Learning to be the Good Girl, 5.9+, 2 Pitches

Overview/Approach

Cholla and Polychrome Domes are located in the high reaches of the eastern Stronghold, below the Rockfellow group.  These two domes are separated by a gully and are easily climbed together regarding objectives.  Both domes feature south facing walls making them a good winter destination as long as the two approach trail options are not buried by heavy snow and melting ice (it happens).  Even in those conditions, the In the Shadows Trail option is not that difficult to navigate.

Cholla Dome features a good selection of easy moderate slab multi pitch or long single pitch climbs.   When you use the In the Shadows Trail, you come to Polychrome Dome first.  Descending downhill from there and bushwhacking north to reach the gully separating the two domes.  Cholla Dome is to the east of the gully and offers a handful of fun 5.8 slab climbs right out of the gully:  Tears for Cholla, 5.8+***, Legend of Choy Chi, 5.8+** and Escape Artist, 5.8**.  On the direct south face are two moderate mixed (trad and bolts) gems:  Cheeseler, 5.8** and Learning to be the Good Girl, 5.9+***.  These two routes share the same start but vary greatly in type.  Cheeseler features a stellar bolted slab 2^nd pitch whereas Good Girl offers an outstanding long 2^nd pitch with corner stemming, a roof pull and decent slab finish of its own. 

You can approach from either of two trails that take off south from the main trail on the east side of the Stronghold that follows the drainage up to the Rockfellow Group and Cochise Dome.  Both trails veer off south way before you reach the creek above the waterfall rock drainage.  The preferred approach, if focused on these two domes is the Into the Shadows Trail.  It is the highest of the two.  You find it easily, as it starts at where you normally cross, on the main trail, a crevassed rock drainage under a significant tree.  Look over your left shoulder and hike east a few meters to locate the trail.  Follow it up and at a cairned split up the hill, stay left.  Turning right leads to Maybe and Likely Domes.  Continue up well cairned (2024) switchbacks.  You eventually arrive above the domes which are located below and to the east, but you cannot see them.  The trail leads you to a col where you are starring directly at Polychrome’s aesthetic SW face.  To reach the gully in between the domes, descend a climber’s trail down and pick a bushwhack line north to reach it.  Making the base of this gully allows access to the largest group of moderates on both domes.  To reach Cheeseler and Good Girl, scramble through boulders heading east from the gully staging area.  The best belay stance is atop a pointy boulder.

Route Description

1st Pitch- 115’-5.8+/ This pitch is shorter than the local guide has it, which is typical. It shares the same start as the Cheeseler.  Follow discontinuous cracks up the right side.  You can see a single bolt from the belay, approximately 40’ up.  The route heads for a rounded bulge on the arete.  Bolts protect the mantel of this bulge which is the crux of this pitch. Climb the right side of the bulge and land the same belay ledge as the Cheeseler, move left and belay in the same spot off of medium gear.

2nd Pitch- 180’-5.9+/ This pitch is much longer than the local guide suggests which is unusual.  Usually the author’s lengths always error on the long side.  This is one of the better 5.9 leads in all of Cochise.  Traverse up and right of the ledge.  You can get gear at about 20’-30’.  Climb the left facing corner as it ascends the steep wall below the roof.  Eventually the corner closes off to gear and three bolts protect the sparse left face up to the roof.  Some awkward stemming and eventual commitment to the left face is the crux of the climb.  After several thin face moves you reach a handle type flake to pull up on.  Mantel the roof and place gear in its floor.  Continue up slab, initially at the grade, through two more bolts and angle up and left to the shared summit rap hangers.  Five bolts total plus a decent assortment of gear.  Great pitch. 

Climbing Sequence

Descent

If climbing both the Cheeseler and Learning to be the Good Girl, you can make a double rope rap down from Cheeseler to the 1st belay ledge and then a single 70m rope rap from your own gear back to the start.  You will be able to clean up your gear anchor once you climb the 1st pitch of Good Girl.   When done with both routes, one double 60m rope rap just makes it to the gully on the west side, below the start of Tears for Cholla.  A single 60m rope can make it in two raps to the gully utilizing the mid rap anchor on Tears for Cholla.  Watch the end of your ropes as they barely make it in either case, with a single 60m or 60m doubles if doing one rap.  A short scramble down the gully will return you to your packs. 

Essential Gear

Double 60m ropes if you want to climb both the Cheeseler and Learning to be a Good Girl back-to-back efficiently as you can rap back to the 1st pitch belay ledge and leave gear for a rap back to the start and clean it up when climbing the 2nd of these routes and then rap Tears for Cholla when done with both.  Single 60m will get you down Tears for Cholla in two raps where you can scramble back around to the start if you would rather. 70m would be a bit safer.  Single from #.2 through #3.  Slings for extension or double ropes will prevent rope drag on the long 2nd pitch.  Route receives sun most all day in the winter.