Chore Boy starts just right of Snooze Button and uses the first bolt of that route. Clip the first bolt and angle into a blocky, shallow corner. Make a weird move left over a small overhang and crank up a steep wall on good holds to a shallow crack. Climb the crack up to and over a small overhang (gear) and reach a good ledge below a steep headwall. Power up the steep headwall past three bolts on good edges and sidepulls to the anchor.
Several hundred pounds of rock and dirt were removed from this route. The route is now cleaned of loose rock and most of the dirt and should clean up nicely after a few rain storms.
Protection
10 bolts plus some medium-to-small gear. 2-bolt anchor.
Excellent route. .10b/c seems about right. I'm 6'1" and could juuuust reach the key hold at the crux. Shorter climbers will definitely have to do a hard intermediate move to get there. This route has some great climbing. The upper headwall is steep and fun with a tricky top out. Nice and long, too. Stretched our 60m right to the half way mark.
By Tony Bubb From: Boulder, CO Jul 16, 2003 rating: 5.10b
One of the better 10s on the wall. A single crux of maybe 2 moves can be done a number of ways, but most will feel harder than the given grade. One way, at the given grade, makes it all finesse, but does require 5'9" height or greater if I am guessing right (I'm 5'10" but have LOOOOONG arms and had 5" to spare).
Ok, here is the story. There was a good-size rock/boulder than was on the ledge below the upper headwall. In my infinite wisdom, I thought I could carry the beast down in my lap as I was being lowered. I almost made it to the ground but got pumped from the weight of the monster. I yelled to everyone to clear the area and let the thing go. Little did I know that "climbing legend Jim Erickson" was just starting to make the climb up the hill. My heart sank. O-my-god I am going to kill a legend. Jim, with his cat-like reflexes (pretty impressive for a man his age) dodged the missiles and survived the rest of the hike to the wall. I also survived what would have been a lynching if the beast would have taken Jim out!
The relationship between difficulty and protection is not as straightforward as that. On this route, there is at least one15-20 foot stretch with no bolts. If, for whatever reason, you fall, it's going to have serious consequences. Merely saying that gear is not required because you lead a given grade and had no problem can mislead others who may not savor 40 foot fall potential regardless of difficulty. On this route, there are sections that are very closely bolted and others that are not. If you have no problem soloing 5.7, which is basically what you're doing on the runout part, then don't bring gear (and don't screw up). Otherwise be prudent and take a light rack. If you find you didn't need it, great.
If you can protect a climb to prevent an injurious fall, you owe it not only to yourself, but your partner, who will be forced to deal with you and your injury. I agree with Peter that falls sometimes happen well within your ability (remember Derek Hersey?).
Sorry guys, I guess my comment wasn't worded very well. I wasn't trying to get folks on the route w/o gear, but just relating my experience on the route.
I had gear with me, planned on using it, and ended up at the next bolt before I realized it...
Bob - a simple solution. We have lowered trundelers that were far too large to carry by drilling a bolt in them and then lowering the rock via a block and tackle pully system attached to a higher bolt. Most of the ropes will handle the job, but a static line has saved beating up the lead cords. Even a two-pass pully will handle some big loads (several hundred pounds), and smaller blocks can even be lowered with a GriGri. Beats getting stoned to death.
Climbed this Sunday 10/20. Great route! There's is a large block (1/3 'frig) just to the right of the last bolt that is quite loose. There is an X on it now, but it could have monumental consequences if somebody pulled it off.
Great route. I think it's the best of the 10s on Plotinus. I led this recently after having followed it several times, and with Peter's comments in mind, I took supplemental gear. I ended up not using it. My experience was similiar to Roger's: I got within reach of the bolt in the runout section sooner than I anticipated and without many problems so I climbed up a couple more feet and clipped it. I agree that a fall from right below that bolt would be bad as there are plenty of features to hit on the way down.
As several people have pointed out, a long reach makes the lower crux straightforward and that was the case for me. I thought the crux was topping out after clipping the last bolt.
Roger & Dave, as Ray indicated above, the need for gear was reduced by the addition of one bolt a few months after the route was put in. There was a section of about 40 feet (below the top 3 bolts) where gear was needed. This was also the area where the block was removed that nearly took out Jim. Although I don't think it was that close but did make a good story. I drilled the bolt. The rock in that area seemed a little crusty. The only reason you would fall is if the rock broke, and it seemed that the flakes over that small steep section could snap off.
To add another perspective on the "lookout Jim" episode, I was lowering Bob as he was to remove the flake. We moved everyone from the area (Jim was not yet in the area). Next thing Bob was holding this large flake screaming to be lowered. I got him to about 40 feet from the ground when he released the object. That was about the time Jim was ascending the fall line of the approach gully. He started hopping pretty quickly for an "old" man!
I agree on not needing gear. we hadn't read this site, of course. Being in sport-weenie-mode, it didn't occur to us either to bring gear, or to desire it while doing the route. I didn't notice the run-outs.
However, like so many things, if I had had some gear with, I probably would have used it.
At the lower crux, there is a little sidepull crimper you can use for left hand. It's my secret hold. It's about 6 ft left of the 4th bolt. I'm 5'11", and I can't reach that top hold. But using this crimper, you can work the feet up without barn-dooring and voila - reach the top holds, and you're done!
This route is definitely harder than 5.10b for shorter climbers. Maybe it is 10b if you're over 6' but for me (5'7") the crux was desperate. The route to the left was a lot easier in my opinion.
By DFrench From: Boulder, CO Aug 21, 2007 rating: 5.10b/c
I racked up for this route with a slew of small-to-medium gear after reading these posts and it ended up being nothing but dead-weight.
The "run-out" sections were always accompanied by easier climbing (and a nice new bolt) and I felt that to stop and fiddle with a placement would have been a waste of strength.
That said, the event of a spontaneous fall (aren't they always spontaneous?) probably would have resulted in a rather unenjoyable ride down the feature-ridden face.
The moral of the story: Bring gear if you like to feel safe, but whatever you do, get out and do this route. Dream Canyon is a very special place and is held very dear by those who visit.
Many thanks to Bob D. and Vaino for their route-setting and effective bolt-placement.
A final note: I chose to rap myself to avoid rope-drag on the edge of the headwall. I came all the way to my stopper-knots on a 60m rope.
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