Chiricahuas

I have a friend (who doesn't climb) tell me I should come climbing where he lives in Arizona (Chiricahuas) - anyone know what - if anything) is there to climb? Rock type etc?

If you mean Chiricahua National Monument ( nps.gov/chir/index.htm), that's unfortunately closed to climbing. The rock there is a welded volcanic tuff, eroded into spectacular towers.

The surrounding mountains are also called the Chiricahuas and probably offer lots of backcountry adventure climbing.

The best climbing, that I know of, in that zone is Cochise Stronghold. Very good granite, with both sport routes and scary multi-pitch lines. A lifetime's worth of climbing, really.

Anyway, I'll let Arizona locals chime in here, but maybe it would help if the OP told us what sort of climbing he's looking for.

-Scott

Over on the s.e side is cave creek , near Portal that has some real good looking wall's of dubious quality but it is a really nice area and if you like birds it is an international area for birding. There are some big boulders at the camp grounds that have some hard stuff on them.

Scott - looking for established trad routes 5.9 and below mostly but sport is fine. Not really looking to put up any first ascents - a guidebook would be nice.

If you meant to say climbing Chihuahua,

Sounds like you'd enjoy Cochise. Here's the guidebook:
climbaz.com/Backcountry/bac…

Thanks Scott - looks like fun!

Stick with Sheepshead on the west side for trad under 5.9 with a rather shorter and straightforward approach and easy walk off.

Look at Ewephoria (felt like an 8) but bring extra cams for first pitch only. After that runouts on easy rock.

On east side you have a lot of choices too, depends on the time of year.

Chiricahuas are mostly choss outside of the Monument, sorry to say.

Portal, Arizona is indeed beautiful and boasts large crags, but it appears very dicey in quality.

I spent a summer working at the Southwestern Research Station in Cave Creek. There was some fun, albeit chossy at times, boulder potential, however the canyon walls are true and complete choss. Take everyone's advice and head over west to Cochise in the Dragoons.

I painted the dining facility/meeting hall at the research center. Very cool place.