mountainsloth

nice work jer!

wow, that is saying something Wayne. Makes me reconsider my worthiness of such a route Nice work.

Ever since I climbed Glacier years ago I have had a silent fascination with Tenpeak. Thanks for giving a glimpse into that range. Sounds like a dream of a trip. Nice work gentlemen and stunning photos!

nice report. Eagle Creek Saloon is the shit!

that looks like a good time. Nice work.

nice work. I almost did the same exact trip this weekend but thought it was too long for the crew I was rolling with. Ended up going to myrtle lake and climbing Big Snow Mtn from there. TR to come...

sweet looking trip! Its true, a good scramble up a beautiful peak can be just as rewarding as sending your project or a 15 pitch rock route. Nice work and nice photos

Most of the wall was drooling here and there but things are climbable out there.

There is still some lingering snow high up in places like chicken shit gully and some ledges but otherwise things are snow free, road is quite walkable as is the trail up to the Illusion wall.

Yea, what Tod said. Black Bears are chill.

Pete and crew, ya'll are beasts!

Good point Tyson

Trip: Squire Creek Monolith - Illusion Wall - Excalibur Date: 6/26/2011 Trip Report: So my plan going into the weekend was to take a friend out climbing Saturday and give him his first taste of D-town granite but our plans fell through last minute.... damn. Later in the evening while researching something easy and alpine to solo I decided to take a peek at the partner forum here at cc.com To my surprise I see someone looking for a partner for Excalibur on the Illusion Wall and had posted his request only a few minutes prior. Perfect! I think to myself. Within an hour I had plans for Sunday to visit a wall I have wondered about for years with a man who knows it like the back of his hand. It was my first time out to Squire Creek and all I can say is...... The valley opposite Squire Creek Monolith How is it so little people go out there? What an unbelievable valley. Words and pictures cannot describe, but I will try anyway. The Illusion Wall looms left The route is well described in Rainman's TR so I won't bore with details just pictures and comments. This 10 pitch route is very well designed and has a variety of climbing and tackles a steep headwall. Pitch 5 and 1 of the many gem's. Finger locks, chicken heads, and edges oh my! Leading pitch 6 the Excalibur flake. It reminded me of Dreamer's flakes. Rainman working a steep pitch on chicken heads Leading the crux pitch 8. thin fingers corner, a traverse, and then a steep face crux. Rainman leading pitch nine, a pristine corner and arete. View of the summit from the top of the Illusion Wall Coming down. One more look at my two favorite pitches The Wall in its entirety Nature nerds will love the extra large trees The greenery made the long hike out pleasant In all seriousness, this was easily one of my favorite multi pitch routes in recent memory. Every pitch minus the 10th had 3 or 4 star climbing and the rock is immaculate. Most of all it is a safe and an exhilarating climb. The approach is no worse than the Green Giant buttress. You can get pretty decent info on it from Rattle and Slime but I will add more here. More people need to enjoy the climbs out there. Huge thanks to Rainman for his hard work on the route, showing me the way and getting me out to this spectacular wall. Gear Notes: Gear to 3 with an emphasis on fingers to small hands (BD .3 - .75) 15 draws with some double lengths. Approach Notes: The approach took about 2 1/2 hours but was quite pleasant and not too schwacky. Follow the squire creek trail crossing a few major streams. Keep looking for a small cairn sitting on a horizontal log on the right maybe about 30-45 minutes in. This is the start of the climbers path. Follow this through a forest to Squire creek. Cross on a perfectly fallen old tree, head up the creek for 100 feet and follow a dried up stream bed. Look for a large cairn on the right and take a right onto a steep forest trail. This will eventually bring you to open slabs and bushy ledges. Follow the slabs and ledges up using the path of least resistance and treading slightly left. Some zig-zagging is involved. You are aiming for the obvious wall seen in picture #2. There are a couple of scrambling moves over some of the rock and a crappy piece of rope to aid you (trust with caution). Eventually you end up on some flat dirt ledges under the face. The first pitch follows bolts and shallow cracks to a bush up and to the left.

I did this trip with my girl friend during Memorial day weekend 3 or 4 years ago and that ridge was snow free. Didn't make the summit due to weather and a not-so-psyched lady.

interesting. how is the rock quality?

yes please

best news all week!

I've been drooling over this route for a while. Thanks for the info.

that rock looks killer! Isn't there supposed to be some long rock routes on those peaks?

stunning sunrise photos!

people go see! It is a gem! Frankazoid is right, Free radical is spectacular. Rad showed me around last Fall and I have been back twice since and look forward to more when I am a bit stronger.

beautiful photos!

stupid weather man Glad you are ok.

Right on brother! Any other style at Banks would be uncivilized! Nice work on HOS. Easily one of my favorite climbs out there. Gonna have to check out post modern wall next time I am out there as well as the devils tower right next to the orange wall. I had a good glimpse of the climbs on it from Lesser evil and they looked exciting.

yea it was really tricky to find. we almost gave up on it when one of my partners poked his head around the left-hand corner of the ledge you start out on. Did you guys finally get a canoe or did you brave the 4wd road and schwack?