Stand start using whatever holds you can reach.  Move up using good holds and topping out using a crack.  The crack to the left is on.

Quartz Caterpillar

Bear Paws

Combustion

Catalyst

Rapid Oxidation

Metamorphosis

Bitter Buffalo

Originally V2 until the starting foothold broke, now significantly harder at V4.  Updated start: Start matched hands at the bottom of a diagonal fin on some crimp rails, that is a couple of feet to the left and below the "quartz caterpillar."  Find a low left foot,and paste a right toe on a high divot.  The crux is at the start - work hands up the rail to a big cross over with the right hand to the flat ledge high and to the left of the start.  From there get your feet up, and head up and left - big moves through juggy flakes that are fairly far apart.  The straightfoward top out is at the notch on great feet and small features on top for hands.

sit start left of "catalyst" on two side by side edges under the steep face. Make a big move up and left to a nice sidepull rail and then overhead to two side by side crimp buckets. top out direct.

Catalyst: a substance that is not directly involved in any chemical reaction during combustion, but which enables the reactants to combust more readily. 

  Go to the main overhung face almost directly in front of the small boulder near the face of the Fire Boulder. Find the cool drop stone pinch which is the hold you go to off the start move. Below this are two right facing crimps on a rail. start here. 

  Pull up to the pinch off the start, work to the left crimp, and hit the top crimp after this. top out direct.

Wikipedia tells us that: Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products... But whats more relevant to this boulder problem is this; 

  -Sit start under the steep face to the right of "Catalyst" on the lowest possible good crimp rail with a flakey right foot. Fire right to a smaller crimp to set up for the massive bump to the further right hold (see the photo for "Bear Paw" where Erika is on this hold with her right foot on the start to "Bear Paw"). From this point top out direct or however you see fit. 

This is a sit start variation for "Quartz Caterpillar", which increases the difficulty.  Start on the lowest set of crimps under the "caterpillar."  Pop a right hand to the breadloaf rail, then move left hand into the start holds of Quartz Caterpillar.

As you walk up to The Thing Boulder, this problem is found on the side facing the road the most. look for the vertical stripe of quartz, and three inches to the left is a small chunk of awkward rock that serves as a crimp/sidepull/half pocket. this is your left starting hand.   to the right is a lower crimp cut-out on top of a huge, deep red stone in the boulder. this is the right hand.   get feet on and traverse right and up to the top through far away ledges and feet. on top is two spaced apart knobs for the top out. the top slab is good for the pinching, and accepted top out technique.

  This boulder is about 10 feet tall and loaded with small crimps and bad feet. There are many fun, and a few tough ones here.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Fire Boulder