Outer Space altered on SCW

[Kyle_Flick]

The loose flakes on the third pitch (hand traverse 5.9) have detached and fallen off. The good news is no one was hurt. The bad news is the pitch may now be upgraded to 5.10. Thus one of the best 5.9 climbs in WA now may be 5.10.

[DPS]

Are these the flakes following the hand traverse that lead directly the sloping ledge with the tree? Crap, I always climbed those delicately, but I never imagined they would fall off.

[Kyle_Flick]

The flakes were located at the beginning of the hand traverse.

[Good2Go]

Holy shit! Traversing into that flake was THE move of the route. How much harder is it now (i.e., in comparison to a SCW 5.10 like Iconoclast)? Could mean the end of the most popular "easy" multi pitch in WA.

[telemarker]

I heard it's now a 5.11+ deadpoint to a sloping hold that you have to lock off on. To all those thinking of climbing outer space this weekend take note!

[Rad]

Good one TM! Maybe you can go up every Monday to collect all the shiny #1 Camalots that'll soon be accumulating from bailers. Sell on Ebay. The gear cycle of life.

[Good2Go]

I heard it's now a 5.11+ deadpoint to a sloping hold that you have to lock off on. To all those thinking of climbing outer space this weekend take note!

 

Ha! I remember talking to you about you soloing it and we both agreed those flakes were the sketchiest aspect. Easy enough still for you to lap it cordless?

[telemarker]

I'll see it tomorrow. That's why I am urging all other climbers to steer clear of the route. I'm taking one for the team. I'll report back.

[Sol]

I heard the whole shield fell off and the handcrack is no more..!

[alicealice]

Hey there, my partner and I were the party that broke the flake Monday evening. Apologies for the delay, we were traveling for a while after and only got access to a facebook group yesterday that linked to this thread. The flake broke as my partner was on it and smashed on the belay ledge below us. We were so incredibly fortunate there was no one below, and aside from a bit of a spook and some scratches my partner was uninjured. We crashed on top for the night as we didn't want to attempt an unfamiliar descent in the dark, and informed all the parties we met on our way out. Neither of us are too familiar with climbing group boards, so if someone can direct us to other places where we can post this update that would be much appreciated.

[Eric T]

I climbed it in 2012 and was like 30lbs over weight at the time, I also had the backpack as I was following, I remember grabbing the flake and it flexed and groaned, it felt like I could have put a foot on the wall and pryed it off. That really sucks but no harm no foul to you guys.

 

Thanks for checking it out John. It wouldn't suprise me if a shinny thing appears....just saying.

[DPS]

As I recall, there is a vertical, beautiful, hand crack topped by a horn wrapped in miles of webbing that I climbed once to gain the crux hand traverse. Can this be used to avoid the flake that fell off? It was the most sustained, strenuous bit of climbing on the route, but no harder than 5.9.

 

I've climbed OS six times, I really don't recall any sketchy flakes except for the thin one following the hand traverse directly below the sloping belay ledge with the tree.

[ConorB]

(...) I really don't recall any sketchy flakes except for the thin one following the hand traverse directly below the sloping belay ledge with the tree.

 

DPS are you referring to the 2nd/3rd (depends how you pitch it out) pitch of remorse with that creaky hollow flake below 2 tree ledge? goes left toward the 5.7 pitch up to the ledge?

 

that is was i was envisioning as well. i don't recall any flakes above on the right traverse pitch, but sure know that horn with all the slings. i think one of mine was welded into that crack for a while.

[icmtns]

The thought of climbing it was too scary so we did iconoclast and rpm instead...maybe the new snow test piece?

[DPS]

(...) I really don't recall any sketchy flakes except for the thin one following the hand traverse directly below the sloping belay ledge with the tree.

 

DPS are you referring to the 2nd/3rd (depends how you pitch it out) pitch of remorse with that creaky hollow flake below 2 tree ledge? goes left toward the 5.7 pitch up to the ledge?

 

that is was i was envisioning as well. i don't recall any flakes above on the right traverse pitch, but sure know that horn with all the slings. i think one of mine was welded into that crack for a while.

 

I was not referring to Remorse, I've never done it. I do not remember any creaky flakes on the entire route, except for the thin flake right at the end of pitch three; the crux, sloping hand crack. The thin flake never seemed creaky, maybe a bit friable though.

