Southeast Arete

Page Type Page Type: Route
Location Lat/Lon: 31.77110°N / 111.595°W
Additional Information Route Type: Technical Rock Climb
Additional Information Time Required: Most of a day
Additional Information Difficulty: 5.6
Sign the Climber's Log

Approach


It's easiest to start from the west side. Hike up from Baboquivari Camp to Lions Ledge (see SummitPost.com's main Baboquivari Peak page). Follow Lion's Ledge east, passing under the South Face. Continue to a big gap formed between the main wall and a house-sized boulder. Don't go all the way around the corner.

Route Description


The climb is seven pitches, although much of it is fourth class. The route is a fun, easy day of climbing on great rock! Highly recommended.

Pitches:
(1) Climb straight up some easy fifth class rock for 50', then up and left to a belay spot in a notch.
(2) Climb a 30' vertical wall (5.6) to a tree on a ledge.
(3) Up and right over fourth class terrain to a belay ledge with many blocks.
(4) Begin climbing to the left of a small pine tree and work your way up for 120' to a good, vegatated ledge.
(5) A short traverse left ends a belay anchor with two bolts (this pitch can easily be combined with the previous).
(6) Climb up an easy left facing book, then bushwhack a few hundred feet to a large notch.
(7) Descend into the left side of the notch and scamper up a short piece of 5.6 rock. Now, unrope and bushwhack to the summit.

To get down, follow the Forbes Route.

Essential Gear


A light rack is sufficient. Most of the route is easily protected. Bring lots of water!

Additions and CorrectionsPost an Addition or Correction

Viewing: 1-4 of 4

kentlawrence - May 8, 2006 12:26 am - Hasn't voted

Erroneous Step 4

This route description says climb past a small pine tree and work your way up for 120 feet to a good vegetated ledge. I never made it to that ledge on my last attempt. I gave it a good look this Spring while rapping the arete, and I'd describe the climb to the good vegetaged ledge (I'd call it a small vegetated nook) as "climb past the small pine tree and go where the ridge forces you, which is straight up sheer rock with no holds for 120 feet."

asmrz

asmrz - Mar 7, 2009 12:59 pm - Voted 10/10

Time to go

The time to visit this part of Arizona is April and May and later in the year, mid October to mid December. The conditions are much more reasonable in the shoulder seasons, it can be brutal in the heat of the summer.

hikermor - Dec 9, 2013 7:04 pm - Hasn't voted

Easiest Approach?

I would say the SE Arete is best approached from the east. The elevation gain is less on a decent trail (unless it is overgrown - I haven't done it in about eight years), you quickly attain Lion Ledge, and you even have a dependable water source on the Ledge!

Diggler

Diggler - Mar 4, 2022 8:00 am - Hasn't voted

What is a "light rack???"

I love it when someone says "light rack" in the route description (heavy sarcasm). When I'm trying to figure out what to pack for a flight, that description is worthless. What does that mean??? A set of nuts? A set of hexes? A set of cams to #3? A #6 cam? A route description page is supposed to help someone plan who wants to do the route, not be purposefully noninformative.

Viewing: 1-4 of 4


Parents 

Parents

Parents refers to a larger category under which an object falls. For example, theAconcagua mountain page has the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits' asparents and is a parent itself to many routes, photos, and Trip Reports.