The Chain Gang

About

The Chain Gang is a multi-pitch sport climbing link-up located in Rifle Mountain Park, near Rifle, Colorado. It is not a single route but a collection of seven distinct routes that share fixed chain draws, allowing climbers to link them into one long endurance effort. The routes are situated in an area known as the Arsenal, which sits close to the road, enabling climbers to rest in their vehicles between pitches. The combined climb is jokingly graded IV or V in the 'Western Sloper' guidebook due to the volume of pitches, though the individual routes range from 12c to 13c. The seven routes comprising the link-up are Sprayathon (13c), Rendezspew (13a/b), Pump-o-rama (12d/13a), Debaser (12d), Vitamin D (12c/d), Slaggissimo (12d), and Pretty Hate Machine (12c). Climbers can choose the order in which they climb these routes. The rock is limestone, characterized by blocky cave climbing features. The area is part of Rifle Mountain Park, which offers some of the best limestone sport climbing in North America, particularly for grades 5.12 and above. The climbing varies from slightly overhanging to very overhanging. The area is fairly crowded on weekends from May through September. Parking is available, and pets are permitted in the park.