Dream of Wild Turkeys

This is one of my favorite climbs in Red Rocks. It is varied, steep, long and challenging with perfect rock. This route has some great crack climbing but the real excitement comes from the reasonably bolted face sections. The exposure is fantastic and the whole route is well protected.

History: A "Turkey" was a name given to someone who did not conform to the purist climbing standards, see in dictionary under "Kook." Jorge and Joanne politely responded to their given titles by self-professing and naming the route "Dream of Wild Turkeys."

DOWT is deservedly very popular and given the fact that it shares the first pitch with the equally popular Prince of Darkness (5.10c), an early start is highly recommended.

There are many other options on this wall and in this area if this route is jammed. Sour Mash is another good option on BV Wall and a few variations of DOTW exist also: Yellow Brick Road is a 5.10b 2-pitch direct variation beginning on the third pitch, and The Gobbler is a 5.10a variation to the start.

To approach, follow the stream bed until a large wall blocks the way. Here, you should be directly across from the large arch on the lower right side of the wall. At this point, follow a faint "trail" up left to fourth class terrain and scramble up this, aiming for the left side of the arch. Take the trail to a rocky terrace on the left of the arch. Locate a nice right angling crack about a pitch up. The bottom of this crack is the top of the first pitch.

P1: Climb nebulous 5.6 terrain aiming for the bottom of the crack on P2. Belay at 2 bolts about 100' up. The pro on this pitch is somewhat sparse but the climbing is easier than anything else on the route.

P2: 5.9, ~160' Make a few thin moves off the belay up and right and gain the crack. There are lots of slabular moves on this pitch due to the angling nature. The crack eats stoppers. Follow this crack to another double-bolt belay.

P3: 5.9, 100' Continue up the crack until a line of bolts leads to the right. Continuing straight up puts you on Yellow Brick Road. Check out the plaque. Make the exciting traverse right clipping 4 or 5 bolts on your way. This is steep here but the holds are big. Once you gain the large crack, make some 5.8 offwidth moves up another 30' to another 2 bolt belay on your right. If you miss the belay, which is hard to spot, another possible, albeit uncomfortable, belay can be had a little further up.

P4: 5.10a, 150' Continue up the crack to it's top. The crack becomes thinner and thinner until it's gone. At the top, two strangely placed bolts mark the crux of the pitch and the climb. Make a few very thin moves out left aiming for the bolted belay.

P5: 5.10a, 50' Exciting pitch! Follow the line of bolts up and left on tiny edges and belay at another set of bolts at the base of a cresent shaped corner.

P6: 5.9, 130' Follow the cresent corner up and right. It starts out shallow and easy and gets steeper and harder near its top. Step onto the face and make some bolt-protected moves up and left to a thin crack. Follow this bolted crack up to another bolted belay.

P7: 5.8, 120' Follow the thin crack straight up. Near the top, the angle rolls off and easy climbing leads to a large ledge with belay/rap bolts.

Most people rap from here as we did, although the route continues up for another 4 pitches which are suppose to be good.

For the descent from here, make a series of double-rope raps down the wall. Staying a little left on POD is the best option if noone is coming up as there are fewer rope-eating cracks there, although rapping down DOWT and Yellow Brick Road works fine too. We did it in 5 raps.

Standard rack to 3", some quick draws, std. and a few long runners.