Paleface Slab  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Elevation:  5,700' Lat, Long:  31.9354, -109.9969 Map Page Views:  1,264. Good page?    Administrators:  Greg Opland, James DeRoussel, JJ Schlick, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  Chris Wenker on Oct 11, 2011 Make this area a Favorite What's New   Print a Mini-Guide with routes Add Route  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event

BETA PHOTO: Paleface Slab, Cochise Stronghold, AZ.

Description 

Paleface Slab is a clean face with a southerly aspect and relatively easy access in the Western Stronghold. Both Kerry's (1997) and Abbott's (2006) guidebooks list three routes. Two of these can be recognized by their SMC hangers.
At least two new additional tightly-bolted lines with big gray hangers have recently been installed. (Plus, there are a number of oddly placed old bolts in the waterstreak area where Feast of Friends is purported to go; I'm not sure what they belong to; the top bolt is a buttonhead with a Leeper hanger, so I'm not gonna try that one).

Getting There 

From the end of Forest Road 687, start up the standard approach toward Whale Dome, etc (e.g., up the northern wash, not Trail #279). After about 8-10 minutes, the trail to Paleface diverges left out of the creekbed. This point is marked by a huge dead, rotten oak tree on the left bank. Follow this overgrown path up a ridge, staying out of the boulder fields and aiming left of a small pinnacle until you are well left of Paleface. Keep climbing until you are at about the same elevation as the slab. Turn hard right and traverse over to the base.

Descent 

The original 3 routes in Kerry's guidebook all share the Paleface rap anchor (2 bolts with quicklinks). It requires two 50m+ ropes to safely rap from there. The newer bolted lines have their own rap anchors, and also require two ropes to descend.
--Alternately, once, I lacked a second rope, and we took the opportunity to see if there is a scramble all the way to the top of the ridge and then down a gully to the west. There is.

The Classics

Featured Route For Paleface Slab

Earth Tears Right 5.10b  AZ : Cochise Stronghold : ... : Paleface Slab

Great, well-protected slab and thin face climbing on a distinctive brown water streak....[more]   Browse More Classics in AZ