Chicken Chop Suey, IV, 5.9+R

Overview/Approach

The local guide book gives Chicken Chop Suey, located in the center of the Shield, a generous alpine grade (IV).  It is 1000’ of fast climbing, with no rappels. The descent is just a walk off.  If you know the approach, it is more of an Alpine II vs IV.  Most of the climbing is fast and furious.  There are only three sustained (5.8-5.9) climbing pitches with a lot of 5^th class in between. The Shield is intimidating, but there are not a lot of consequences involved even if you are slow. The weather to the west is in clear view.  The approach, for first timers, is no question the crux of the day.

The first pitch is shared with Procrastination and is given a 5.8R rating in the local guide and is run out at the grade for the first 30’ or so and easy peasy to a fixed anchor from there.  The 2^nd pitch is the 3^rd best pitch on the route offering a physical small roof pull at the grade off the belay.  Midway up this pitch is where you leave Procrastination.   The 3^rd pitch is the crux of the climb involving some off-width but also offers a variety of options to climb a significant (for this face) right facing corner/roof.  The Local guide says it might be the best OW in the Sandia’s.  I found that disappointing news if true.  The 4^th, 5^th and 6^th pitches meander up broken ground to the base of a basalt colored face above.  The 7^th pitch offers sporty slab and face moves at the grade through several spaced-out bolts. The 4^th through 7^th pitches are shared with Procrastination yet again.

It would be wise to study the approach in advance as the local guide warns, “approach provides epic potential before you ever touch the stone”.   Find yourself to the summit of North Peak via the North Crest Trail.  At the north end of the summit is an easy drop-down area between a break in the limestone band.  Cut back south along the base of the band.  From here there were no cairns (2020) as referenced in the local guide, nor much human traffic.  Follow a game trail back south.  To your right is the summit of the shield.  You are looking to gain the south end where there is a fixed rap line (2020).  You cannot see it.  You just have to eventually look to cut west through trees to the top of the Shield.  Once you locate the fixed rap, rap down and follow the base of the shield utilizing hand lines (2020) through several steep sections.  Navigate yourself towards the tallest section at the center of the wall.  Look for aspens among a significant boulder close to the wall. Procrastination and Chicken Chop Suey start behind this boulder in a non-descript short left facing, mossy corner.  The main corner you will be climbing in is the obvious one to the north (left), but the start is overhung from the ground up, thus the traverse in.

Route Description

1^st Pitch- 100’-5.8R/ I personally would not give this route a “R” rating (as is published). But perhaps the start, which is shared with Procrastination, is the truest “R” on the route.  On Chicken Chop Suey’s (CCS) page on Mountain Project (MP.com), they call this start V0.  On the Procrastination page, they call it a 5.8 “boulder” problem start.  It is slightly run out by typical wall climbing standards, but at 5.8 it is fairly mellow runout.   Start up a black streak of water worn poor quality rock.  You do get some pro in eventually.  At 35’ traverse left up an easy ramp (5.4) to its end below an obvious right facing corner with an old (2020) fixed anchor. 

2^nd Pitch- 150’-5.8/ Pull the bulge at the belay and into the corner proper above.  Climb the corner but trend left to set up a semi hanging gear belay well below the off-width corner above.

3^rd Pitch- 140’-5.9R/ I took a single from #4 through #6 as reccomended in the guide, but this pitch is not really true off-width.  There is always help on the wall out right.  There are a lot of stemming opportunities and face holds to assist any OW moves.  If I climbed it again, I would definitely not take the #6.  The only real need for it is the final few meters where the angle backs off.  If this is the best OW pitch in the Sandia’s as they represent on MP.com, then the Sandia’s simply do not have much for OW.  Start up the dirty cracks to gain the proper wide right facing corner up and left.  This is by far the best climbing on the route and I do not see the need for an “R” rating as stated in the guide.  There are a variety of opportunities for gear.   Comfortable gear belay on top but watch out for cactus.  

4^th Pitch-150’-5.6/ Kind of a junky pitch.  Just meander up a rope length or so.

5^th Pitch-200’-5.6/ Same as pitch 4.  A variety of ways to go.  We ended up on a decent sized ledge below and to the left of the basalt colored wall high above. Belay off a tree.

6^th Pitch- 150’-5.7/ Same as the previous two pitches.  Just meander up and right and belay wherever.  It starts out a fun steep 5.7 section, but soon you are just scrambling again.  My partner stopped well short of the bolted belay above in the clean basalt colored wall. 

7^th Pitch- 230’-5.9/ I led this pitch and where we stopped pitch 6, we did have to simul a short amount.  In any regard, climb the face following the line of least resistance, passing a bolt and then a bolted belay.  The crux is a slab move at the next bolt above.  There is gear, but you have to search for it.  There is a bolt and fixed pin at the top of the formation.

Climbing Sequence

Descent

Once you top out, simply turn right (south) and hike up to near the summit, where you descended, and continue along the top of the crest locating good trails that lead back to where you parked.

Essential Gear

MP.com contributors call for doubles thru #6!! (not to mention several also called for big bros).  If I did it again, I would take a single through #5.  I had a single #4-#6 and used the #6 one time on ground less than the grade at the end of the crux pitch.  Take wires and/or off-set cams to allow for extra lightweight gear since several of the pitches will be long if you do it in the preferred 7 vs 10 pitches.  Rock quality is average at best like so much of the Sandia’s, thus I recommend helmets.  Feels pure south facing, expect plenty of sun for most of the day. Suit up at the vehicle, there is not a great place to leave your packs on top and you top out different from where you descend.