Trip: Salami Slab, Darrington - Snagglepuss Trip Date: 07/05/2020 Trip Report:
My COVID-era partner and son, Ty and I made a quick trip to the Salami Slabs to test-drive a new variation to Snagglepuss. You may not be aware of Snagglepuss because it is not among the ‘Only Darrington Routes Worth Doing’ identified in climbing books and the internet. But it is fairly long (7 pitches) and has some good climbing that might entertain you adventurous non-slab-phobic types.
Ty looking relaxed among the knobs, dimples and scoops of pitch 4.
Leading the Catwalk – which follows the thin white dike angling left
Team selfie at top of the route, spitting distance from the Snagglepuss tree
The Snagglepuss – a massive Doug-fir with a silvery dead top that that looms over the route
Hanman and I kicked off the Snaglepuss Project about four years ago, followed by the neighboring Purdie Shuffle. Both routes have good to great climbing with excellent views of nearby peaks and the Clear Creek valley. The Catwalk variation creates an excellent 7-pitch hybrid option that is slightly easier than the original.
CV on FA, July 2016, with the giant snag visible in upper left
Hanman below the gleaming goodness that would become the Purdie Shuffle
For an abundance of details on how to get there and what you’ll find, check the stuff posted on another climbing website. The approach is comparable in scale to Three O Clock Rock but a bit more 'interesting' (don't worry, no brush). Much of Snagglepuss is mid-fifth with harder sections up to 5.8+, though the easiest line is not always obvious. There are bolts where you need them, runouts where you don’t, but nothing approaching an R rating. If you are offended by bits of moss and needles on your granite, skip pitches 6 and 7.
Returning to grand Salami ledge on the descent.
Gear Notes:
Standard Dtown toolkit - dozen slings, single cams to 3", double 60s Approach Notes:
FS Road 2060, take left branch over bridge, park at first boulder drainage, hike uphill. Approach details can be sleuthed from link mentioned in TR