Power Bulge 

Power Bulge is an excellent, technical, powerful route. The wall gets good sun, making this a good winter location to climb (if the trails getting there are not too snowed under). After a series of strenuous but not-too-difficult moves, the climber is faced with a thin crux at the bulge involving something of a reach on fairly small holds. I found the body position for setting up this move crucial to success, and the footwork equally as important as was finger strength. The final wall is sustained, crimpy, but should not prove to be a show-stopper on the redpoint (or flash). Of the eight or so routes on this wall, Power Bulge is certainly the best (on Rock Atrocity and several others, rock quality is a bit questionable). The 5.11 to the right has fun heuco climbing, maybe 2 stars. To the left is a flake with a bolt and several fixed pins, a strenuous but somewhat unrewarding 5.11 pitch (1 star). The corrider left yields several good routes and a couple real stinkers- one with poor anchors to boot. These climbs get good afternoon sun. And of course the Drugs wall just south has a crimpy 5.10 and 5.11 route or two worth doing. A nice hang. A good day can be had by starting in lower Bear Canyon on Thought Control, Sneak Preview, Hot Spit etc, then wandering up the gully to the Drugs and Power Bulge Walls. Someone could do big community service by removing the stray bolt just left of Power Bulge, and filling in that hole and the obviuos hole right next to it.

I'm pretty sure that this is Hank Caylor's route. It is a Front Range classic, and worth the hike. Watch out for the Poison Ivy.

Rumor has it P-Bulge was recently chopped? Anyone know morw?

I've heard that there are severe issues with many Dinosaur Mtn sport routes. Some unintentional illegality and thus possible access issues here. There were some hints of this on cb.com, but many of those comments have been deleted, and the full extent of the issue was never fully disclosed. I would have thought this would have been cleared up by now... perhaps now is the time, folks?

Short but fun...

Have the bolts been re-established yet?

From what I could tell they were older (original?) hangers and it didn't look like any of them had been chopped, but I wasn't inspecting them with that in mind.

I was up there this morning and, to me, it looks like Power Bulge was never chopped. That is, unless someone had a stash of vintage hangers and ring bolts that they used to "restore" this route. In that same area, Street Hassle, Back in Slacks, and Drugs, however, all have brand new hardware.

Just a quick heads-up:

We did a hardware reinstall today (3/23/08) on Power Bulge using hardware donated by the Anchor Replacement Initiative and with permission from OSMP (thanks to all, and to the Flatirons Climbing Council and the Access Fund for building bridges with the city in working to keep climbing alive and flourishing in the Flatirons). We forget an Allen wrench to pull out some of the old bolts, but will return in the next few weeks to do so and to patch the holes, so you'll see double clips most of the way up the route, as well as at the anchors. We'll be back to camo the hangers and chains, as well.

All hardware is 1/2-inch stainless steel Rawl 5-piece and stainless-steel hangers, too -- bomber!

We also replaced two of the original (ring) bolts on Back in Slacks (first bolt and last bolt) and installed new anchors. One of the old anchor bolts plated off while I tried to remove it -- it was in a hollow patch, apparently.

Thanks,
Matt

All new hardware was camo'ed as of 3/29/08. We'll be back soon with the **right-sized** Allen wrench to unscrew the old bolts and patch the holes on four bolts on the route and one at the anchors.

Samet, how dare you and your ilk re-bolt my 20 year old, anciently protected, bolted when I was in High School, 45' tall, a full page Sportiva ad with a totally ripped off route name without permission.......Thanx bro! If any maintenence help is needed, give a call. See ya on the 6th.

Caylor

All old bolts unscrewed, and holes patched and camo'ed. You need an 8mm allen wrench to get these old Mammut allen-key bolts out.

Thanks to Matt Samet for taking the initiative, the time, and expense to replace old hardware. I rate this climb as one of the best at the grade that I have done. Now I have another reason to return to Dinosaur Mtn. I hope the anchor/bolt renewal continues, as there are numerous gems up there! Young Doug.

Credit mainly to Ted and Stan Lanzano for getting the ball rolling, and to the Anchor Replacement Initiative for the hardware -- Climbing Magazine, The North Face, and Petzl are helping fund the hardware. http://climbing.com/community/ari/

It's nice to be able to comfortably fall on these sport routes again! We'll keep updating routes as we can.

Peace,
Matt