Kickin' Chicken

This spectacular route has steep, fun climbing on mostly good rock with great position overlooking the creek and the Milton Boulder. I use a severity/spiciness rating based upon hot chilies with three grades: i) Jalapeno is serious enough to require attention and can easily burn you if not careful; ii) Habanero is the famously hot pepper that can easily spoil one's day if not treated with proper respect; and iii) The Peruvian Rocoto pepper is the spiciest and most flavorful of the hot peppers, failure to overcome the associated risks will be regretful. I think the Chicken is a Jalepeno spicy route, with the added intro bolts. Were it not for some crumblies in the roofs, I, and others who have been on it would consider this route four star worthy.

Kickin' Chicken climbs the obvious crack system moving up and left through the roofs right of Wingshot and left of Wild Turkey in the amphitheater/alcove area at the bottom of the West Ridge. The route climbs the initial 40' of Wild Turkey then moves left through the large roofs to access the steep crack continuing for 40' more up and left to the ridgeline. From the alcove at the base of Blues Power and Wingshot, follow the ledge/break below the blocky magenta band ~ 40' right to a small exposed ledge, the turkey perch, overlooking the creek where Wild Turkey and Wishbone start. It is a good idea to set a belay here.

Climb the first 40' of Wild Turkey (5.11-) past four bolts added after the FA, to the underclings below Wild Turkey's crux bulge. Hang a long sling here and instead of climbing straight up over this bulge (as for WT), move left around the bulge and then up through an exciting boulder problem to access the left-angling crack system. Continue up and left with small cams along the steep crack to tricky moves escaping onto the headwall, then up 20 more feet of nice 5.8 in L.-facing dihedral to the ridgeline topout. A difficult to place nut (fixed) protects the boulder problem crux as you leave the bolts of Wild Turkey en route to the well protected crack proper.

It is very difficult to top rope this route because of the left angling nature of the line. However, if one wishes, a natural toprope anchor can easily be placed 20' below the ridgline in the crack just above the roofs at the bottom of the headwall. However a RP ascent should definately continue to the ridgeline as the last couple moves around the corner out of the roof and onto the headwall can be quite tricky when pumped! ENJOY!

Gear: nuts, micro cams, gear to 2", one 3' extendable sling, 4 quickdraws.