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Take a Chance on Me

5.10, Trad, 90 ft (27 m),  Avg: 2.4 from 16 votes
FA: JJ Schlick, Wade Forrest 2016
Arizona > Northern Arizona > Sycamore Canyon > Volunteer Canyo… > S Side > 7. W End Wall

Description

Take a Chance on Me is an airy and thought provoking all natural gear line, though there is not a ton of standard jamming on it. The route follows a wavering crack system just left of Discothèque. It is also the only warm up in the Nycto sector, and tops out the same way A Flickering Flame does, via 5.7 climbing which leads back to the top out into the Nycto gully.

Rappel off the front of the watch tower formation on the west side of the gully. 90' down is an obvious tan colored belay ramp. This is where Discothèque and Disco’s Dead start as well. Build a belay using finger sized units #.4 through #.75.

Starting from the belay, traverse left along an obvious rail to reach the crack. Once you gain the crack, avoid drag with runners on the first couple pieces in the flare. From there tackle everything from tricky layback moves, a reachy, pinchy crux, and even a little jug hauling. The texture on the route is awesome. Many foot bumps allow one to climb this more like a face.

At roughly the 50' mark, there is a stuck Purple TCU in a horizontal to the climber's left near an oak bush. This is your cue to start trending up and left through the path of least resistance to gain the next crack system. Follow this wavering hand crack to a saddle feature. Surmount climber's left, and exit into the gully.

Location

Crack system immediately left of Discothèque. Shared belay ”ledge”.

Protection

Doubles from 000 through #1 BD cam. I also placed a single #3 BD and a #3.5 BD in pod flares. Medium wires could be handy. Bring a handful of long trad draws.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Ivan Cross
Flagstaff
 
[Hide Comment] This is a nice warm up for Discothèque because you can leave your belay set up at the bottom and use the same rap line. It climbs a little like granite. Jun 28, 2019
JJ Schlick
Flagstaff, AZ
  5.10
[Hide Comment] Glad you like it Ivan. The two routes also share a somewhat similar style as well. Jul 1, 2019
[Hide Comment] For reference, you can also join straight into TaCoM from the Heilung belay up a somewhat grungy crack/corner, then goes around a giant precarious block (easier on the right side) to the regular start of the route. Not highly recommended unless it gets properly cleaned up. Sep 2, 2019