Baboquivari!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Matt Hoffman]

Definitely climb the Monk. It's so fun!!

But, why limit yourself to boring stuff right in town when you can go climb this:
http://www.rockclimbing.com/photos/Topo/Mark_Trainor_s_shot_of_East_face_of_Courthouse_Rock_7215.html

Did you guys know that there is climbing in the San Tans? I had every intention of checking it out, but then I moved.

Also, don't forget about Queen Creek/Oak Flat. There are plenty of looong routes in the Lower Devils Canyon and Hackberry Creek area. The ultimate is the Totem Pole, although you'll need a strong leader for the 2nd pitch. The first pitch is like 5.9 or so, but the second is 5.10d and is kinda scary. You guys might like Geronimo on Apache Leap. It's a 2-pitch 5.6, 145' tall. Awesome!

Whatever you do, climb the Monk. Suz, climb it again.

Search mountainproject.com and rockclimbing.com for more climbing destinations. There is so much in AZ that is not well known, but is really cool. For instance, Isolation Canyon near Pine, and Winslow Wall east of Winslow. Oh, and all the canyons in the Sierra Ancha.
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"Your day-glo ballet days are over." Ancient chinese proverb.
http://web.mac.com/climbingsponge/Matt_Hoffman_Images/Welcome.html

[Desert-Boonie]

Very nice you guys and gal. Tim the pictures were sweet, (yeah the gallery does not work at all for me either) Nothing like an adventure that deals with scrambling, climbing, puking, drinking, and seeing border patrol agents.

P.S.- Still doesn't look like you are drinking the good beer yet Tim.
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~Never Satisfied~

"If I can't be my own, I'd feel better dead"

[Arizonaheat]

Awesome! When I saw that title I thought you were talking about someplace in Europe. Not being a climber via ropes, I'm not up on such places, looks beautiful for sure.
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Our lives are not determined by what happens to us but by how we react to what happens, not by what life brings to us, but by the attitude we bring to life.

[Davis2001R6]

[Suz]

[Matt Hoffman]

[azbackpackr]

[Suz]

Certainly Nestor went up with only a rope dragging behind him...we didn't even belay him....there was no chance...he just flew up. However we all agreed the ropes were necessary for the down route. The most interesting stuff in that sign in box that I've EVER seen....we took pictures but are sort of afraid to post it because none of us want to be seen or connected to "it".

[azbackpackr]

Oh, do you mean the hikers' register on the summit? Yup!

Were there still whiskey bottles with booze still in them lying around up there? Supposed offerings to the god I'itoi, who lives in the cave on the west side?

Interesting that the east side route can also be free-climbed, if only by a more experienced rock climber. The west side route would be extremely easy for a free-climber type person. In fact, they probably wouldn't bother--too easy for someone like that.

[Davis2001R6]

[mikehikes]

No they don't. The west side route totally cuts off the lower two pitches.

I have climbed Babo several times. Forbes, West Side, Southeast Arete. Spent the night on the summit twice. Once with over twenty-five SAHC members.
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Mike Coltrin
Tucson

[azbackpackr]

Mike, you beat me to it. I was going to say somewhat the same thing, that east and west don't follow the same route, and don't meet at a saddle. (Camping on the summit, though, now that sounds fun!)

[Davis2001R6]

I stand corrected so you only climb the ladder pitch then?

We decided to go from the East at the last minute. That would explain why the 1st two pitches were not what I expected.

[azbackpackr]

I don't think so, but Mike might answer that one. My memory is that the routes are totally separate the entire way. I remember being told about the remains of that ladder, but I sure don't remember seeing it. I could be wrong, though. When I was sitting up on top for several hours other climbers were arriving from a different direction than we came from.

We drove to Sells, turned off near there, went to this funky campground on the Rez. The Indians were supposed to be there to collect money from us, but of course, they weren't there to collect it. There is a well-defined trail to the mtn. from there. After the trail, there was a rock scramble, then one pitch, then a big boulder that was hard for some people in the group. Which is why I got to sit up there with a friend for four hours--we made it past the big boulder in about 2 minutes flat, but it stopped everyone else cold. So we sat up there and waited 4 hours for them to climb the stupid boulder. Stupid SAHC climbing trips! Glad they ended those. Most of the people showing up had no business being there, including the guide. (This was NOT one of Mike's trips, this was much later on, and the whole thing was ridiculous. That guide is no longer a guide for the club, though, thank goodness. Back when Mike was leading them that was a different crowd, I wasn't a club member then. I've heard those trips were pretty good back then.)

However, it was fun sitting on the summit for a long time, although we did wonder what had happened to the others. I had no vested interest in finding out, though, I just waited. It wasn't my gig. I absolutely couldn't believe it took them that long, though. We finally started back down to look, but then they showed up.

Suz had the right idea: take some climbing classes, go in a small group and get someone to lead who actually knows what they are doing.

[Davis2001R6]

I think this route is what you did Elizabeth.

http://www.climb.mountains.com/Classic_Peaks_files/Desert_Classics_files/Baboquivari.htm