Full Circle, 5.10, 5 Pitches

Overview/Approach

The local guide calls this route “PG”.  MP.com calls it 5.10+.  It felt more 5.10a by Cochise standards with no PG that I felt.  Many solid gear placement opportunities were actually bolted over.  The local guide had a gear call for doubles to #2 + a #3.  The only pitch that would come close to using a single rack was the 4^th-5^th pitch combination.  You definitely do not need a double rack.  The #3 is not mandatory for any crux but does fit nicely in a pod between bolts on the 3^rd pitch and can be used on the 5^th pitch.  The route has plenty of bolts.  Any run out that exists is on easy ground.  All belays offer relatively comfortable stances or ledges.

The first pitch is a junk pitch to get you started out of the steep gully below.  Follow the bolts on low angled ground.  The 2^nd pitch offers a short section of steep face climbing.  The 3^rd pitch, where the rock improves, offers the best climbing of the day, following a left leaning crack/corner bypassing a small roof on your right and then traversing right above it on steep and exposed but positive ground where the grade eases off considerably to a comfortable gear belay just beyond a fixed rap.  The 4^th and 5^th pitches can be combined for a long pitch.  A short, steep and fun face on good rock through three bolts leads to finger and hand jams for just a second, then a ledge.  Traverse out right and around to the right side of an arete to continue up fun, steep and positive climbing via plenty of gear.  Belay off of a large tree atop the wall.

Follow a climber’s trail on the south side of a typically dry creek bed into the canyon that is home to Entrance, Exit, Wasteland and Out of Towners domes.  The trail crosses the creek bed to the west as the creek bends south.  Continue for a short distance keeping an eye out for cairns on the right side.  Follow these cairns up the loose hill through vegetation and boulders to almost the base of the southeast face of Entrance Dome. Traverse left following cairns up to a gully where you will spot the bolt line for Full Circle.

Route Description

1^st Pitch- 140’-5.7/ Follow the bolt line (4) as it trends up and right.  The second half of the pitch is mostly just scrambling easy ground to a comfortable long ledge with a fixed rap. 

2^nd Pitch- 115’-5.10-/ Sport climbing through six well placed bolts to stance at a fixed anchor.  Steep but way positive for 5.10-.

3^rd Pitch- 130’-5.10/ The best pitch of the day.  Follow the obvious left leaning weakness above, well bolted with plenty of gear options if wanted.  Only in Cochise would someone consider bolting a line with so many gear options.  Several opportune pods make this pitch seem easy for a 5.10.  A #3 fits in a good spot.  Before the crack peters out (bolt with missing hanger above as of 2023), traverse good feet and exposure along the top of the roof out right, then continue following a few bolts and on to large holds past a fixed rap and onto a comfortable ledge that takes a medium gear belay. Good stem movement on this pitch, good rock as well.

4^th/-5^th Pitches- 200’-5.10/ Most competent climbers will want to combine these two.  Climb up a steep face through three bolts with fun stemming and positive rock.  Finger and hand jam a crack up and left placing a piece or two.  Climb up onto a brushy ledge.  Traverse right, extending any placements well if combining pitches, and gain the right side of the steep arete.  My 2^nd favorite pitch of the route. Plenty of gear to place with a bolt or two, one up high for sure.  End up on top of a shoulder at a large tree.  The guidebook calls this 180’ as well as has the topo drawn as though you are climbing the rap gully to the left.  In reality, climbing the right side of the arete to the top of this section of the formation and then downclimbing a gully from the col to a much smaller slung tree is how you finish the route proper and find the rap line.

Climbing Sequence

Descent

Single 70m rope will descend the route, which you will need every inch of when rapping the 3^rd pitch.  The first rap is described above.  Reach it by scrambling down a gully climbers left.  A slung tree is in good shape in that gully as of 2023.  Make a bushy rap down to a large ledge and scramble down to another slung tree in good condition as of 2023.  Make an easy rap down to the top of pitch 3.  Rap the 3^rd pitch which just barely reaches the top of pitch 2.  Easily rap to the long ledge at the top of pitch 1. Rap to the ground, with a meter or two of downclimbing at the end.

Essential Gear

70m rope. The local guide calls for doubles to #2 which is ridiculous, rather take a single from #.1 to #3, mostly just for the 5^th pitch.  At least a  dozen slings so you can more easily combine those last two pitches.  Route gets all day sun.  Hiking poles are helpful for the loose approach.