Big Time, 5.10, 2 Pitches

Overview/Approach

The local guide has Big Time at 5.10 and Mp.com has it at 5.10c.  I never felt a 5.10c move, therefore I concur with the local guide.  Big Time is a great pairing with Beeline, 5.9+ and Abril Bypass, 5.8, for a good morning or afternoon on Stronghold Dome.  It starts just to the left of where Beeline and Abril start by climbing up a left leaning weakness placing a piece of gear and then crossing a bolt to the right (where Mp.com considers the 5.10c to be, but it felt more like 5.10a at most) to access the major arete formed by the right facing corner that turns into a massive left facing corner above.  You climb an off-width section for a few meters clipping bolts on the arete and then stem out left to the arete proper for a few moves at the grade through bolts.  Pass a small roof and misc anchor of some sort and continue to the lower (and newer) of two rap chains (2023) at a stance.  The 2^nd pitch is a runout 5.8 pitch up the obvious pillar that forms the left side of a wide chasm near the summit.  You get gear early but then run it out to a bolt on the pillar’s arete and run it out again on easier ground to the fixed rap chains above.  Mp.com does a poor job at describing this pitch.  The local guide does much better in this circumstance.

Take the standard climbers trail as you would for the Rockfellow Group and Cochise Dome.  Half way up, Stronghold Dome’s east face is obvious across the major drainage to the north.  At a sharp left bend in the trail, look for a climber’s trail that crosses the drainage to the right, about even with the base of Stronghold Dome.  Follow this trail and turn left at the southeast corner of the dome and walk through a large hole to the south face.  Beeline, Abril Bypass and Big Time start immediately after exiting the hole.  Big Time has a bolted variation that continues straight up the face ignoring the arete.  The original route, as described here, clips the first bolt and then traverses right to the OW and arete.

Route Description

1^st Pitch- 160’-5.10/ MP.com considers this start 5.10c, but it is more 5.10a by Cochise standards.  Climb up a left leaning weakness placing a small piece, then traverse right over a bolt on slab to reach the off-width on the right side of a hidden bolt line.  Climb the easy off width for a few meters clipping bolts on the right side of the arete which is to your left.  Stem back to the arete on your left and make a few moves at the grade protected well by bolts.  Pass an anchor.  Climb beyond where the chimney starts on your right (Abril Bypass comes up here) to a modern (2023) set of rap chains below an older set.  Belay here.

2^nd Pitch- 90’-5.8/ Climb the arete on the pillar up and left.  MP.com does a horrible job of explaining this pitch and could lead you right.  Rather climb straight up the left side of the wide crack/corner on your right, placing a #.75 in a bomber slot and then trend up and left to the base of the pillar where you get another solid medium piece or two and then run it out on positive ground through a lone bolt to a bit more run out, below grade, but steep, to the rap chains above.

Descent

With a 70m single rope, rap climbers left, vs the direction of the chains, to avoid getting your ropes stuck in the chimney to climbers right.  There are a variety of rap choices below, but the best is a station at the top of the End Chimneys:  two large cracks that join at a slightly hidden rap.  Make a 70m single rope stretcher rap to blocks below and just west of your packs.

Essential Gear

70m rope.  Single rack to #2.  Mix of draws and slings.  Route gets sun most all day.