Smith Rock, Oregon

After leaving Leavenworth I began to head South toward Smith Rocks, Oregon. This was good drive over several mountain passes, and I was a bit concerned about the van. The van had some work done on it Wenatchee, WA, I had the camshaft senson replaced after it was running really poorly, and got it tuned up hoping that would get it running well. The van survived the trip much to my releif. Smith Rocks is known for its sport climbing and I had spent some time climbing her many years ago when I lived in Oregon for a few months before landing a job in Seattle. The sport climbing was hard for me, since I have been mainly climbing cracks and slab, or alpine stuff, so the steep face climbing left me a little out of my element, but I think it is good to mix it up and do climbs out of your comfort zone. Anyway we had a good time shredding our finger tips on the sharp volcanic rock, Will adapted well to the climbing at Smith, which in some ways is similar to the Limestone he is used to in Texas. We spend 1 day climbing down in the Lower gorge climbing the basalt cracks there. Great crack climbing on steep columnar basalt with long pumpy routes. We ticked off nearly every 5.10 crack and a couple of 5.11's by the end of the day I was quite tired. I even took a 25 foot whipper on a 5.10a crack as I was about to clip into the anchors, a foot slipped and off I went whipping onto my last piece which was a #4 camalot, with the rope stretch and Will giving me a dynamic belay, I had a nice clean flight. It was the 1 climb I did not wear my helmet on as well, go figure. My shoulder had been bothering me for a few days so I decided to sit out the next climbing day and just play photographer. The weather here has been great, but tomorrow I starting the long drive south to Yosemite, where I will climb for 2-3 weeks, then make my to southern Utah for the remainder of the fall.

Captain Kirk on Why Climbers Climb

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Leavenworth Cragging

Sunday we arrived in Leavenworth, WA for a little cragging and some warmer weather after the rain and cold of Alpine climbing at WA Pass. We did some climbing at Castle Rock and did Outer Space on Snow Creek Wall where we were harrased by mountain goats. Next on to Smith Rock, Oregon.

A week at Washington Pass

Sorry for no updates in a while, I have been busy traveling and climbing. After leaving Squamish I met Will at Washington Pass for a week of Alpine Climbing. It rained all weekend and when we arrived on Labor Day Monday it continued to rain. The rain stopped Monday night and the temperatures dropped. We opted for a late start on Tuesday with our abjective being the West Face of North Early Winter Spire (5 pitches 11A). We wanted to give the rock time to dry and we wanted to be in the sun on the route, so we did not start climbing til noon. The route went fast and it was not too cold in the sun as long as you did not have to hang at the belay too long. With the cold temps our climbing rubber did not stick as well as normal and I struggled a bit leading the 11A crux pitch which is really thin fingers for about 25 feet. We had the summit all to ourselves as I think we were the only ones climbing up at the pass that day. Wednesday brought more rain.........and more rain. Thursday we attempted Rebel Yell on Chianiti Spire after the long approach wich gains 4000' "efficiently" as in steep we were shut down on the glacier approach to the base. The glacier was coated in a thick layer of water ice that my crampons would not penetrate. All the rain and freezing temps made for conditions we could not safely climb without ice axes. Bummer we hiked a long ways for nothing and had a painful steep decent for extra measure. Friday we climbed the East Face of Lexington Tower (8 pitches 5.9), which was a great route with long pitches, good rock, and some memorable pitches. We had the route to ourselves and enjoyed a quick decent down the west side. On Saturday we climbed the Direct East Buttress on South Early Winter Spire (9pitches 5.10Ao). The route had some good pitches but also lots of rotton rock that detracted from the route. I felt like the East Face of Lexington was a better route. However this route is great way to the top of SEWS and we had perfect weather. Sunday was a travel day to Leavenworth ending a good week of Alpine Rock climbing.

