The Nose Goes, 5.8R, 3 Pitches

Overview/Approach

Murray Dome is yet another of many Cochise destinations that sees few climbers, despite having a combination of grades and stellar route selection, sort of like Maybe Pinnacle provides, but less.  Starting at the far left, there is an unnamed and unpublished 5.7 mixed single pitch up the “nose” which is a blunt arete at the south end of the Dome.  This is a good lead for climbers breaking in at that grade featuring four bolts and a short hand crack leading to a fixed anchor.  The Nose Goes, 5.8R, 3 Pitches, is one of the more interesting multi pitch 5.8’s on the east side.  It features a very cool dike traverse on its 2^nd pitch.  The R is all at 5.5 climbing or less.  Three routes start from this same location including the Dave Baker route, 5.8R, 2 Pitches and a single pitch by the name of Make the Stronghold Great Again, 5.8R.  Atop the 1^st pitch of the Dave Baker route, there is an option for an unpublished single pitch route known as the Great One, 5.8.  Again, like the Nose Goes, this pitch traverses left on a dike, but is a more challenging and airier of a traverse vs the Nose Goes dike traverse lower down.  It is well bolted on beautiful rock.  On the short east face up hill from these routes are two stellar sport routes, Mangas Coloradas, 5.11- and the unpublished Trail of Tears, 5.9.  Two of the better sport routes on the east side at their respective grades. 

Mp.com discusses approaching Murray Dome below Stronghold, Beanfest and Worm Domes by scrambling up their shared gully to the top and then up and right out of the wash by a slight cairned climber’s trail between Worm and Murray. The modern guide as of 2024 suggests approaching in front of Tesfnaeb Dome.  I have done both and they are essentially equal in distance and effort.  My preference is ascending below Tesfnaeb and up to the col at its west end by a slightly cairned climber’s trail. Descend into the wash between Stronghold and Tesfnaeb at the west end of Worm Dome.  Then ascend up the wash for a short distance looking for a slight cairned climber’s trail on the right side that leads to the south and east faces of Murray.  On descent, return to the west end of Worm Dome and descend the gully below Worm, Beanfest and Stronghold Domes and return south to the main trail as you would if returning from the Stronghold Dome, completing a loop around Tesfnaeb Dome.

Route Description

1^st Pitch- 145’-5.8/ This is one of the better and diverse trad leads at this grade in Cochise and shares the same start as the Dave Baker (DB) route.  Stem up the corner proper protecting with a #3 or #4 in the corner itself.  The DB route takes the crack on the right face whereas the Nose continues up the corner.  The corner closes and is bolted (3 modern bolts as of 2024) up to a narrow ledge that traverses left to the right leaning wide corner, well below a rap station above between the two.  Make sure to extend your last clip or two and traverse left to the wider crack.  Use fists or hands and place another #3 or #4, extend the placement and pull left onto the obvious dike.  Traverse the dike up and left placing a cam or two into pockets and/or slinging a small chicken head and continue through two bolts that protect the final upward move of your feet up to the dike where your hands were near the end.  There are two fixed stations side by side on the arete (nose).  The left one offers the better stance.  The modern guide book references 175’, however this pitch is much shorter than that.  The guide author calls for a single to #4 and doubles of #3-#4, but the only gear I placed on the entire route was a #3 and #4, one time each.

2^nd/3^rd Pitches-195’-5.5R/ The guide has these pitches divided and there is a fixed mid station, but I found no reason not to combine them to the top of the wall.  Climb the runout 5^th class up the water runnel directly on the nose and into the obvious chimney above.  Stem up the runout chossy chimney until even with the upper dike with huge features.  Traverse the dike laden ledge to the right to a fixed anchor and continue straight up from there via large chicken heads that can be slung.  A single pro bolt is two meters below the top.  Three bolts are spread out on the top for a belay.  I placed no gear on this pitch, just slung features where available.

Route Sequence

Descent

Scramble down north and then east to find the fixed rap atop the eastern wall that serves the Dave Baker route.  It is 4^th class scrambling down with a slight bit of exposure.  Make two short raps off of fixed stations down to the fixed rap you saw above on the left wall at a bush when leading the first pitch.  Making three short raps with a 60m or 70m single rope versus two with a 70m will make it less likely you get your rope stuck on a chicken head on the pull on low angled ground. 

Essential Gear

Single 60m rope, single #3-#4, 120cm slings for slinging horns.  If the first pitch is at your grade level, then bring additional gear, i.e. a single rack #.4 to #4.  Route receives good sun in the morning and mid-day during winter.