on a tricky section of pitch 1.
Heather Hayes on a tricky section of pitch 1.
 0

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