Whimsical Dreams is on the Turkey Tail. This route is fantastic and it does not let go of you until you reach the anchors at the ledge. It was a very humbling experience to make it through the 2 5.11- sections and then blow the 5.10 exit roof.
This climb is the first crack on the left side of the wall with all kind of chalk on it. It starts in a small, right-facing corner. Above, you will see a slot through a very small roof. After that, the crack system continues straight upwards into a left-facing corner that leads to a roof. Pull out of this and continue for maybe 15 feet to the anchors. This climb protects very-well. Keep a cool head, don't get to anxious on it, and milk your rests one you find them.
Protection
Bring stoppers, more stoppers, a set of cams up to a #4 Camalot. Don't worry, you get to dump the 3 and 4 Camalots low. You may want to double on 0#.75 and 1 Camalot sizes. There is an anchor at the top of the climb from which you can rappel using a 60 m rope.
There is a second pitch to this route. Move the belay 20' to the right, to the next left facing corner. Climb the steep arching crack with rp's and small cams or ballnutz to a handcrack 10d. Continue to the top with another 5.10 move to exit the crack system. Descend 4th class to the north and back around past the Turkey Perch.
I would rate this as one of the BEST cracks anywhere! So much fun! Don't place a cam at the lip of the last roof! It will catch your rope and lock you down at a most inconvenient spot. (11- ???? Did Jimmy Dunn rate this thing???)
I onsighted this route last year. My strategy was simple. I sprayed to my climbing partner that I had onsighted this route a week earlier and Jimmy Dunn was watching so I sprayed to him, too. With all that hype, it's near impossible to fall. After the onsight, I fell every time I attempted it for a year. This is one of the best pitches anywhere, including the valley. If you can't climb this, jug it. You need to get on this climb.
Maybe the locals can add a bit of reality here, but one reason for the original 5.10+ rating may be that there was a small tree at the first crux section (thin twin cracks) which probably made these moves easier (and is the reason the tree is no longer there!!!).
For me the crux is the mini offwidth roof 2/3 of the way up. I'm curious: Did you use squeeze and jam through it or use the sport weenie method and crimp and pimp through it. Being a East Coast, sport weenie I had to do the latter-no way was I figuring out the squeeze and jamming beta on that one.
Turkey Tail
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