Lots of excellent 5.10 and 5.11 sport climbs have been established here over the past few years, mostly by Bob D'Antonio and Vaino Kodas. A few routes require some supplementary gear in addition to the bolts, so be sure to check the route description before you head up a climb with just quickdraws.
Bring a 60m rope; there was a serious lowering accident here in 2004 when a belayer let the end of the rope slip through his belay device, and the leader fell 25' to the ground and suffered serious injuries.
There are also a few trad climbs and runout bolted climbs established many years ago by Jim Erickson, Dan Hare, and others, but these are seldom climbed today.
Getting There
From the intersection of Broadway and Colorado 119 in Boulder, follow Colorado 119 west towards the town of Nederland. About eight miles up the Canyon turn left into a large parking area for Boulder Falls.
From the Boulder Falls "trail" walk in on the 'tourist path' until you nearly come to a park bench. Switchback to the left between some caged rocks and a tree. Switchback again to the right on top of the rocks. Above you is a second set of caged rocks - pass these on the left (south) end, or climb over. From here, angle up and right on a faint path. There were some small cairns leading the way on 7/12/03. You are aiming for a small 'tunnel' near a dead tree that is, again, up and right from the caged rocks.
Pass through the tunnel and hike steeply down the other side, heading to the water's edge, and follow a path upstream to a boulder jumble. The Plotinus Wall should be clearly visible uphill at 11:00, and the Wall of Winter Warmth at about 1:00, across the creek.
Head up through the boulders to the bottom of the wall, just below the bolted slab, "The Scientist".
Routes
Per Greg Hand: beginning with the route farthest up the hill (Left).
My Buddy 10b/c (start with Bedtime Story, then branch left) Bedtime Story 10b Sleepless Child 9 (all gear, 1980) follow crack thru tree Morpheus 11c - Long, right-facing corner Wake Up Call 10b Snooze Button 10b Chore Boy 10b/c (shares 1st bolt with Snooze) Smell the Coffee 10a The Daily Grind 10d Caffeine Buzz 8 (2nd pitch for Smell the Coffee or Daily Grind) Napster 10c (4 bolts along flake) Something Obscure 10- (1975 crack, Erickson) Tooth Fairy 11c Mr. Sandman 10c (behind tree) Golden Slumber 10d Sleepless in Boulder 11a/b The Art of Dreaming 12b/c (rising traverse right) The Bobsled 12a War on Freedom, 13 Lucky Strikes 12b Big, inside corner Old bolt route right of corner - 11a?
The following routes are around to the right on a ledge overlooking the creek:
Boulder Quartz System 12a/b Tooth and Nail 11a/b (same start as Counting Sheep, then left) Counting Sheep 11b Sominex 11a/b (start with crack or scramble to ledge from right) Sleep Deprivation 10c (start with crack or scramble to ledge from right)
Start twenty-five feet right of Lucid Dreaming on the Plotinus Wall at a overhanging quartz-filled corner. This is the Boulder Quartz System. Clip the first bolt and climb up nice moves on large quartz holds. After the the fifth bolt make hard moves up and right into a overhanging corner. Strenuous moves leads to the anchor. Classic!...[more]
This place is magnificent,Plotinus and Wall W.W... but whats the deal? Is there any other approach besides the obvious tresspass above Boulder Falls Trail? And what's the status of the rocks themself?
I have a suggestion for the Plotinus wall. If someone could put together a topo showing the routes from left to right with names and grades, they would be a lot easier to locate. The descriptions currently refer to an adjacent route which often refers to another adjacent route, and so on, making it harder to figure out what's what. How about it, Bob?
In response to Peter's request for ordering the routes, I have tried to to that. Thanks to Vaino for some of the info.
Plotinus Wall routes Left to Right Beginning with the route farthest up the hill (Left).
My Buddy 10b/c * (start with Bedtime Story, then branch left) Bedtime Story 10b ** Sleepless Child 9 (all gear, 1980) follow crack thru tree Morpheus 11c ** - Long right-facing corner Wake Up Call 10b ** Snooze Button 10b *** Chore Boy 10b/c ** (shares 1st bolt with Snooze) Smell the Coffee 10a ** The Daily Grind 10d * Caffeine Buzz 8 * (2nd pitch for Smell the Coffee or Daily Grind) Napster 10c * (4 bolts along flake) Something Obscure 10- (1975 crack, Erickson) Tooth Fairy 11c ** Mr. Sandman 10c ** (behind tree) Golden Slumber 10d ** Sleepless in Boulder 11a/b ** The Art of Dreaming 12b/c ** (rising traverse right) The Bobsled 12a ** Project Lucky Strikes 12b ** Big inside corner Old bolt route right of corner - 11a?
The following routes are around to the right on a ledge overlooking the creek:
Boulder Quartz System 12a/b ** Tooth and Nail 11a/b ** (same start as Counting Sheep, then left) Counting Sheep 11b * Sominex 11a/b * (start with crack or scramble to ledge from right) Sleep Deprivation 10c * (start with crack or scramble to ledge from right)
Another approach is from the Dream Canyon parking area: Go left and down away from Dream Canyon following the rock cairns heading in southerly direction. Cross a small stream and follow the cairns towards the Wall of Winter Warmth. Skirt the top of the wall and drop down a gully towards the creek. Reach the creek, cross it and walk up the Plotinus Wall. Maybe 15 minutes of hiking.
The following are comments regarding the Plotinus Wall:
This is a fun place to be if you're looking to hit some nice 10s (I haven't done the harder routes yet). The first time I was there I thought the routes were OK, for some reason my second visit really hit home and I had a great time.
The final hillside approach is a bit and already has several social trails. On the left (upper) side of the wall there is also a lot of loose stuff in the belay areas. I don't normally suggest this type of thing, but a small bit of trail building / maintenance and some terracing for the upper belay areas would be beneficial.
Roger, glad you enjoyed the routes and your second trip was better than your first. There are a number of great routes and the area is quite scenic. Vaino is the one who rediscovered the wall and bolted a couple of routes before he and I really went to work. Vaino is quiet, unassuming and a very talented climber. I tend to be the opposite and seem to get most the credit for the routes, he deserved a lot of credit for doing more than his fair share of new route setting, climbing of the routes and work.
Given the do not trespass signs approaching from Boulder Falls, is the only legal access now from Dream Canyon?
Also, there are a couple of new-ish looking bolts between the start of Tooth Fairy and Mr Sandman. I assume after climbing past them one links in with Tooth Fairy. Anyone know the details?
Tried to climb here on 6/28/08, the trail from Boulder Falls is closed citing that it is private property. Any other way in besides hiking all the way down from Upper Dream?
Plotinus Wall
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