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The Once-ler

5.11c, Trad, 45 ft (14 m),  Avg: 4 from 3 votes
FA: Travis Peckham, Seth Maciejowski
Vermont > 1. Northern Ver… > Bolton Area > Upper West > F - N End
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Description

A burly trad climb with tricky protection. This starts on the Once-ler ledge to the left of The North End proper. Climb the white fixed line to get there. This route starts with some challenging moves up a seam, clip a bolt and make a move to gain a finger crack. Fight the pump and climb the finger crack up easier moves to the 2 bolt anchor. 

Location

Begins straight up from the Once-ler ledge at a high, single bolt.

Protection

1 bolt, single to #2 and some small nuts for the beginning.

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The route.
[Hide Photo] The route.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Adam Ploof
Burlington, VT
 
[Hide Comment] A fantastic route and I'd say a bit of a step up from the other classic cracks in the Bolton area. If you've done the Rose and The Thorn, and maybe Interstate Crack down at the Dome and are looking for the next challenging crack in the area then The Once-ler will be right up your alley.

Worth mentioning that the fixed line that's in place right now is something my climbing partner and I put there this season to allow us to work the route after work a little more efficiently and hasn't been a regular fixture at the cliff. Typically, people scramble up Polypody (5.4 PG/R) to reach the ledge.

We've been planning to come back to take down the fixed line but I'm open to other people's opinions are about leaving it up. On the one hand I doubt that anyone actually climbs Polypody for fun and leaving the line up might make the routes up there more popular (which they deserve to be!). On the other hand the rope kind of needs regular inspection to make sure that it stays in good condition as there are some potentially sharp edges to be avoided. Sep 1, 2022
Ryan DeLena
Sudbury MA / Bar Harbor ME
  5.11c
[Hide Comment] Good to know, and we were mindful of those edges up there. I guess someone did do the work to establish Polypody, and even if it's a poorly protected 5.4, turning someones route into an approach ladder probably isn't the best ethics. Among other solid points is that it would need to be maintained. Whatever yall decide is probably best. Thanks for the info! Sep 4, 2022
Travis Peckham
[Hide Comment] I put up Polypody with Seth M. and honestly, I'm not sure anyone ever climbs it as a pitch in its own right. It has a few fun moves, but it's nothing special. Adam respectfully asked me about the fixed line before fixing it and I have no problem with it, especially if it gets more people up to the ledge to do the routes up there (which are great!). If other people feel the rope should come down, I'm fine with that too. Whatever ya'll think is right; it makes no difference to me. Sep 5, 2022
Ryan DeLena
Sudbury MA / Bar Harbor ME
  5.11c
[Hide Comment] Appreciate you chiming in Travis. I personally enjoyed having the fixed line in place for easy gri gri raps to the ground. Might attract more people to these routes. Sep 6, 2022
Derek Doucet
[Hide Comment] Short but sweet. One of Bolton's very best, IMO. Sep 12, 2024