[TR] Three O'Clock Rock - various 11/19/2018

[Otto]

Trip: Three O'Clock Rock - various

Trip Date: 11/19/2018

Trip Report:

Wanting to see some rock before the snows came, I went up to Three O'Clock Rock yesterday, Monday, Nov. 19.  First light comes late in this season so I enjoyed the luxury of sleeping in until five, left Seattle at six.  Still a very cold morning in Darrington, I pulled in to the Shell station for a pit stop to let the day warm up a bit.  I didn't tarry long, however, as the old pre-climb excitement took hold, didn't even go in the store, and motored on up the Clear Creek Road.

The road is in good shape, with a new coat of gravel on the lower section.  Thanks to the "Darrington Collaborative" for that!  Besides the fairly alarming tilt of the roadbed in a couple of places, one new hazard is apparent:

The trail is in the best condition I've ever seen it.  Thank you to the work party earlier this year.  Especially appreciated is the ramp up off the old miner's road:

Years ago we had to cross over this log on the steps provided:

Full sun was pulling me out of the frost toward the North Buttress:

But I had designs on some easy pitches on the South Buttress:

I wanted to warm up with Under the Bored Walk:

Dry and clean, the knobs accepted my passage:

Pointy elbows in the sun:

Rapping off:

That was actually scary enough that I decided against staying there to do Charly Chan's Number One Suspect.  I moved gear over to Cornucopia Flake.

 

Stout trees are plentiful under the route:

It was fun placing gear again, so late in the season:

I had only planned to do single pitches, no multi-pitch, but this looked so good and had to pass it up:

Obligatory Exfoliation Dome shot:

Feeling better about friction moves with lots of rope out, I decided to do the first pitch of The Kone.  I saved time by using the same anchor tree.  It was 1:30 and the sun was already going around the corner!

From near the top of the first pitch of The Kone:

On each of these pitches, I fixed the lead rope, rapped, and jugged up with a second rope for rappel.  Last rappel of the day, from The Kone:

I felt lucky to be out there for a beautiful day in November.

 

Gear Notes:
Minimal rack of cams. Two 60m ropes.

Approach Notes:
Thanks to the Washington Climbers Coalition and the Darrington Collaborative for the road work, and for the recent trail work.

[JasonG]

Love it!  #DestinationDarrington

[bellows]

Cool! Curious, what’s your lead solo set up?

[Otto]

It was the maiden voyage for my new belay device, an Edelrid Eddy, with the rope stuffed in a small backpack.  Very pleased that it ran smoothly through the device, without locking up.

[bellows]

Ah, I can actually see it in one of your pics. Good stuff!

[geosean]

Glad to hear some people put in a bunch of work out there. Thank you! I didn't make it to Darrington this year - I just discovered Index. Maybe next spring I'll go back!

[hanman]

Thanks Otto! Great write up

 

Love that place and really happy that the road and trail conditions are not only sustaining but improving! Thanks Darrington Collaborative, FFPU, Mountaineers, and WCC !!

 

Cheers-

 

M.Hanna

Edited December 2, 2018 by hanman