jshamster

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Trip: Exfoliation Dome - Dark Rhythm Date: 10/28/2008 Trip Report: I spent the weekend up at 3:00 rock, Sat. with MattP and Sun. with my brother-in-law, and couldn't help but noticing how late the sun stayed on Exfoliation Dome. So, with a bit of kid shuffling, we managed to make it out there on Tuesday. I've been up Jacob's Ladder and Rainman, and have been wanting to check out Dark Rhythm for some time now. The Granite Sidewalk was a bit damp and dirty at the bottom, but the slabs up higher were dry and make for a quick approach. The sun hit us just as my bro finished leading the first pitch. It was great t-shirt weather all day, but cool enough for the excellent friction that makes most D-town routes great. The route itself is really good, but doesn't quite measure up to the other two classics on this dome. Rainman is right next door, but overall more sustained, and Jacob's ladder is in a class by itself, being much steeper. The crux fourth pitch on Dark Rhythm makes the route. A great .10c slab crux followed by super fun arete pulling on "the Flange." All of the other .10a pitches, three I think, were good fun as well. The third pitch has had some rockfall on it, and is a mess of loose rocks and creaking flakes. Not terribly hard, but nerve racking nonetheless. We tossed some of the bigger loose rocks, but tread lightly. Whitelaw's guide describes eight pitches, but the final 5.6 pitch is not worth doing at all. Pretty much walking, no hands, up a dirty slab. Gaining the true summit of Exfo. dome would be the only reason to include this pitch. I have heard numerous opinions on the best decent route from Blueberry Terrace, but we just rappeled Rainman. Rainman and Dark Rhythm share anchors at the top of the sixth pitch, and the raps are all clean on Rainman. From the base of Rainman it is just a short scramble back up to the packs at the base of Dark Rhythm. Our timing was pretty much dead on all day. Reached the packs just as the sun left us, and made it back to the truck right at dusk. Great send off to the D-town season! Cheers. Jimbo p.s. - we took a few pics but none really turned out. Gear Notes: 10-12 q.d.'s blue alien - gold camalot Approach Notes: Granite Sidewalk. Side road to Exfoliation Dome has a great roadbed, but is very narrow. Take a vehicle you can trash the paint on. Some pics:

No single bolt raps. We actually used the same slings that you and I put on that small tree. Then another tree. Then anchors down to the base of 'Til Broad Daylight. Not too bad. Just took awhile.

Way to get after it! How much time is now added to the approach? Cheers. Jimbo

Yo, Mtguide. He said sport climbing. No gear necessary. Not any mixed sport/trad that I can think of. Of course there's choss, but it's frozen in the winter. And please, share this abundance of OW knowledge. I only know of a couple, and they are great! Cheers. Jimbo

Great day out Matt. Thanks! I managed to make it out there on Sunday as well. We thought we climbed Tidbits, but ended up on Gastroblast instead. Oh well. Good climbing anyway. I forgot to bring a second rope, so we had a bit of an adventure making our way down the wall. Lots of folks out on Sunday. Pretty much a party on everything from Cornucopia to past Tidbits. Cheers. Jimbo

Sure Matt, I'd love to. I've been wanting to pick your brain about Squire Creek Wall anyway. I'm in Snohomish. Can call @ three six oh nine two seven 2550. Or PM here. I'll check a bit later. Cheers. Jimbo

VANTAGE!

Don't know this year, but I've done it in mid September and there was mandatory mud climbing 'bout halfway up. Nothing scary or hard, but the snow/snice was not continuous. I thing there might be a recent pic on a 7FJ trip report. Oh yeah. Wear helmet on descent from 7FJ/Maude col. There was shit whizzing all over the place when I did it. Cheers. Jimbo

I'll be there. Always have a tarp in the van, and I'll fit in as much firewood as I can. Cheers. Jimbo

Reiter Rd. is the same road that the town walls/parking area is on. Big loop, albeit with probably more elevations gain/loss.

I'm sure you can find tricam placements in Index, but probably not the best place to use them. I guess on the old aid lines being freed nowadays there are plenty of pinscars to fiddle in a tricam, and of course tricams can take the place of regular cams, but with a lot more time and proficiency involved. Index is nice with a few nuts, a healthy selection of cams, and quickdraws. I tend to favor tricams in the alpine. Mostly for the weight savings, but also it is cheaper to leave a tricam behind than that precious #1 C4 cam. Cheers. Jimbo

What size do you like to climb the most? Any project that need a certain size? I suppose most folks would go with 1/2/3 camalot sizes, 'cause handcracks are fun. Sorry to throw this right back attcha, but you can answer this question better that anyone else. Cheers. Jimbo

There is a good, updated topo for the Waterfall Route. Maybe DCramer can post it up, or I'll find it this evening when I get back from fun in the sun. I have been meaning to get on this route for a couple of years now. Let me know if you want/need a partner. Get it quick. The flow will start again soon! Cheers. Jimbo

Nice pics. Did this hike on 9/17 with my brother-in-law. In W. Foss, out Necklace Valley. It would be nice to spend a couple of days out there, but I'm glad we were only carrying daypacks. The bugs were not fun at all, and Tank Lakes was our only real break because of the skeeters. Cheers. Jimbo

Das Toof perhaps? If yer willin' to drive to Hwy. 20, Black Pk. is on of my faves. Cheers. Jimbo

Sweet!

'bout 5-6 km., but you don't what to have to walk anymore after going down steep ass trail to Slesse Creek.

So, if this is the new, hot place for St. Helens permits, can we get a separate forum cat. or something? There are currently five separate requests on the first page of the Climbers Board. Maybe move 'em to S. Cascades forum? Cheers. Jimbo

Super fun climb! Way better than Reg. Route.

Thanks for the info. Mine is a class 3 as well. It happened about 2 1/2 weeks ago, and I am doing the immobilization, painkiller, anti-inflammatories thus far. Not sure what I'm missing more. Climbing or sailing/kayaking.

Screwed up my left shoulder pretty good while kayaking in Costa Rica. Anybody ever have this separation? Maybe give me a clue of what to expect. I'm seeing an orthopedic surgeon soon, but any insight from the cc.com peeps would be appreciated. Cheers. Jimbo

Great news! BTW - nice panorama shot, but it sure makes it a pain in the ass to read such an important thread. Cheers. Jimbo

We climbed on doubles and two ropes were nice for the raps. I have heard that it is better to just do the whole thing and walk off it. No first had experience though. Cheers. Jimbo