Shadowdancer. From here, turn the arete to the le...
Description
This is regarded by many as the best route at Cochiti Mesa. Slightly overhanging, with excellent rock, and deep, positive pockets, its hard to argue with that assessment. Due to the overhanging nature, this line is much more pumpy than most Cochiti routes, and the ability to quickly identify the best sequence is critical.
There are two ways to climb this route, which accounts for the split grade. However, the various area guidebooks disagree on which way is harder. The route begins by climbing the Dreamscape dihedral, and then traversing right to the arete at either the first or second bolt of Shadowdancer. The original Matt Samet guide stated that the lower traverse was more difficult, yet the error-ridden Falcon Guide claims the higher traverse is the more difficult variation.
Location
Shadowdancer is the next arete/prow to the right of The Prow. However, the route actually begins in the dihedral crack (a route called Dreamscape) immediately to the left of the arete. Climb up Dreamscape until level with either the first or second bolt, and traverse right.
Protection
Bolts. Bring either a stick clip or gear for the first section of Dreamscape.
although a gorgeous line, manufactured holds keep this one from being 4 stars...
By Monomaniac Administrator From: Morrison, CO Jul 10, 2007
I'm curious what others have to say, but I've done this route a couple of times, and I never noticed any manufactured holds. The chipped holds I've noticed at Cochiti are all really obvious (new Age Nightmare, Olympian Wall rtes). If any of the holds on this are chipped, the chipper did an excellent job of disguising their work.
I agree that many of the pockets at Cochiti seem "too good to be true". However, a lot of the easier routes here also have these "too good to be true" pockets. I think its doubtful somebody would put in the effort to chip and artfully disguise their handywork on a 2 star 5.10. So if the easier routes have these unbelievable-but-probably-natural-holds, why can't some of the hard routes have them too?
Definitely awesome face and arete moves on cool rock! Dreamscape is a cool crack line, too, with a brief and bouldery start...An even better (maybe the best) finger crack for the area is Let It Bleed, which is a tad harder and more sustained. I don't even know if it is at all accessible anymore. It was sketchy when I did it 12 years ago. Oh yeah...Fainting Imam is hard and trad and good too!
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