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Popular Demand

5.10c, Sport,  Avg: 2.6 from 163 votes
FA: Alan Nelson
Colorado > Rifle > Rifle Mtn Park > Wasteland

Description

This is the easiest route at the Wasteland and the furthest left. It's basically a 5.10 version of Community Service with slightly sketchier rock, but it makes for a decent outing nevertheless.

While the bolt line punches straight up, you're better off either staying slightly to the left or the right most of the way. At the last couple of bolts, you can either stay right in a funky corner or move left onto the face, which is crimpy and slightly harder.

This route has cleaned up pretty well over time, but it used to be very loose. I was climbing this route during a super-wet spell in 1997 when a TV-sized block about 15 feet to my left spontaneously detached and almost killed my belayer. Maybe the vibrations from my shitty footwork cut it loose -- I'll never know.

Anyway, just an anecdote to prove once again that stuff can and does fall off the walls at Rifle (as if the giant blocks that occasionally nail the road near the Project Wall weren't warning enough!).

Protection

10 draws or so.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

At the crux - probably doing it wrong.
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With permission from Brett Butera.
[Hide Photo] At the crux - probably doing it wrong. With permission from Brett Butera.
Popular Demand at the Wasteland, Rifle.
[Hide Photo] Popular Demand at the Wasteland, Rifle.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Peter Beal
Boulder Colorado
[Hide Comment] This route won't ever get called 5.9. Dec 14, 2001
[Hide Comment] 10a. 9- for Rifle. A stellar moderate line 3 stars for sure on this journey of a climb that moves from dihedrals to cracks to face. Apr 26, 2006
[Hide Comment] This line would be much better if you didn't have to risk ground fall at the third bolt. Also, it felt like I was always climbing too far to one side of the bolts. If bolted better, this line could be as good as PMS and PMT. Jul 3, 2007
[Hide Comment] I would also agree Aeon. If this route were ever to be rebolted, the bolts could be moved left for the 5.10 route and then a line established using part of this route that runs on the right & with some perhaps closer bolting at the 30' level afford a 5.11 route that would be pretty good. Jun 14, 2010
BJ Sbarra
Carbondale, CO
  5.10c
[Hide Comment] This route was rebolted today as part of the Rifle Cleanup, it should now be much more enjoyable. Aug 22, 2010
Pascal Ripoche
Berkeley CA
  5.10c
[Hide Comment] As it stands now, I felt secure all the way up with some nice moves from crack to face to corner. Mar 4, 2011
Harald Harb
Dumont
 
[Hide Comment] With the re-bolting done, a fun adventure and warm-up. Aug 12, 2016
[Hide Comment] Slick-ish start. Lots of left sidepulling. Still some loose stuff on the route, so be careful what you pull on. Good fun! Well-bolted - thanks! Aug 16, 2016
[Hide Comment] Loose stuff this year, as well two rocks, fell off whilst climbing. Apr 27, 2019