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Donkey Index

5.11a, Sport, 60 ft (18 m),  Avg: 3.4 from 8 votes
FA: Travis Peckham, 2010
Vermont > 1. Northern Ver… > Bolton Area > Upper West > F - N End
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Description

Very nice face climbing up a somewhat hidden face, littered with flat edges and pockets that gradually eases off as the pump gets bigger!

Start right of center, directly behind the tree. Negotiate an easy offwidth, to a small, sloping ledge. After clipping the 2nd bolt, a short boulder problem gains a decent rest, followed by a stack of difficult face moves, eventually ending at a nice rest below the second to last bolt. A short, but tricky series of exit moves will feel relatively desperate if not executed just right.

Location

Located on the small, hidden ledge just left of the Rose and Thorn, accessed by a short (maybe 30 feet?) ramp that goes at about 5.4.

Protection

7 bolts, plus a .5, .75, and a #1 Camalot for the approach ramp

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The Route.
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Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Derek Doucet
 
[Hide Comment] There's another new clip-up just right of this known as Ass Index, .10c. It features some very cool pocket pulling, and climbs a bit like good limestone. Definitely recommended. It's reminescent of Full Circle, although considerably less difficult. Start up the wide crack / corner as for Donkey Index, and continue walking 20' right along the obvious ledge to a line of bolts. This makes 4 really good routes that start from the Onceler ledge: The aforementioned Index routes, The Onceler (5.11) and Why You Fail (5.12). All are very good. The Onceler gets my vote for the single best pitch in Bolton.

By the way, the 5.4 approach pitch is known as Polypody. Aug 9, 2012
Seth Maciejowski
  5.11a
[Hide Comment] A great pitch. There's also the route "Great Chimney" 5.7 off the Onceler ledge that takes an adventurous path up behind the detached face of the Rose and the Thorn. Bring small gear and a wire brush... Aug 10, 2012
Derek Doucet
 
[Hide Comment] That Chimney looks like a hoot, Seth. Have you actually climbed it? I'm always trying hard not to fall in when I step back over it to build an anchor after climbing The Rose. Aug 10, 2012
Seth Maciejowski
  5.11a
[Hide Comment] Derek,
Trav and I climbed the chimney this summer. I think he has it up on his guidebooks updates page as "The Roots". There's a more runout harder variation up in the main chimney to the right of the crack we climbed. Oct 23, 2012