PRINT: Rock Climb Time Bomb, Central Oregon

Time Bomb

5.9, Trad, 100 ft (30 m),

Avg: 2.9 from 7 votes
FA: David Potter, Brett Yost, Dave McRae, 5/06
Oregon > Central Oregon > Trout Creek > Main Wall

Access Issue: Seasonal Raptor Closure/Private Land Boundaries Details

SEASONAL RAPTOR CLOSURE TAKES EFFECT JAN 15 EACH YEAR. Climbers have demonstrated 100% compliance rate and must continue. Violators are subject to a ticket and fine. The BLM will be monitoring the territory, which includes all of the crags and the approach trails. The closure could be partially lifted May 15th, depending on the nesting scenarios.

blm.gov/or/districts/prinev…

blm.gov/or/districts/prinev…

ADJACENT PRIVATE LAND

Please respect adjacent private landowners. While the climbing area is mainly BLM, a portion of the cliff and access may be on private property. However the entirety of the Main Wall is public with a solid buffer of space before the boundary, so you are allowed to access up above that wall. Please be aware of the rest of the private land above the cliff though. Local climbers have established a positive relationship with the adjacent private property owners and it is important to maintain their trust for long-term access.

Description

Classic! Easily the best pitch of 5.9 at the crag and likely Oregon's best moderate chimney trainer. Scramble in from the left with the crux coming establishing yourself in the chimney. Straightforward chimneying with gear in a gently widening thin crack. Build an anchor on top and walk off to the right. A good option for cold days.

Location

On the far right side of the main wall, locate the obviously eerie chimney that lives up to its name.

Protection

RPs up to a single rack to BD 2.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Climbing Time Bomb on a cold December day. Photo by Thad Arnold.

Time Bomb - the big wide! Photo taken from Gold Rush

Looking for clarification of the 5.11 start. Stem box or dihedral?

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Brett Yost
Bend, OR

5.9

photo of Alex Honnol on TimeBomb @2010
nytimes.com/2012/06/16/spor… Oct 30, 2018

Michael Richichi
Portland, OR

Can someone clarify the 5.11 start? See the picture I added! Oct 6, 2019

Max Tepfer
Bend, OR

5.9

Michael, I’ve never done it and haven’t talked to anyone who has, but it’s one of the crack systems in your photo. I’d just go after the easiest and best protected looking of those options and you’ll probably be on track. After a closer look, those two cracks might be the same climb/a stembox? If so, that’s for sure it. Oct 6, 2019

Michael Richichi
Portland, OR

Hey Max! I went for the stem box centered around the column two over from the one that makes up the chimney for Time Bomb. The left crack was easy to protect with BallNutz without adding too much rope drag since my next piece was after establishing in the chimney. It was short and sweet, but I’m not sure I could call it 5.11. The dihedral closest to where my rope hangs in the picture is made from the column that makes up the chimney for Time Bomb and the column just left of it. It’s more direct, but looks pretty hard and didn’t obviously have good enough fingers. Oct 19, 2019