[Hide Comment] It's more fun to climb the Second Flatironette (5.0) instead of the gully to start this route. It's basically part of the 2nd Flatiron, not really a distinctly separate rock. That's what's recommended on the standard Dodge Block page:
"From the lowpoint of the the Second Flatiron (where the trail touches the base), head up through the trees to the south for a couple hundred feet. If the huge roof of the South Block is above you, you've gone just a little too far. Start on a rib/slab just below and to the right of the huge roof. This rib will have a 10 foot step visible about a ropelength up. Climb the south edge of the rib up to the step. Climb through the steep step via the easiest looking path. Soon you will be on a small summit." Sep 29, 2015

[Hide Comment] I agree with Fiona on the way to start this. This first Dodge Block pitch will be a good warmup, and you'll have a fun little headwall to surmount (5.easy, good pro) near the top. Be advised that you'll need to start well up on the rib (or simul-climb) if you want a 60m rope to reach the top of this Second Flatironette in one pitch. From here, scramble down to the NW to the base of the obvious, smooth groove - this makes a nice second pitch up to a big pine tree, although pro can be difficult at times for the new leader. A third 70m pitch (or simulclimb with shorter rope) of 4th class/low 5th will take you close to the headwall, where the gully pinches out (Dodge Block escape goes across the gully to the right right, or NE). A fourth 70m pitch will take you over the headwall, through the tunnel, and to the trail on top. The headwall pins looked pretty solid today and were only a few inches apart. Bottom one looked new. I didn't see them until I was ten feet away. You can back them up with a cam on the right wall if you wish. Make one more move up and you can get a tri-cam on the left--then go for it over the top. The very easy slab up to the arch itself can be protected (tricams!), but it's kind of hard to do. In the arch, you can get a #2 or #3 Camalot. Cool arch! I'd say this route is worth doing once just to go through the arch - very unique! Apr 24, 2016

[Hide Comment] Just climbed it today. Fun route! The tunnel is sweet and hard to miss, a very unique style of climbing. Word of caution: be aware of falling ice. Icicles abound on the Flatirons in general but especially this route. The crux wall and the tunnel both confine you to a small path you must take, ice coming down will follow the same path - just a heads up. Great route otherwise! Mar 4, 2017

[Hide Comment] Accidentally free soloed this today (first free solo ever; wouldn't recommend this route for that). Didn't realize the crux was even there until I was right up to it. Wasn't terrible, had a 27 pound pack on and wasn't insanely worried.

Definitely recommend at least 1 piece of pro on the crux. Jul 9, 2017

[Hide Comment] This is a very cool route in terms of features, I have never climbed through a cave like the 3rd pitch, but if you just want to get to the cave, I'd recommend starting like Free for All to get in more good climbing and less bushwhacking. We started at the base at the same time as another group doing Free for All, and because of how long it took us to find the route, we crossed them on the 2nd pitch while they did 2 extra pitches. Jun 30, 2018

[Hide Comment] Can anyone advise me on if we did this route correctly? We found an epic squeezebox tunnel, but it doesn't resemble the tunnel in the picture whatsoever. We never climbed the headwall described, saw no pins, and it doesn't quite sound like the rest of the beta described.

We gained the large ledge on Dodge Block under the Pullman Car. We climbed directly up to the Pullman Car and went left, hugging the wall directly up the left gully (fun 5th, maybe 30m). A blockage in the gully forced an easy topout onto a ledge on the left. 10-20m further up the gulley we found a great squeezebox tunnel on the left wall (~5m). Some walking/3rd Class led to a large belay tree at the top of a short slab for a full 70m pitch. To get to the 1st Flatiron Trail, we needed to scramble through a notch directly below the summit, 50m.

A picture of the tunnel is here, but I didn't want to post it above in case this is the wrong climb: imgur.com/a/H1zbXdY. Sep 13, 2021

[Hide Comment] Garrett, it sounds like you did a variation of Free For All - the squeeze chimney you went into leans by the South Block.

Usually you either do a rising traverse on the south side of the Pullman Car up to the crack, then up and over on the east face of the Pullman Car,

or you drop into the gully (hiking territory) and do a tricky move up a shallow corner with a slick boulder blocking your way - that's on the Pullman Car side of things.

Cool! Sep 13, 2021