Knead Me, 5.10-, A0 X, 5 Pitches

Overview/Approach

Knead Me’s pitch ratings are sandbagged compared to its neighboring route Abracadaver.  That is due to the popularity void.  Abracadaver use to carry a 5.9 rating and is now 5.11-.  If Knead Me saw more traffic, its first and second pitch would no doubt be revised upward as well to match modern grades.  The “X” the local guide gives its first pitch is not entirely fair.  Although the first pitch is no doubt more difficult than 5.7 at its crux, a short off-width section in the middle, it does protect with three small to medium pieces at opportune times.  I would consider it more R than X.  The second pitch off-width is as engaging and sustained as Abracadaver’s OW 2^nd pitch, except considerably taller.  I led both within two days of each other and although Abracadaver’s OW is more technical in my opinion, Knead Me’s OW is just as physical.  The third pitch A0 tension is a wide one.  It involves lowering quite a bit and then utilizing some swing momentum to gain features on the wall to assist landing a small ledge below the first crack you come to.  The fourth pitch is a surprise.  Initial impression, it looks chossy and mossy and wide.  As you climb it, it narrows down to fingers and then arches left into Abracadaver via horizontal fun hands.  It enters Abra at its 4th pitch off-width section before a tree used as pro below an awkward entrance into a narrow slot chimney.  Continue on via one of Abra’s two finishes.

Hike up to the Rockfellow Group from either side of the Stronghold.  Approach as you would for End Pinnacle, etc.  Near the col, traverse left directly below the north face of Rockfellow Dome.  Hike a climber’s trail up to a beautiful alcove where Knead Me is located on the right and Abracadaver is located on the left. Start up the obvious chimney on the right, runout until you get a #.5 below a more serious squeeze. 

Route Description

1^st Pitch- 150’-5.7X/ The initial chimney is your typical 5.7 comfortable chimney walk up.  The crux comes at a squeeze section about half way up which would not be your typical 5.7 run out by Cochise standards.  It is an engaging squeeze section requiring a good bit of OW skills.  I placed three pieces total.  One was before the squeeze crux section.  Then you enter the upper chimney and can get two more pieces.  A small piece, #.5 and a #2 as I recall.  The upper section has a middle fin type feature in it making the climbing considerably easier than the squeeze section, but still more engaging than the original chimney technique section.  Eventually you land at a fixed rap hanger belay on a small perch below the off-width pitch above.

2^nd Pitch- 115’-5.10-/The local guide has this pitch at 150’, but it is for sure just half of a 70m rope in length.  It is sustained, so I can see where one might think it is longer than it really is.  My second had a more challenging time on this off-width than Abracadaver’s off-width pitch (5.10) two days earlier.  As before mentioned, Abracadaver has been upgraded to a modern trad grade, Knead Me not so much.  On lead, I felt it was less technical then Abracadaver's crux OW, but maybe more sustained for a longer period.  In any regard, make an awkward entry into the OW and place gear of all sizes at will.  I turned around twice, but for the most part kept left side in.  I used most OW techniques here or there.  The last few meters ease up and land you at a smaller perch yet, semi-hanging, with a nest of two tri-cams and a piton (2021) with an ancient bolted anchor above and a modern (2021) pendulum bolt above that. 

3^rd Pitch-70’-5.10- A0/ Place a few smaller off-set wires and/or cams above the passive belay nest and make a committing layback move up on moss covered rock to clip the pendulum bolt.  As of 2021, we fixed two biners perpendicular to each other to allow the second to pendulum over and then pull the rope through.  On lead, you will want to have the second lower you about 30’.  Then gain momentum and swing left to gain some features for your feet and tension onto a small ledge below a wide mossy crack.  Medium to small gear belay.  The second will have to be lowered and do the same thing, unrope and then pull the rope through. 

4^th Pitch- 115’-5.10-/ Climb the wide and mossy crack which narrows to hands and than fingers.  Then it turns dramatically left creating a small hand-sized horizontal crack.  Traverse this crack to where it meets up with Abracadaver’s 4th pitch OW section.  Climb up through the tree and make the awkward transition into the short chimney and belay atop the Friendly Flake with small to medium gear.

5^th Pitch- 130’—5.10+ PG or 5.9 A0/ Finish via either variation of the last pitch of Abracadaver.  Either climb the corner up to the pendulum bolt and tension left to the 5.7 finish on Jabberwock and run it out to the top to avoid rope issues or climb up and over the pendulum bolt (5.10+ PG) making a precarious slab move at the grade and finish on run out 5.7 slab through one more bolt to the top.

Climbing Sequence

Descent

The preferred descent is to make three 70m single rope raps (or four 60m) down Fast Track and Folie A Duex which make up the mysterious east face of Rockfellow which is also raptor central.  If you have a 70m, skip the 2^nd of four rap stations just 40’ below the rap station off of the main ledge atop the route.  On the last rap, deposit yourself down a hole directly below a massive boulder and squeeze on out and down the rocky gully circumventing Rockfellow back to the base of the route.

Essential Gear

The local guide calls for a single to #6 and doubles from #3 to #5.  I took a single to #4 and doubles from #2 to #4.  I did not need but one #4.  In my opinion the #5 and #6 size do little to protect the run-out portions.  The crux 2^nd pitch takes a ton of sizes.  Single to #4, doubles #2 to #3, a set of wires and/or off-set cams.   Shoulder length runners.  This wall is true north facing.  Do not underestimate how cold or windy it can be.  The walk back to the base is short, no need to haul your approach shoes up.  A single 60m or 70m depending on your rap preference.