Cochise Stronghold or Red Rocks for Spring Break?

March 2nd through the 11th I will be travelling with the Fort Lewis College Climbing Club (Durango, Colorado) for spring break. We're heading to Joshua Tree for Thanksgiving, Ouray for winter break, but we have not yet come to a consensus of where to go for the aforementioned time period.

Any advice from those who have previously facilitated large groups at either Cochise Stronghold or Red Rocks would be much appreciated! We will likely have 10 people in attendance and would love to be able to camp together and have climbing within hiking distance from our site. Ability levels range from 5.11 trad leaders to total beginners so a variety of options would be appreciated as well.

Again, any information would be great! I know there's going to be at least one person who voices his opinion about our large group getting in their way, and I understand, but please offer something constructive as well!

Dylan Weldin

Our group camping at the base of the Ophir Wall near Telluride, Colorado

Trails out at the Creek Pasture campground in Indian Creek Canyon that our club constructed with the guidance of the BLM

Finally, a video: youtube.com/watch?v=YcDZ0qt… of our group out at Indian Creek volunteering and climbing. Thanks for your advice!

I'll admit my bias and say Red Rocks doesn't excite me very much at all as a climbing destination, but I'd figure the camping situation alone at Cochise would be far better at accommodating a large group. Additionally, you'll encounter far less tourists, fees, and regulations - not to mention avoiding the one way loop road!

Climbing will not be in hiking distance from camp at Red Rocks while it will be at Cochise. Although, you will still probably want to drive to different formations while you're there. On a personal note, I also found the approaches at Cochise to be more straightforward than at RR.

Climbing styles range from sport to trad with good grade representation at Cochise, but more granite specific techniques will obviously be employed.

Be sure to bring all the food and water, as well as the supplies for waste disposal you need if you if you want to stay out there for a while without making frequent trips to the nearby town of Tombstone. It can get a bit chilly at night as well, so bring all the firewood you would want to use.

Of course, if you are looking more to augment your climbing with big city amenities, Vegas would be the obvious choice.

During spring break in Red Rock, there are often larger groups of folks, so I wouldn't worry about that. The hordes of folks that will be here may be off-putting to your crew, or not, as the case may be. As was mentioned, driving is mandatory. You can reserve group sites at THE campground. They're reasonably nice, with a new pavilion, and while it may seem overkill for 10 peeps, it's nice when it rains (which it does - see previous discussions on RAIN AND SANDSTONE...) Red Rock has something for everyone - nOOb to 5.11 trad easily. Easy and Moderate sport climbs are here in abundance, but can be ridiculously packed that time of year. If you wanna do easy to moderate multi-pitch, get up early or be prepared to pass multiple parties. On the convenient side, RR rules. The nearest bar w/ good happy hr/grocery is 4min drive from campground. mountainproject.com/v/rain-… PM me for specifics if ya want. Personally I'd go to Cochise...

I gotta disagree with Zeke: Red Rocks is absolutely an awesome climbing destination!

That said, you don't want to go there if you want climbing within hiking distance of the camping. The nearest campground is a few miles from the entrance of the park. But the climbing is amazing.

Cochise Stronghold is great. It is one of my favorite climbing areas. It can certainly support large groups. But PLEASE tread carefully there. This is an area that has great natural, historical, and cultural significance. If you decide to go there, be sure to read up on this significance; it is very interesting.

There are raptor closures in effect that time of year. Maps at the trailheads illustrate the extent of these closures clearly.

Please don't build trails there like the ones in your photo of Indian Creek. The hiking/climbing trails are all well-established.

Because you are a large group, I suggest you camp in the campground in the West Stronghold (it really isn't very expensive). They have tables, tent sites, toilets, and water. The climbing is easily accessed from this campground; the main trail is a few minutes walk down the road.

However, most of the sport climbing is in the East Stronghold. It is free-range camping there. If you go there, PLEASE take responsibility for your impact. It takes the desert a long time to break down trash and human waste.

If you camp in the East Stronghold, you will need to a large amount of water for the week. The nearest water is probably an hour round-trip.

One last remark: pack for all types of weather there at that time of year. I've been snowed on in Cochise in March.

I hope this helps.

Have fun! :)

Also Cochise has a reputation for BOLD routes so it may not be that beginner friendly. If you are headed to Cochise you should try to talk to Gier here on MP. He makes topos for free download and is writing a guide book for the area. He may be able to help you out with info and from my experiences emailing with him he is a nice and helpful guy.

The Bobby wrote:I gotta disagree with Zeke: Red Rocks is absolutely an awesome climbing destination!

Fair enough, you're definitely not alone in loving Red Rocks. It just doesn't put the butter on my biscuits is all. And life's too short for biscuits without butter ;).

You give very good advice about Cochise for the OP. I've personally only been on the free range east side, so I haven't been to the more developed camping there. To me, if they like Indian Creek camping, they'll love Cochise.

The Bobby wrote:One last remark: pack for all types of weather there at that time of year. I've been snowed on in Cochise in March.

I've gotta second that one, having been snowed on in March myself. It may be Arizona, but you'd do poorly underestimating the temperature swings of that area in particular.

Cochise is probably the place to go. The west side camping is pretty good and close to the two easiest sport areas at Isle of Ewe.

I'll depart a little from Bobby and say there is plenty of good group camping IF the group is responsible, and can be expected to minimize their impact. LNT through and through, deserts don't decompose.

I want to say I ran into a Ft Lewis trip there last year? Someone lost their sleeping bag. I let them borrow my extra one for the night.

I personally think that if you have good trad leaders and beginners cochise is awesome. The leading is sporty, often run-out, and keeps 5.8's interesting. I think 5.8 is the best grade there actually.

However if you like slab, or even if you don't, you owe it to yourself to climb Warpaint. Some of the finest climbing on this continent.

I had that choice once... made the decision to drive down to the Stronghold and never looked back. It's in my top five destinations I think.

Free camping everywhere, classics from 5.6 to 5.12, sport cragging nearby, not too crowded... it's amazing there. You'll have a blast.

Apples or oranges...

Cochise...Cochise...Cochise...

No crowds, REAL climbing, and an astonishing setting.

What is "REAL climbing?"