What's My Line?

What's My Line? ascends the huge sea of chickenheads that grace the south face of Cochise Dome. While the climbing is easy at 5.6, exposure and runout will keep the attention of most moderate leaders. Additionally, an AO pendulum or 5.10b traverse is required to access this chickenhead highway. I have rated the pitches below separately, as the climbing is distinctly different on each pitch.

To access the first belay, it is necessary to gain a large ledge about a third of the way up the face. This can be done from the west (far left) end of the face. Some technical scrambling and scary fourth class are required to access the final v-slot gully that leads steeply to the route's starting ledge. Chimney up out of this slot onto an exposed ledge. There are two bolts for the pendulum located at the far right end of this ledge.

Pitch 1 (5.6R A0): Set an anchor in flake behind ledge and lead out through two-bolt anchor. Leader may lower out and pendulum (A0) to chickenheads, or traverse over from ledge (5.10c). Once on chickenheads, climb generally straight up until you can get some pro. Beware of protecting too low, as you will either create horrendous rope drag, or doom your second to follow a terrifying falling pendulum. Double ropes are ideal for this situation. Climb up and right on sparse pro to a two-bolt anchor at the bottom of a huge brown water stain. NOTE: I have given this pitch an 'R' rating due to the runout climbing at the bottom of the pitch, and the potential for collision with chickenheads below in a fall.

Pitch 2 (5.6): From two-bolt anchor, this fun and easily protectable pitch climbs up and right for a full rope length or until the chickenheads run out. Belay on huge chickenheads just below final traverse.

Pitch 3 (5.6): From chickenhead belay, step up and left into seam. Continue traversing left past a bolt towards tree in corner. There are two ways to finish from here: either climb flake to bolt and finish up slabby face (difficult), or continue into corner and finish up easier gully to summit. Belay from three-bolt anchor.

Descent: Rappel from anchors on east side of block. Requires two rappels with one rope.

The majority of the protection on the route is by slinging chickenheads. Bring at least a dozen or more single and double-length runners for this purpose, and make damn sure you can tie a trucker's hitch and clove hitch. Large Camalots (#2-4) are helpful to build an anchor for the initial pendulum. Double ropes are also highly recommended for this route, though certainly not necessary. Lastly, some smaller finger-size cams ease the tension on the third-pitch traverse.