Boss Wall - Original Route

The Boss Wall - "Original Route" ascends a large cliff face on the south slopes of Dewey Mountain in Nebraska Notch, generally following the path of least resistance.Pitch 1: From the end of the approach at the last survey tape marker, scramble up a ledge (4th class) to a large pine for a decent belay stance. Follow the obvious right-facing crack/corner system up to a bulge clipping a fixed piton (crux) then continue up the crack on easier terrain to a mantle followed by a low angle slab up to a large vertical wall. Construct an anchor w/ gear at a nice horizontal crack that eats up hand-size cams. 80ft, 5.7+Pitch 2: From the top of P1,  deconstruct the anchor and walk climbers-right on a long comfortable ledge system to it's end at the base of P2 (a nice flat area to re-rack, snack, etc.). Scramble up a low angle dike to a small roof, place a piece (extend), then swing yourself left up onto an arête with decent exposure. Climb the unprotected brush (path of FA) or step out left onto the slab and follow 3 bolts to a big left facing corner. Place gear, then make a long leftward traverse under the large roof to another tree island using a solid pine tree anchor. 120ft, 5.5Pitch 3: A means to an end and the only safe way to get to the upper part of the wall. From the P2 anchor, walk climbers-left along a narrow ledge to its’ end, then lead up the small right-facing corner (which admittedly has a nice view directly above P1). After the only few real climbing moves, begin a steep(ish) bushwhack up into the woods following a lightly cleared path to the base of another large overhanging roof and use a solid pine tree anchor. 80ft, 5.4Pitch 4: Locate the vertical wall with a tree growing out of the top. Climb the wall over/around a refrigerator-sized block (stable but wouldn’t trust gear behind it) and sling the tree hanging over the edge. Pull up onto the ledge and follow low-angle slab to the right side of a big ramp feature.  Clip the first bolt at the base of the ramp (extended draw), then climb past 2 more bolts and onto a comfortable ledge. Find 1 final bolt before a tricky mantle to the top of the route and a 2-bolt anchor. Enjoy the views out over Nebraska Notch, and be sure to look right as you can now see Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks. 80ft, 5.6.Descent: Rappel directly from the P4 anchor back to the ledge at the end of P3. Walk down and left through the woods to locate a tree rap station and make a short rappel through some brush back to the P2 anchor. Use another rappel station at the P2 belay area to do a full-length rappel (tie knots!) including a free-hanging section at the end back to the center of the large ledge connecting P1 and P2. Walk back to the top of P1 and locate a final rappel station, and rappel P1 back to the base of the route.

Park at Stevensville Rd. and follow the Nebraska Notch Trail to the Clara Bow Trail. Take the Clara Bow Trail to just before it enters a large cave (or just after the cave if coming up the Lake Mansfield Trail from the Trout Club) and begin traveling uphill to the left following a rocky drainage to the base of an series of cliffs that surrounds the main beaver pond. At the base of the cliff band, follow pink surveyor’s tape along a contour (1900ft) crossing several other drainages. Eventually after passing a dark cliff band, follow the largest drainage yet uphill to the base of the route. (2.5 miles, 1-1.5hrs)

Single rack up to #3, 60m rope and ~8 draws (some alpine)... also FM radio tuned to 101.7 or your own Springsteen playlist highly recommended