Little Big Man

"Little Big Man" is located on the Northeast end of the Mace and can be done in three, four or even five pitches. The route is by no means a classic line. But, it does espouse the adventurous quality of an old school Sedona route; loose rock, shallow cracks, wild traversing, a lean across, unprotected chimney climbing, off width climbing, an iconic tower, a magnificent location and a moment in which you begin to wonder when it will be over. I gave it two stars because it looks amazing from the ground and the top of the tiny tower is an incredible place to hang out. The rock varies in quality and is generally soft and loose. Do not climb the last pitch with people below on the lower pitches of the Mace! I've looked at this line for over 20 years and finally decided to try it out. I assumed we were the first mainly due to rock condition and the lack of evidence of retreat from the tiny tower. Hopefully, we haven't desecrated an unreported route with fixed hardware. The rating is very subjective. 5.10+/11-. Sections of the first pitch felt a little harder than the upper 5.10 section of Blood, Sweat and Fears, which was probably understated by the local climbing icons; Tim and Larry Coats. I can't say it's a stellar climb, but it's a memorable adventure.

P1: 5.11 PG13: Climb face and broken crack system on the far left of the formation in the rap gulley. This leads up to the obvious platform on the lower limestone band. Traverse right past a single bolt to a stance. Follow a steep arching thin tips crack past another bolt to a sandy pod. Traverse the pod with very poor pro above the bolt to reach a bolted anchor out right at the base of the dihedral. This section is steep and the sandy pod is scary. The bolt was placed on the second ascent when 3 cams ripped during a fall.

An alternate first pitch is located just right of the Original Route on the Mace. This is about 5.8 and is generally easy up to a steep soft section. Above this section is really bad rock just before the limestone band. I climbed this recently and saw an old stopper near the top. I don't recommend this pitch. The stopper appeared to have been used as a rappel point. Their is no fixed anchor on the ledge. A counter weight rappel or leaving gear is required if you are not continuing up the route. Climbing this section will add another pitch to the route.

P2: 5.10+R: Climb the steep corner placing shallow cams in pretty solid rock. The crack system comes and goes. Eventually the crack widens into a chimney. Follow the unprotected chimney 5.6R for about 35' to the summit of the small tower and a chain anchor. It is a comfortable rap with (2) 60M ropes to the ground.

P3: 5.10-: Stem from tower to the main formation left of the chains and traverse up and left past 4 bolts to join the upper half of Blood Sweat and Fears. A gear anchor is required. Retreat would require you to leave gear. Small to #1 BD Cam for anchor. I suppose you could climb to the summit in one shot but the rope drag would be tricky.

P4: 5.10 PG13: I WOULDN'T CLIMB THIS PITCH WITH PEOPLE DOWN BELOW ON THE LOWER PITCHES OF THE ORIGINAL MACE ROUTE! Rock fall is highly likely. From the belay stance the rock is initially pretty loose and the rock quality varies tending more toward the soft side. Climb a thin hand crack in hollow rock to a sandy stance. Enter a flaring squeeze slot. This is protected with a #5 although a #6 could be used. Continue upward until a steep wide hand crack is reached. This crack takes #3 BD cams all the way for about 25-30 feet. Four #3s would feel comfy. The crack is really cool but the rock around it is somewhat questionable. At the top of the crack an awkward move will get you into a friendly chimney. Follow up to the summit. The exit move is really great. This pitch is the upper section of Blood, Sweat and Fears; a testament to the athleticism and boldness of the Coats brothers and Bobbi B. Fortunately the section climbed on Little Big Man avoids the 5.11R part of their route.

The route begins on the north side of the Mace in the gulley between the Mace and Middle Mesa. The route generally follows the obvious corner created by the smaller tower on the East side of the Mace's tallest tower.

We used doubles from red C-3s to #5 BD Cams. A #6 could be useful however the route can be done with less. The last pitch would feel better with (4) #3 BD cams. A second rope is nice if you are rapping after pitch 2. I rapped the original Mace rappel route with a single 70M.