Ewephoria, 5.8+, 5 Pitches

Overview/Approach

I climbed this route in January, 2018, with the Urioste family from Red Rock, Jorge, Joanne, Danny and Susie.  I had climbed another 100 multipitch routes in Cochise before I noticed that my index page was missing Ewephoria.  Therefore, the notes below are over four years old, but obviously this is one of the three most popular routes on Sheepshead (Peacemaker and Absinthe of Mallet being the other two).  Ewephoria is also by far the easiest route I have climbed on Sheepshead.  I have solo on sighted other classic 5.8's in the Stronghold (i.e., Wasteland) and would not hesitate to solo Ewephoria, a relatively secure route by Cochise standards if that is what you are looking for.

Take the well-trodden approach trail to the middle lower base of the broad west wall of Sheepshead.  Turn left (north) and follow the trail as it starts to ascend the standard descent trail.  The first significant short spur trail that cuts out right to the northwest face and ends at a significant landing gets you to the start of Ewephoria.  The route starts up a right facing corner at the left end of this landing.  The right facing corner in the middle of the landing is Ranch Hands.  The next spur trail and landing up the descent trail is for Get the Flock Out of Here.

Route Description

1st Pitch- 130’- 5.8/ Follow the friendly left leaning ramp corner for 100’ and then make a traverse left via large holds and a single bolt up to the fixed anchor.  Fast and easy pitch by Cochise standards, hands and fingers galore placing any gear you want allowing for a single rack to #2 no worries.

2nd Pitch- 130’- 5.7/ Climb up and left through a single bolt in sight, easy ground through five more bolts to a comfortable ledge/fixed anchor on the left side of bushes.

3rd Pitch- 150’- 5.8/ The best (crux along with pitch 5) pitch of the route.  Follow the bolts straight up through polished slab and seam.  Hit the short vertical to slightly overhanging wall and traverse right via incuts and fun stemming.  Mantle the block on the right and slide back left following easy ground to the fixed anchor.

4th Pitch- 150’- 5.8/ The guide has the pitch at 5.8 as well, but it is more like 5.6.  Follow the bolts through plated rock to the treed shoulder below the variable finishes to the route.

5th Pitch- 100’- 5.7+/ I did To Tough to Die earlier in the day so opted for the chimney (original finish) of Ewephoria.  They are both great finishes so you cannot go wrong and I thought both were well bolted, no need for gear.  The anchor on the arete is for To Tough to Die.  Walk back to the obvious chimney in back of the ledge for Ewephoria’s finish.  Scramble up to where you can see bolts on the left wall (not the traverse line out left, that is a 5.11 variation of some sort), but rather inside the chimney itself.  The bolts traverse along the left wall where there is a finger flake.  I mantled that flake with a fun and easy left heel hook vs any stemming and just kept climbing up the flake on the left wall, clipping bolts.  There is a single bolt on this side of the summit that can be backed up with a finger piece extended behind it 1 to 2 meters, for a belay.

Descent

Walk off the standard descent down a well trodden trail between Muttonhead and Sheepshead.

Essential Gear

Single rack to C4#1 or 2, a dozen draws/shoulder length slings, 60m rope.  This route can be done quite fast by the competent party.  Faces west, full afternoon sun.