The Grand Wall

Will and I decided to climb the Grand Wall on the Chief in Squamish on Wednesday, with the weather forecast calling for rain the rest of the week we thought this might be our only oportunity to climb this classic route. I had done the route 7 years ago and it was nice to go back and climb such as great susuatained free climb with pitch after pitch of quality climbing on excellent rock. We did the Apron Strings start to the route with will leading off with the first pitch, a great 10b layback crack to get you warmed up for the above climbing. I led the 5.9 second pitch with contained some sustained corner climbing to easier hand crack. We linked the 2 pitches of "Merci Me" together (5.7, 5.9), I then linked the next 2 traversing pitches 10b with a bolt ladder at the end. I led off again on the Spilt Pillar pitch which is an amazing corner crack starting off with finger size and ending with a chimney at the top. The pitch is long, steep and sustained, I started off lay backing the off finger size, till the crack opened to about an inch then I was able to jam my way up the remainder, running it out between pieces to keep moving fast and avoid pumping out, the overhanging fist section was full on endurance to the chimney where I got a good rest and wormed my way up inside the chimney to the ledge for style points. One of the best pitches of rock climbing I have ever led.........amazing!!! The remainder of the route does not let up with the sword pitch containing steep powerful lay backing, then Perry's Lay back really get the pump going with steep traversing lay backing up a huge flack for 20m. The next pitch contains some slab climbing up to 10a up to the base of the last pitch "the sail". The Sail is a 10c underling to a finger crack ramp, strenuous under clinging for about 15 feet on slick feet to a good hold a finger crack to the ramp. I actually fell off after grabbing the good hold, I relaxed thinking I was done, had a foot slip and took a nice fall. We then traversed Bellygood Ledge off into the trees, we had thought about doing the Upper Black Dike finish to the top but decided to call it day. Another fine day of Squamish climbing! Today it is raining which means a rest day and the forecast does not look good through the weekend.

Squamish

It was a great week in Squamish, the weather was amazing and today was my first rest day after 6 straight days of climbing. The climbing week started for me by doing St. Vitus Dance 5-7 pitches with the direct 10a start. Next days was the Calculus Crack (6 pitches 5.8) to "The Ultimate Everything" 10 pitches with the 10b finish. The next day Will Mc Donald from Austin arrived in Squamish. I had met will before at Enchanted Rock and we climbed the route "Snake" 7 pitches 5.9 on the apron in about 3 hours car to car. The next day we decided to do the Squamish Classic "Angels Crest" (13 pitches 10b), which was a great long route. On Sunday we decided to hit some great finger cracks at the base of the Grand Wall: Rutabaga (10b), Arrowroot (10b), Seasoned in the Sun (10b), Exasperator (10c), and called it day. On Monday we decided to climb the Squamish Buttress, we did "Rock ON" approach (5 pitches 10a). The squamish buttress is 7 pitches of easy meandering climbing nothing great except for the next to last pitch which is an amazing 10c finger crack. This was my 3rd summit of "The Chief" in a week and the end of a great 6 day climbing streak. Today is a rest day and hopefully the weather will cooperate and we will go big on Wednesday.

Washington Pass

After some random cragging days in Squamish, Heather contacted me on climbing in WA pass for some alpine rock. Of course I accepted her offer to partner up since 1. Alpine Rock is my favorite type of climbing, 2. WA pass has short approaches 3. its hard to find partners that want to climb in the mountains.

The first day we decided to climb the East Face of Minuteman Tower. (6-7 pitches 5.10). The approach was causal like approaching the Liberty Bell. I led off on the first pitch 5.7 which was a sign of things to come, lots of loose rock, however enjoyable climbing. Heather led pitch 2 which contains some moves with questionable gear on rotton rock. I linked pitches 3 & 4 together 5.7 & 5.8; both pitches were a little runout, pitch 4 had a lot of rotton rock before the belay. I led pitch 5 (10a) which started as a finger crack flake to a 1 inch crack opening up to nice hand jams and fists at top; a great pitch. Heather got pitch 6 (5.9) a gymastic move over a roof to a nice long spilter with thin hands to fingers at the top, another great pitch. Pitch 7 including some meandering around on ledgy terrain to just below the summit. After several raps we were back on the ground. We agreed that the route was not a classic but lots of loose climbing with 2 good pitches. There are better routes at the pass. The next day we did the classic NW corner on NEWS. I had done the route many years ago, and it was nice to go back a lead some of the harder pitches on the route. An excellent route on great rock. I really enjoyed climbing at the pass and told myself I need to go back for some more classics before I head back south. Next back up to Squamish.

The Northwest

After topping out on El Cap I began to make my North and ended up in WA State. I decided to start my Northwest tour in Leavenworth, a climbing area where I learned how to climb essentialy. I was fun to go back and do lots of the climbs that I learned on and how they felt know that I am a much better climber. I spent 1 day free soloing a lot of the moderate classics like The Fault to The Catapult (3 pitches 5.6-5.8), Saber (2pitches 5.6) on Castle Rock and the R & D route (4-5 pitches 5.6) on Icicle Buttress. I also spent the weekend cragging at The Pearly Gates and on Careno Crag climbing some of the classic lines in those areas. After a rest day I decided to do a big Alpine solo on the North Ridge of Mt. Stuart, having done the route before I knew what to expect. Lots of 4th and mid 5th climbing followed by some 5.7 climbing. It was a great day on Mountain. With the weather heating up in Leavenworth I decided to make my way further north into Squamish, British Columbia. Unfortunatly I can not find the pictures I took in Leavenworth, they are saved in a folder somewhere on my computer.