Time’ll Tell, 5.9+, 4 Pitches

Overview/Approach

The local guide (2022) lists Time’ll Tell at 5.9+ and Scoppin’ Booty at 5.10-.  Time felt no more difficult than any 5.9 in the Stronghold and Scoppin' felt like a solid 5.10-, so essentially expect 5.9 vs 5.10b.  They are both worthy routes on great stone with solid protection.  The bolts were placed where needed and were relatively modern as of 2022 (both of these routes on Ghost Dome appear established in 2011).   

This first pitch offers some decent off-width climbing for a short section that is well protected with a single #3 and two #4’s.  The belay atop this wider section, next to the top of a pillar, offers a decent stance and slung belay.  The 2^nd/3^rd pitches are easily combined with a single 60m rope (vs the guide book lengths which are longer than reality) and is mostly comprised of fun face and chicken head climbing via six bolts with supplemental gear placements.  Decent sustained movement throughout this route.  What is misleading in the guide book is the overall height of this dome.  From the summit shoulder, atop pitch three, double 60m ropes get you back to the base of the wall from medium cams.  This makes it much quicker to do both routes and then just one partner needs to rap (after one partner raps back to base) from the backside and bushwhack down the back gully after the 2nd route is climbed. 

Pass Whale Dome and stay in the wash proper to access the gully between Whale Dome and Ghost Dome.  Bushwhack up this gully to the west until you can traverse north below the east face of Ghost Dome.  It is a bushwhack.  After doing a 4th class move right next to the wall in an alcove, look for a bolted line (Time’ll Tell).  Scoppin’ is the obvious crack/corner 20’ further north.

Route Description

1^st Pitch- 80’-5.9/ A slightly bold start gets you to a finger piece up and left and then a bolt up and right.  Three bolts total lead to the right side of a shallow pillar forming a short section of off-width (crux of the climb). Two #4’s and a #3 protect this fun and steep section well. A comfortable stance is found near the top of the pillar and it can be slung for the belay. 

2^nd -3^rd Pitches- 190’-5.9+/ These pitches can easily be combined and are much shorter (vs 220’) than the guide book suggests.  Climb steep but positive ground (5.8) straight up from the belay through three bolts and supplemental gear.  When the angle eases way off, look right to a horizontal on a steep face.  Traverse to this horizonal and either traverse right on it to chicken heads and solid edges or climb a shallow corner to its left. Either way you end up climbing through three additional bolts to the top.  I never felt the 5.9+ that the FAer’s and the guide book give this pitch.  It is the same last pitch to Scoopin’ Booty, so I climbed it twice.  The 5.8 2^nd pitch felt about the same as the 3rd pitch in terms of difficulty. 

4^th Pitch- 40’-5^th/ The guide book calls this route 4 pitches when in reality it is essentially 2 pitches.  This last pitch is more 4^th class than 5^th class.  Finish up to the summit on well featured slab.

Descent

Descend into the notch and move left to fixed rap hangers.  Make a short rappel down into the gully below on the west side of the dome.  Bushwhacking out of the gully trends skiers right, then back left at an exposed slab to a large tree where I did a full body stem between the slab and tree to get down.  There is aged rap tat on a tree for a 2^nd rap above this slab traverse.  Most competent Cochise climbers will be comfortable downclimbing this section.  It is also possible with double 60m ropes to rap from the summit back down to the base of the wall in one rap.  Can leave medium gear and one partner can retrieve it after climbing Scoopin’ Booty and do the rear gully rap descent while the other raps back to the packs and then each partner can meet in the main gully below Whale Dome and Ghost Dome which makes the experience to Ghost Dome more efficient.

Essential Gear

Double 60m ropes if you want to do both routes or just a single 60m rope if doing one route and rapping behind the summit.  To do both routes, double to #1, single #2-#3 and double #4’s.  Micro wires or cams.  A few off-set wires or cams for flares.  Route receives eastern sun exposure.