[TR] Squire Creek Wall, South Face - Nature's Way 09/05/2025

[Otto]

Trip: Squire Creek Wall, South Face - Nature's Way

Trip Date: 09/05/2025

Trip Report:

 

I was joined by Rob Stephenson on Sept. 5, 2025 for a climb of the newly prepared route, Nature's Way. This is a three pitch route on Squire Creek Wall's South face, located just right (East) of the route Concerto in C for Drill and Hammer.

 

p1: From the two-bolt anchor at the base, walk up granite ramps and blocks to a prominent V-gully. Ascend the gully to find good pro cracks at its top sides. Step out left to an easy mantel move on the slab. Climb up easy blocks to a large ledge, 5.5.

p2: A series of ledges cut the wall into five or six distinct problems, each protected by a bolt or two. The crux is at the fourth bolt, where a rightward slanting seam form finger edges leading to a nice face hold to the ledge above, 5.8. Then a final 5.8 move in a shallow dihedral passes two bolts to a helpful tree/bush providing balance to the anchor.

p3: The obvious hand crack soaring above is the route objective. It may look intimidating, but there are good pro options for cams all along its length. With lieback moves or stemming at first, gain the only big knob on the wall. Hand jamming for a couple of moves brings one to a restful patch right of the crack. Prepare for some undercling moves and fire out to a foot edge on the left wall with a useful sharp-edged finger crack for resting. Another ten feet of underclinging leads to the top of the flake with a blessed hold at the end. Small pro can be plugged in here, protecting the high step move onto the narrow ramp to the chains, 5.9.

Route history, timeline
Yale Lewis spotted the "curvy flakes" of pitch 3 in September of last year while we were finishing up a climb of Miracle Ramps. The idea percolated all winter, and we drilled the bottom anchor on May 25, 2025.

On June 15, Yale opined that one pitch would reach the curvy flakes. When he climbed the first pitch we were halfway there; there was some foreshortening involved. He drilled one anchor bolt at the big ledge. I climbed the second pitch by going wildly left into the trees whenever it looked hard. But I made it to the goal, the bushy ledge at the base of the curvy flakes where I drilled the two-bolt anchor.

Later in June, on a solo mission, I placed chain anchors on p1 and p2.

On June 29, we made the first attempt at the big flake crack. Yale led over to the crack and placed two cams, but could not move up as the crack bottomed out. He backed off and tried climbing around the flake to the far left and placed a couple of bolts. These bolts will have to be removed as they are way off-route. We descended.

In July I went up for two days by myself and finalized the second pitch, placing six bolts at the interesting spaces between the ledges. I cleaned the pitch with the wire brush and some trundling, all good fun.

On August 10, I made the breakthrough on pitch three. I knew the crack would have to be cleaned before I could free it, so I would have to use direct aid to get on top. With new energy from Linnet Vacha and Sam Pickel, I got on aiders and gardened pockets every five or six feet. Feeling like I was on a big wall again was so great! I had assembled a double rack of cams between blue TCU and yellow Camalot, and I placed 21 of them. I drilled the top anchor, avoiding some very loose surface flakes, finding solid rock up high, and fixed a static rope.

On August 22, I returned by myself for three days. I jugged up to the top a p3 and rapped with the wire brush. I got the lichen off all the foot smearing within three feet of the crack. Then lower down, I got out the ice axe and dug out the dirt from the hand crack section! So satisfying.

On August 5, I teamed up with Rob Stephenson for the free climb. Overcoming the weakness of mental negativity, I found enough rest spots to get it done clean with ten cam placements. Rob opined that a confident, strong leader could do it safely with five placements, and I now agree.

Special thanks to Yale Lewis, Linnet Vacha, Sam Pickel, and Rob Stephenson. Photos by Rob Stephenson. Topo by Bill Enger.

 

Gear Notes:
Double rack between .3" and .75", and one 2". Strangely, no No. 1 (red Camalot) was needed on any pitch. Specifically, used on the FFA: One blue TCU, One yellow TCU, One blue Totem, One .4 Camalot, One yellow Totem, One .5 purple Camalot, Three .75 green Camalots, One No. 2 yellow Camalot.

Approach Notes:
From the well-known "paradisiacal grassy saddle" bivy area, cross the wide granite apron and cruise past the start of Concerto in C to the opposite wall. See the two bolts with ring anchors, installed to provide a descent option in case of bad weather.

Edited 4 hours ago by Otto
typo fix

[Otto]

Here's a locator photo composite.