All Locations > Colorado > S Platte > Cathedral Spire… > Block Tower

Dance of Chance

Name: Dance of Chance
Rating: 3.0

5.10a YDS 6a French 18 Ewbanks VI+ UIAA 18 ZA E1 5a British

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Routes in Block Tower

L › R R › L A › Z

	Bungi Man T 5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c PG13
	Dance of Chance T 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
	Desperado T 5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a R
	Hurt Dance T 5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
	Mister Mantel T 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a PG13
	Queer Bait T 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
	Sex Dwarf T 5.7+ 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
	Unassuming Decoy T 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
	Wrist Never Sleeps T 5.12 7b+ 27 VIII+ 26 E6 6b PG13
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Type:	Trad, 450 ft (136 m), 6 pitches, Grade II
GPS:	39.42165, -105.25384
FA:	Peter Hubbel, Mike Smith, Tom Bohanon, Feb. 1983
Page Views:	2,084 total · 10/month
Shared By:	Jay Eggleston on Dec 15, 2009 · Updates
Admins:	Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC Page Updates (admin only)

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Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more. Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.

Access Issue: Seasonal Raptor Closure - at least until Aug. 1, 2026 Details

Per Alex R: the Cathedral Spires Area is closed for raptor nesting March 1 - July 31, 2026 and each year. See: jeffco.us/1191/Cathedral-Sp….

Per Josh: for the first time in at least 5 years, it appears we have nestlings at the peregrine falcon eyrie at Cathedral Spires! The breeding pair has been present and made attempts at nesting all those years but have not gotten this close to fledging a nest in that time.

Ornithologists across the Front Range have noted that migration and the onset of the avian breeding season seemed to be delayed by around 7-10 days this year, possibly because of the timing and amount of spring precipitation. The peregrines at Cathedral laid eggs later than usual. Because of that, their nestlings may not be ready to leave the nest by the time our usual seasonal closure would end, after July 31. As such, the closure this year will remain until at least August 15 (an opening of August 16). This should give the nestlings the time they need to finish development and leave the nest area.

2023 info: jeffco.us/1531/Alerts-Closures

The Cathedral Spires area, including Block Tower, Cynical Pinnacle, Snake Buttress, the Dome, Hall of Mirrors, Sunshine Wall, and Poe Buttress, are closed annually starting March 1 for raptor nesting. After careful monitoring of nest sites, Jefferson County Open Space opens certain areas of Cathedral Spires and maintain spot closures for active nests through July 31st. Check back periodically during times of closure for updates: jeffco.us/open-space/parks/…

Note, JeffCo Open Space has notified us that access to The Bishop and Poop Point (along with all the Cathedral Spires Area) currently goes across JeffCo OS land. Despite information in some guidebooks (published or soon-to-be-published), the entire Cathedral Spires area is subject raptor nesting closures. Please be aware of the hefty fines associated with failure to observe these regulations.

Description

This is a nice route on typical South Platte granite. It is mostly crack climbing, including offwidth with some face here and there.

P1. Start up a crack in the left-facing flake, and continue straight up another crack to a ramp/crack that trends left to right. Either belay here or follow the ramp up to a big ledge below a large, offwidth corner. You can make the start harder by climbing a crack a few feet to the right of the flake at the bottom. This start joins the other start about halfway up the flake.

P2/3. This will either be the left to right trending ramp or the off-width depending on whether or not you combined pitches. For the offwidth, grovel up placing #3 and #4 Camalots. End on a ledge next to a big block on the left. The new #4s fit well. The old style is a bit too big (as I found out). This is the 3rd pitch of Queer Bait.

P3/4. Climb up onto the block and move left to a thin crack in the overhang. Power up the crack to the face above, and climb to a bolt. From here, it gets tricky. From the bolt, move left and slightly down into a chimney. You can set a semi-hanging belay here from mid-sized cams. When I did the route, there was a leaver biner clipped to the bolt. Using it, your second can have a toprope for the downclimbing and can then untie and pull the rope once at the belay.

P4/5. Climb up cracks in the chimney to the summit of the tower.

Pulling the roof on pitch 3/4 is the crux although some might feel that the offwidth is cruxy as well.

Location

Dance of Chance starts about 15' left of Queer Bait. Look for a small inset area next to a left-facing flake and crack.
To descend, walk off towards northeast towards CP and down the slope to the base.