Cowboy Up

A short and sweet Technical Adventure Route. Accesses a beautiful alcove system off the South Mesa of Cathedral Rock. Easy 5.7/5.8 climbing to approach.

Take the Mace climbers approach from Easy Breezy Trail to the south end of South Mesa. Scramble up in to second gulley where two pitches of climbing start. Pitch 1 80 ft 5.7 0.5-3 mixed with bolts. Pitch 2 30 ft 5.8 0.75 cam and bolts. Scramble 3rd class to Summit. Down climb 40ft to Northwestern ledge to find R1 on prominent smooth slick rock.

R1 100ft bolt station just above keyhole saddle. Rappel down past the saddle, making sure to stay right, towards Verde Valley School road (when facing the wall you’re rappelling down) when coming over the saddle. Do NOT go to the left. Continue past the saddle towards the trees. Look out the window to Cathedral Saddle below to Northeast. But do NOT use this old bolt (shown in the image below) in the keyhole to rappel, the rest of the rappels are on the side where the trees are. Continue the route down the back side of cathedral. R2 50ft bolts LDC R3 12ft small Juniper CDC R4 40ft single bolt RDC

Traverse your way back to the paths that snake their way around the base of the rock & to the “end of trail” sign at the end of Cathedral Rock hike. Follow easy signs and steps back to the parking lot.