Bowl O’ Clock, 5.9+ PG, 2 Pitches

Overview/Approach

Bowl O’ Clock is a good choice to pair with Splitter Hands, 5.8+, on Bonus Wall.  They are both worth climbing.  However, the PG rating on Bowl O' Clock does border on X from a protection standpoint.  Neither of these routes have any pro bolts, which I prefer, but the burrowing under the huge hole/flake, that makes the route so unique and fun, does create a potential hazard from a protection stand point.  Besides this one “missing” bolt on pitch two as of 2022 to make this a safe route, it is a worthy climb for the competent leader. Combined with Splitter Hands on Bonus Wall which is approached via climbing Eve of Destruction, 5.8+PG, makes for a good short day of sunbaked winter climbing.  

Bushwhack up the gully to the south of Bonus Pinnacle, the next gully to the south is the one you use to access Moby Dick on Whale Dome.  This is not a pleasant bushwhack even by Cochise standards, but if you avoid the guide book’s recommendation of staying left and choose to trend right, you will have slightly less yucca and oak scrub to navigate.  Eve of Destruction has a lone pro bolt on it and climbs a seam just right of a water streak at the left south wall of Bonus Pinnacle.  At the top of Eve, you can belay off of a tree and then 5^th class on the textured slab above on your left to gain the upper ledge proper.  Continue to the base of Bonus Wall to the west.  On return, trend skiers left down from Bonus Wall via 4^th class boulders and cut left to the base of Eve vs entering the bush choked gully below or having to rap the tree above Eve.

Route Description

1^st Pitch- 80’-5.9/ Climb the discontinuous cracks and chicken heads to the right side of the bolted station next to the “hole”.  Maybe one move at the grade somewhere in there.  The traverse left to the bolted station near the end might be it.  The webbing on this station definitely needs replaced if you are going to use it on descent, however double 60m ropes do make it all the way down from the top of the formation, utilizing every inch.

2^nd Pitch- 180’-5.9+ PG/ Head straight up the chimney formed by the hole and flake.  It is chossy.  After getting a medium cam in after the initial chimney portion at the start of the 2^nd pitch, you have to run it out to the top of the flake, then traverse west to the base of the tall chimney crack above.  You are still just standing atop the massive flake/hole and need to face climb to access the bottom of the major crack system above.  An offset #.75/.5 cam might be your salvation, but a regular #.75 in a flared slot is not worthy of arresting a fall and there are no other options for two exposed moves necessary to reach a #3 flared slot as well as a third move needed to reach a bomber #4.  If you fail at these initial moves, you will fall into the hole below vs the outside wall and will no doubt break a considerable number of bones.  I took one of my double ropes and slung it over the flake behind me to possibly arrest such a fall, but doubtful this would work. 

Climbing Sequence

Descent

The guide references two double rope raps to get down, but a competent team, watching their ends closely, can make it down in one double 60m rap to the boulders below the center face.  The ropes will pull much better if done this way vs trying to use the mid anchor on Bowl O Clock (further east).  Make sure to pull them from the center base of the wall as well vs from the east, to avoid rope snag in the 2^nd pitch chimney of Bowl O Clock.  The tat on the summit anchor is close to needing to be replaced.

Essential Gear

Double 60m ropes.  Single to #4, doubles to #1. Wall receives full southern sun exposure.