 

I recall two ways to 'approach' the crux sloping hand crack traverse, both of these start at Two Tree Ledge. An easy, blocky, grassy, dihedral, and a vertical hand crack to the climber's right of the dihedral. Right after the sloping hand crack (with a broken off Friend in it for years), there was a short, vertical section that started out as fingers behind a thin flake, depositing one on the sloping ledge with the tree.

 

The next pitch climbs a low angle face to a steep flaring corner behind a pedestal. The top of the pedestal is the beginning of the 100 meter hand crack, spilt by Library Ledge.

Edited June 4, 2017 by DPS

[ConorB]

(...) I really don't recall any sketchy flakes except for the thin one following the hand traverse directly below the sloping belay ledge with the tree.

 

DPS are you referring to the 2nd/3rd (depends how you pitch it out) pitch of remorse with that creaky hollow flake below 2 tree ledge? goes left toward the 5.7 pitch up to the ledge?

 

that is was i was envisioning as well. i don't recall any flakes above on the right traverse pitch, but sure know that horn with all the slings. i think one of mine was welded into that crack for a while.

 

I was not referring to Remorse, I've never done it. I do not remember any creaky flakes on the entire route, except for the thin flake right at the end of pitch three; the crux, sloping hand crack. The thin flake never seemed creaky, maybe a bit friable though.

 

I recall two ways to 'approach' the crux sloping hand crack traverse, both of these start at Two Tree Ledge. An easy, blocky, grassy, dihedral, and a vertical hand crack to the climber's right of the dihedral. Right after the sloping hand crack (with a broken off Friend in it for years), there was a short, vertical section that started out as fingers behind a thin flake, depositing one on the sloping ledge with the tree.

 

The next pitch climbs a low angle face to a steep flaring corner behind a pedestal. The top of the pedestal is the beginning of the 100 meter hand crack, spilt by Library Ledge.

 

 

Ah, yes. I remembered the sling swallowing horn at the beginning of the rightward crack but had forgotten about the flakes further out.

[Drederek]

No need to worry, P3 is still Leavenworth 5.9. It appears that about a foot of the flake in question snapped off, not really a big deal. When the other 90% of that flake goes there may be an issue, although that does not seem imminent.

[DPS]

No need to worry, P3 is still Leavenworth 5.9.

As in Leavenworth 5.9 == Index 5.7 or Castle Rock 5.9?

[Good2Go]

No need to worry, P3 is still Leavenworth 5.9.

As in Leavenworth 5.9 == Index 5.7 or Castle Rock 5.9?

 

I climbed it on Saturday and could not tell what was different. I took this pic from the start of the traverse (which is still 5.9, even on the Index scale). Maybe somebody has a "before pic" from the same spot?

 

[Drederek]

If Damnation = 5.9, OS = 5.8. On a par with Ski Tracks or The Bone. Definitely easier than Rogers Corner.

What I surmised to be the broken flake is clearly visible in the above picture, it just starts a little further away from the corner now.

[DPS]

If Damnation = 5.9, OS = 5.8. On a par with Ski Tracks or The Bone. Definitely easier than Rogers Corner.

What I surmised to be the broken flake is clearly visible in the above picture, it just starts a little further away from the corner now.

 

If Damnation = 5.9, Saber = 5.4, Scary Canary = 5.8, etc. then I would argue Castle Rock has maintained its traditional ratings and is slightly incongruous with routes on SCW and in the Icicle Valley. In my mind Godzilla at Index is the 5.9 by which other 5.9' should be compared to.

 

[Drederek]

I respect the ratings more at Castle Rock as a general rule as well.

[telemarker]

I respect the ratings more at Castle Rock as a general rule as well.

 

Absolutely. If you consider ratings are based on an onsight lead, then almost all the routes at Castle are sandbagged big time. Launch into an onsight lead of Rainbow Connection and see if it feels 5.11a. I think that what the book rates it. Or Hangdog. Brass Balls.

 

As for SCW, Mary Jane dihedral's 5.9 rating does not feel soft at all. And Orbit also feels pretty true to grade.

 

The flake that broke off on OS is at the end of the traverse, where you have to start to make the face moves above the traversing crack.

[keenwesh]

Hah, I though for sure it was the big flake at the start that flexes. I always figured that thing was good because of the sheer volume of traffic, glad it still is hanging in there!