Find the slabs to the north of main Rotary by walking above the ridge about 50 yards north of the north parking lot. Scramble down and past the north slabs (aka slabland) to the 'Bulge Wall' to the left. The line is known as 'Big Egos, little Dicks' (as given in Benningfields' guide) and 'Bulge Wall Traverse to Exit Wall' (in the horsetooth hang handouts). PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong, but from what I understand the small crimp(s) above the finishing rail are chipped. This would make the name most appropriate.
The line starts on the good flakes (seen in the right of Alan's photo), just left of the slabs off a boulder. Traverse the bulge from right to left to the good rail at waist height around the corner. This traverse alone is V3+/V4. Next, figure out the interesting moves to exit the wall straight up from this rail. Uses the evil chipped edge(s) above the rail. The exit moves are stout, thin and interesting and are at least V4, if not harder. The whole line is given V7 in Benningfield and the Hang handout.
Protection
A pad and a spotter are nice, especially for the exit moves.
The holds do not look like they are chipped. There are two variations to this line. The one described above is the easier of the two. The other variation uses the big ledge after the traverse for feet, but you keep your hands higher on small sidepulls and edges. The second variation is problably V7, I don't know since I have never done it. The first is at least a V grade easier if not two, but is also height dependent.
Craig Leubben is did the first ascent of the low variation via a big move off the waist-[high] rail and is responsible for the name (which has nothing to do with the chipped hold, although it is appropriate). I believe Liz Grenard and Jeff Ellison are [responsible] for the high (short-person) variation, but am not sure which one of them did it first.
Both the high and low variations of this problem were done long before the hold was chipped and have been done subsequent to the chipping as well. Therefore, I don't see why it is on the Chippers Blacklist, especially since the most notorious chipped problem at Rotary Park (the Cateye) is not.
I first bouldered at this spot in the early '90s and can say with absolute certainty that there are no chipped holds on the problem. I was on this problem last Friday for the first time in 2 years or so and there looked it over very carefully. I can see how someone might think the "dish" is chipped if they didn't look too closely and weren't familiar with said hold back when it was covered in lichen. This problem is not chipped and should be removed from the chippers list. Don't get me wrong - I think the blacklisting policy is an excellent way of addressing a real problem - but a little more research should probably have been done in this instance.
I've done this problem many different ways (both tall and short variations) as well as eliminating certain feet which seemed too good to be "on" (the huge foot at dirt level while rocking onto the northern slab). Whatever the beta, this is nowhere near a V7. V5 seems more accurate, if not a bit generous. And yes, way easier than Talent Scout Roof.
Rotary Park
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