Worm Dome, 5.5-5.10

Overview/Approach

Worm Dome is yet another of many Cochise destinations that sees few climbers, despite offering quite a few interesting moderates that would pair well with the ultra popular Bee Line route on Stronghold Dome next door.  The local guide publishes a few old easy routes on Worm, but as of 2024 there are seven mixed (bolts and gear) or fully bolted lines on Worm, several of which offer ever bit the climbing that Bee Line offers.   I am going to name them #1 through #7, left to right on the south face. 

At the west end, #2 is an outstanding 5.8+ multi pitch route.  The 1^st pitch is fully bolted to a fixed rap through horizonal features.  The 2^nd/3^rd pitch combo is nothing short of joy.  It takes on cool face movement below a shallow arch to a fun bolted roof pull to lessor, but fun, climbing to the top of the formation offering perhaps one of the finest views of the Rockfellow Group in all of the Stronghold. #3 is a stout and worthy mostly bolted 5.9 route with a cool intricate slab move at the grade on the upper wall.  #6 and #7 are both worthy two pitch 5.10 routes.  #6 offers cool bolted slab movement on the upper wall. #7 offers a cool steep trad corner on the upper wall with a physical pull at the top of the corner.  No reason to be waiting in line for Bee Line when these routes are so easily reached just up the hill.

Approach as you would for the Stronghold Dome but continue up the gully below its south face.  You will pass quite a few bolted lines on the “connector” rock between the two domes.  Look to access #6 and #7 at the very eastern edge of Worm Dome by accessing a short gully directly below the east side.  Once on the wall, there are many fixed raps and you can catch a broad ledge system in the middle of the dome vs rapping all the way back to the ground, and just keep moving left competing all routes easily in a day for the competent team.

Routes Descriptions, Listed Left facing the South Facing Wall

#1- 5.5RX/

#2- 5.8+***, 3 Pitches/ Essentially an improved line over the original name’s sake route for this wall. Start at the west end of the dome, locating a fully bolted first pitch up fun horizontals on great rock.  Pass the fixed rap above the bolts and scramble along the ledge and over boulders to another line of bolts on the face above that leads to a fun roof pull at the grade.  Belay by slinging a boulder on the massive ledge.   One of the bolts on the 2^nd pitch is easy to make out under a shallow arch.  The line trends left after that and it is easy to see the rest of the bolts once on the face.  After pulling the fun roof above, continue following the bolt line up over several horizonal mantles passing a 2^nd fixed rap station and continue the pitch as one lead to the summit fixed rap.  This makes a perfect 200’ lead at the grade and is one of the better leads at this grade in the Stronghold.  I did not place much gear or sling features if any at all, but there are plenty of opportunities for supplemental protection.  Route receives sun most all day in winter.  A 60m rope works for the entire route and just makes the top of the final lead if you combine those last two pitches as recommended.  Dow

#3- 5.9*, 2 Pitches/ From the fixed rap atop pitch one of #2, rap east down the broad buttress to some large blocks below.  Locate the first line of bolts heading up the rounded chickenheads slab.  There are two lines of bolts lower down almost to the bottom, those are for #6 and #7.  Just keep an eye out for the first bolt line on the lower wall starting on the broad left leaning ramp at the end of a 70m single rope rap.  Climb this 1^st fully bolted pitch on fun and easy slab.  Maybe a 5.8 move after the first couple of bolts.  Belay at a fixed rap below the head wall directly above.  The 2^nd pitch offers an intricate slab crux, pushing the grade, located after traversing up and left through several bolts and then straight up to a fixed rap in the middle of the formation. Again, supplemental gear is available, but I did not place any.  Two single 70m rope raps get you down all the way to the ground for the start of the 5.10’s.  Route receives sun most all day in winter.  Dow

#4- 115’-5.8/ This is the 2^nd pitch of an original route they named Murray.  Once you make one single 70m rap from atop #3 back to the mid fixed rap.  Climb the obvious right facing corner and meander back to the same fixed rap atop the formation.  Again, just a single 70m rope rap back to the mid anchor.  Single to #3.  Route receives sun most all day in winter.  Dow

#5- 5.10-R, 2 Pitches/ Part of an old route named Heart Mur-Mur that mixes with #4 on its 2^nd pitch.

#6- 5.10-**, 2 Pitches/ Rap to the ground from #3-#5.  Locate the two bolted lines at the east end of the formation.  Both offer easy first pitches up rounded chicken heads/plates.  Both 1st pitches are fully bolted.  The left one climbs 5.7 to a fixed rap just meters to the east of #3-#5’s fixed mid rap anchor.  The 2^nd pitch offers a good slab climb that starts right, trends back left and then straight up passing the top rap anchor out right on #7.  This route is taller than #7 and continues up bolts with one final slab sequence at the grade.  The sustained nature and quality movement on this pitch makes it one of the better pitches on any of the domes sharing this gully.  Single pitch 70m gets you down in two full raps.  Fully bolted.  Route receives sun most all day in winter.  Dow

#7- 5.10***, 2 Pitches/ Climb the further most bolt line at Worm’s east end.  This fully bolted 1st pitch is a 5.6 rounded plate climb to a fixed anchor almost on the arete.  Belay here.  The 2nd pitch goes straight up to a bolt over easy ground.  Continue straight up and traverse right to the hands left facing corner.  Climb the corner as it finishes on fingers and continues to the crux move of the route, an awkward bolted slab pull up from the corner over a small bulge.   Dow