The Ides of Middlemarch, 5.10-, 5 Pitches

Overview/Approach

The local guide (2021) gives Ides of Middlemarch half the love it gives neighboring route Peacemaker in line with a consistent theme of favoring sport routes over trad routes in the Stronghold.  In reality, Ides of Middlemarch is an outstanding trad climb relative for the area.  The local guide also recommends skipping the final pitch (the FAer’s considered Jokers are Wild’s final pitch to be Ides exit pitch via the final headwall) which is quite consistent with the rest of the Ides climb, wide trad.   I considered this final pitch to be the highlight of this climb. 

The first pitch offers up several moves at the grade protected by bolts.  The first is a fun mantle/pull over a bulge.  The 2^nd is edging up suspect rock.  The 2^nd/3^rd pitch combination is one of the better moderate trad leads in the Stronghold.  It starts out with a thin corner leading to a wide corner requiring a little of both off-width and chimney technique, and finishes in a stem corner with select gear.  A great 200’ pitch by Cochise trad standards with just one bolt enroute.  The 4^th pitch is a fun 5.9 lead that starts out with a good finger crack and then takes off below grade on chicken heads and plates aplenty to below the final headwall.  The final pitch is a slightly overhanging off-width looking crack with little off-width technique, if any, required.  Once you get through the wide, this pitch offers an exhilarating finish up a fin to the top of the formation. 

Take the standard Sheepshead approach trail to the base of the middle of the formation.  Walk the trail south along the base of the wall past the ever-popular bolted climb, Peacemaker.  Just uphill to the south of the Peacemaker is a large right facing corner.  Look for two bolts, one that leads from the ground to a short crack and one atop a small roof above said crack.  The route moves back left into the corner above and keeps trending left until you are finished with the 3^rd pitch, then trends back right for a second before trending left to the treed ledge above.  The final pitch is up and right from there.

Route Description

1^st Pitch- 115’-5.10-/ Start up an indistinct face past a bolt to the right of a large right facing corner.  Move up and right to a crack and climb up to a roof/bulge pull.  Clip the bolt and make a long reach (north of 5’10” is best) for a positive hold with your right hand.  Make a physical mantle and move left to climb the main right facing corner until you see bolts turning out of the corner to the left.  Make several face moves at the grade through chossy edges and bolts.  Comfortable fixed belay straight up.

2^nd / 3^rd Pitches- 200’-5.10-/ Combining these two pitches makes sense for the typical trad leader at the grade.  MP.com calls this the crux pitch.  It is the most sustained.  Climb up to a left facing arcing corner that trends left into the main wide right facing corner above.  You will be climbing the right option of the two large corners above.  They merge above to a thin corner.  Mid height on this combination, you have two bulge pulls separated by a fixed rap.  The first has a bolt protecting it and is perhaps the crux of the route, stemming up through it.  The second has a fixed wire (2021) but pro is plentiful regardless.  The final corner after they merge offers fun stemming with small pro in the right facing corner and traverses right to the fixed rap and a semi hanging belay. 

4^th Pitch- 215’-5.9/ Traverse right to the base of a finger crack.  Climb it at the grade and traverse up and right onto plated chicken heads.  Climb below grade angling up and left to the large ledge below the final headwall.  There is a large tree to belay off of. There are plenty of features to sling as well as gear placements. 

5^th Pitch- 115-5.10-/ The original ascent of this route finished on the final pitch of Jokers are Wild.  It is a good pitch, despite the local guide inferring otherwise.  There are three corrections to the local guide.  This is not a “Bombay” chimney pitch.  This pitch is not as dangerous as inferred.  This pitch is located to the right of the tree, not left.  From the large tree on the large ledge, climb the slightly overhanging off-width left facing corner.  Good gear the whole way, I used nothing larger than a #2.  The crux is the awkward feet section at a good hand jam.  Pass several well seeded chockstones and scramble up to the left vertical wall.  Climb steep ground with good intermittent gear slots.  Traverse left at the top and summit.  Belay off of a medium tree.

Climbing Sequence

Descent

Head down east for a level.  Traverse north, slightly upward, along a large ledge to gain the regular descent off Sheepshead to the northwest. 

Essential Gear

Single 70m rope is recommended as pitch 4 is longer than 200’.  Single from micro to #3.  Doubles from #.3 to #2.  The local guide recommends two #4’s but the competent leader at the grade would not need them.  A few wires or offsets would be helpful.  A dozen shoulder length slings.  Haul shoes for the walk off. Route is true west facing.